Investigating the use of Virtual Reality as a form of Simulated Learning in the context of Legal Higher Education

By adopting the VRHEEL as a theoretical starting point, the PhD study aimed to explore the potential of using VR in the context of legal simulation practices. Research phase 1 was conducted to design a suitable VR environment for the purposes of the study. A VR environment was created and refined using interviews from seven students and nine educators from a UK university.

Research phase 2 consisted of four case studies at four UK universities using the developed VR programme. Interview, observation, and learning style data were collected and triangulated from thirty-three participants across the four case studies to explore how VR could enhance student learning, focusing on the learning experience, VR suitability, and the influence of learning styles and prior experiences. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview and observation data, and the triangulated data were further analysed within and across the case studies to create rich accounts of the participants’ experiences with the VR programme.

As a result, the final VR Mooting Framework (VRMF) was proposed, identifying numerous theoretical thematic contributions to the literature on the potential of VR in the legal simulation context. Practically, the study has provided valuable insights for educators for the effective implementation of VR in legal simulation practices. Overall, the study serves as a valuable foundation for future research in this area by holistically investigating the factors relevant to creating a meaningful VR learning experience in the legal simulation context.</p>