Factors Influencing Educators’ Curiosity to Learn about VR Technologies in Education

Abstract

AbstractWhile recent research has extensively explored the potential use of Virtual Reality (VR) in educational contexts, limited knowledge exists regarding teachers’ willingness to further their understanding of VR and its applications in education. Therefore, this study aims to investigate how various demographic factors and attitudes toward VR influence educators’ curiosity about this technology. Using the boosting classification machine-learning algorithm, we analyzed the responses of 324 educators from Europe and Eurasia. The findings reveal that the regularity of undergoing pedagogical training exerts the strongest influence on educators’ interest in learning about VR technology, underscoring the importance of consistent training opportunities. Additionally, frequent personal testing and use of VR technology, along with the duration of professional education in pedagogy, significantly affect educators’ curiosity. Age and gender identity also play influential roles, with older educators and males exhibiting greater curiosity. Notably, educators’ awareness of VR technology has a relatively lower impact. Furthermore, the total years of teaching experience and prior use of VR technology in teaching have minimal effects on educators’ curiosity. These findings emphasize the significance of providing high-quality pedagogical training to familiarize educators with VR technology and its potential benefits in educational settings, carrying substantial implications for policymakers.