Virtual World and the Teaching of Literature Studies in IR 4.0 Era

Abstract

The rapid innovations in computer sciences and the emergence of technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), metaverse, and similar cyberspaces have greatly impacted the field of education. The radical changes that IR4.0 has made in the teaching approaches and learning behaviours have posed new challenges for students of literary studies in academia. This chapter aims to examine the learning behaviours and challenges of literature students in Malaysian tertiary education in the context of IR4.0. Specifically, the study explores how digital and virtual world has impacted the teaching and learning of literature in academia and thereby seeks to suggest ways to overcome them. It is concluded that effective instruction of literature courses in IR4.0 era requires a combination of pedagogical approaches, technological tools, and cultural sensitivity as well as an effective convergence of the real and the virtual worlds.