Date

8-6-2025

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Chair

Vonda Beavers

Keywords

Virtual Reality (VR), Professional Development (PD), pedagogical, experiential theory

Disciplines

Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological research is to understand the lived experiences of secondary educators who have participated in VR-based professional development programs in the southeastern United States. Using Kolb’s (1984) experiential theory, the study answered the central research question: What are the lived experiences of educators who have participated in VR-based professional development programs at urban middle schools in the southeastern United States? The sub-questions addressed educators' experiences with VR professional development regarding engagement, immersion, and perceptions to enrich their teaching practices or professional growth. Purposive, maximum variation, and snowball sampling were used to secure 10 educators who have experienced VR professional development in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, and letter-writing that revealed the experiences of educators engaged in VR-based professional development. The data were analyzed through epoché, phenomenological reduction, coding, horizonalization, clustering data into themes, textural description, synthesis, and maximum variation. The two primary findings of the study were that educators’ virtual reality professional development (PD) created a shift from lecture-based to hands-on learning, and the transformative potential of virtual reality reshaped the educational landscape by offering educators immersive learning experiences that simulate real-world scenarios.

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