High school students' self-regulated learning in a virtual reality based learning environment

This instrumental case study aims to explore students' self-regulated learning (SRL) processes in a VR learning environment. In addition, a virtual reality (VR)-based learning environment was designed with combining traditional learning activities of mathematics education with the VR learning environment to facilitate students' SRL processes. Thus, this study also aims to explore the environmental features of the VR-based learning environment that are conducive to specific SRL processes. The participants were twenty eleventh grade students. The SRL processes of participants and the environmental features conducive to specific SRL processes were explored via using their think-aloud audio, screen recordings of their experiences in the VR learning environment, and semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data analysis was conducted through the coding of all these three data sources. The findings indicate that students engage in task analysis and monitoring processes and utilize a variety of self-control strategies in the VR learning environment. Furthermore, there is an interplay between the environmental features of the VR-based learning environment and SRL processes. The findings indicate that specific environmental features of the VR-based learning environment can facilitate students' specific SRL processes.