Learning then and there: An exploration of virtual reality in K-12 history education

Immersive virtual reality technology has the potential to change human/digital media as drastically as did the advent of the personal home computer and internet. While mostly used for gaming and film at the moment, well-developed VR software and hardware can place one anywhere in the world and experience phenomena one cannot in the physical world. Virtual reality presents an incredible opportunity for history educators around the world to take classes anywhere imaginable and provide incredible creation opportunities for students. This thesis will provide a summary of the current virtual reality technical landscape, ways in which educators are already using the technology, a survey of history virtual reality research, the impact of virtual reality on history pedagogy and historiography, an instructional model for teachers looking to incorporate virtual reality into their lessons, and a discussion on ethical challenges virtual reality brings to education.