ABSTRACT
Substantial research has been done towards virtual reality (VR) and expanded reality (ER) in educational contexts (McGovern, Moreira and Luna-Nevarez, 2019). Research has concentrated on disciplines like medicine, engineering, biology, architecture, and the arts. Primary schools are a promising education level that incorporates immersive digital experiences. Middle-income countries like Mexico haven’t carried much research compared with high-income countries such as the United States (Piscitelli-Altomari, 2017). Mexican research has focused on higher education and health-related college departments. Research emphasises science and maths, but art and socio-emotional education remain relegated. This chapter presents a critical review of Virtual and Expanded Reality published research academic papers in educational contexts developed in Mexico. Databases of Bachelor’s Degrees and Master’s theses from two public universities were included. Results evidence more research is needed as there is no evaluation of the impact of this technology. We suggest the inclusion of art education and socioemotional skills in the curriculum. Compared to other countries, art education receives little attention, which coincides with the curriculum of elementary schools in Mexico. Lack of funding in schools is an important barrier to implementing technology for learning. Access for underserved populations needs to be addressed. Ethical concerns are reviewed towards the use of VR in these contexts (2019), as well as the need for teacher training (Antón-Sancho et al., 2023), from a critical perspective on VR and ER usage.
