Pre-service Primary and Secondary Teachers’ Perceptions of the Potential of Virtual Reality for Teaching and Learning

Abstract

In this thesis, three separate but closely connected studies were conducted. A scoping review employed a systematic approach to identify studies dealing with pre-service teachers’ ICT beliefs, revealed the crucial factors in terms of measuring pre-service teachers’ ICT beliefs, explored unresolved issues with the current literature of pre-service teachers’ beliefs of different technologies, and provided clear directions for the development of further educational research and practice. A systematic review sought to examine the ICT beliefs of pre-service teachers containing the variables of ICT beliefs measurement, ICT adaptation factors and ICT training needs. The findings from the scoping review and systematic review revealed the relevant research and provided insights into the possible ways to measure pre-service teachers’ ICT beliefs. A mixed method empirical study on pre-service teachers’ beliefs and training needs on the educational use of virtual reality was conducted to fill the research gap and move the literature forward, as the results of scoping review and systematic review have suggested that there is a lack of evidence about pre-service teachers’ beliefs on cutting-edge technologies, such as virtual reality technology. It was found that pre-service teachers have moderately positive attitude towards ICT and virtual reality technology in terms of openness to new ICT tools, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and technological complexity; however, they hold a relatively positive expectation for the future development of virtual reality technology in the educational field. The results also showed that pre-service teachers have moderately positive attitudes towards ICT training, and they have clear goals about their training needs to guide their implementation of virtual reality technology in classroom teaching and learning. It is suggested that pre-service teachers in China need to adapt to the recent and newest policies for their own development and for the advancement of society. Future research could be based on the relationship between pre-service teachers’ ICT beliefs and the practices of integration of technology in the classroom, as well as the changes in pre-service teachers’ perceptions of ICT and cutting-edge educational technologies before and after the Covid-19 pandemic for teaching practice.