Pedagogical Foundations of Immersive Virtual Reality for Programming Education: A Critical Review and Conceptual Framework

Abstract

Immersive virtual reality has been increasingly adopted in higher education, particularly in computer science and programming education, and shows promising results in addressing challenges such as low student motivation and difficulties in understanding abstract and complex concepts. However, the pedagogical foundations underpinning the use of immersive virtual reality in programming education have not been sufficiently examined. In particular, the literature reveals limited integration among pedagogical theories, instructional design, immersive affordances, and assessment practices, which hinders the systematic design and evaluation of immersive virtual reality-based learning environments grounded in sound pedagogical principles. This study presents a critical review of the pedagogical foundations of immersive virtual reality for programming education in higher education and proposes an integrative conceptual framework. The review analyzes learning theories, pedagogical strategies, instructional design approaches, and assessment methods reported in empirical studies, with particular attention to their alignment with intended learning outcomes. Based on a synthesis of the literature, a pedagogical taxonomy of immersive virtual reality for programming education is developed to organize the main pedagogical elements identified in current research. These elements are subsequently integrated into a conceptual framework that establishes relationships between pedagogical theories, instructional design, immersive affordances, and assessment. The proposed framework provides a structured representation of current pedagogical practices, identifies gaps and fragmentation in the literature, and offers orientation for the design, implementation, and evaluation of future immersive virtual reality-based programming learning environments in higher education.