The Impact of Racial Congruence Between Instructor and Learner on Memorization Outcomes in a Virtual Reality Environment

Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - (Volume 2)

Publié le 7 avril 2025 – Mis à jour le 25 juin 2025

Sakdavong, J.-C. (CLLE - Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès) and Ville, R.

The interaction between teachers and learners is crucial for knowledge transmission and socio-emotional development. Studies have shown that ethnic congruence between teachers and students can enhance the sense of belonging, academic performance, and motivation, especially among female students. Furthermore, racial stereotypes and perceived discrimination also influence the perception of teachers' competencies, with varying effects depending on specific ethnic groups. Virtual reality (VR) offers a way to study these dynamics by controlling variables, but empirical research is still limited. It is therefore observed that multiple variables can influence the outcomes of racial congruence between students and teachers, highlighting the importance of identifying and measuring these impacts within a virtual reality context to better understand the impact of these factors in education. This study investigated the impact of racial congruence between instructors and learners on memorization outcomes within a virtual reality (VR) environment. Participants (N = 29) were randomly assigned to interact with either a racially congruent or incongruent virtual instructor while undergoing safety training in a virtual construction site. Results indicated that participants in the racially congruent condition demonstrated significantly better memorization scores compared to those in the incongruent condition. These findings highlight the potential of VR for investigating the nuances of social dynamics in educational settings and emphasize the importance of representation in learning environments

ISBN 978-989-758-746-7, ISSN 2184-5026, pages 917-922

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