A Comparative Analysis of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality in Interactive Learning Environments.

Abstract: Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) are two significant educational technologies that provide different avenues to rethink familiar education problems based on interactive and immersive experiences. VR enables learners to interact in completely simulated environments, offering opportunities for learners to engage in immersive ways with abstract or complex ideas, whereas AR extends the possibilities in physical world contexts by augmenting an environment with digital objects to ground theoretical abstract constructions in practice. This research article highlights a comparative analysis of VR and AR applications in interactive learning contexts with respect to their impact on pedagogy, system design and framework for use, implementation, and some of the challenges of each. The work is situated in a project−based approach to address the feasibility of implementation, system or architecture, algorithms, and testing. The findings indicate that while VR environments are much richer in immersion, AR provides a low cost, expandable, and more accessible form. VR and AR both demonstrate an evidence based positive effect on motivation, retention and participation in active learning in comparison to traditional methods. The paper concludes that VR and AR can co-develop and that hybrid XR solutions can leverage the strengths of each technology and represent a more sustainable approach to education.

Keywords: Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Interactive Learning, XR, Pedagogy.