Bridging Theory and Practice: Designing Immersive Virtual Reality Environments for Legal Education

Abstract

Although some research has explored the use of non-immersive technologies in legal education, there is a noticeable gap in the literature concerning the design and implementation of immersive virtual reality environments within the context of law clinics. This study explores the design features and relationships between key elements of immersive virtual reality (VR) environments tailored for legal clinics, aiming to bridge the gap between practice-based learning and theory-based methods in legal education. A Delphi study involving 20 expert panelists from diverse backgrounds, including VR design, instructional design, information technology law, and criminal law, was conducted. The study identified crucial design features that VR scenarios should incorporate, including realism, informative content, adaptive difficulty levels, and multiple outcome paths based on user responses. Additionally, the research highlighted the significance of VR environments offering high levels of realism, interactivity, diversity, ergonomic and universal design considerations, and cost-effectiveness and ease of use. The findings from this study not only align with existing research on VR design but also contribute fresh insights into the interplay between these design features. This research offers valuable theoretical and practical implications by shedding light on how VR environments can enhance both practice-oriented and theory-based legal education. Furthermore, it suggests a potential role map for guiding future studies in this domain. Given the ongoing evolution of legal clinics and educational technology, further research is warranted to explore the application of these VR design features in diverse learning contexts and to assess their effectiveness in fostering specific legal skills.