How to Construct Behavioral Patterns in Immersive Learning Environments: A Framework, Systematic Review, and Research Agenda

The rapid adoption of immersive technologies in educational contexts has heightened research interest in analyzing the specific behavioral patterns of learners within immersive learning environments. However, the existing research on the technical affordances of immersive technologies and the pedagogical potential of behavioral analysis remains fragmented. This study contributes by developing a sustainable conceptual framework that amalgamates learning requirements, specification, evaluation, and iteration into an integrated model to identify the learning benefits and potential hurdles of behavioral analysis in immersive learning environments. A systematic review of 60 studies from the past twelve years is conducted, underpinning the proposed conceptual framework to validate the proposed framework. The findings reveal that (1) preparing salient pedagogical requirements, such as defining specific learning stages, envisioning cognitive objectives, and specifying appropriate learning activities, is essential for developing comprehensive plans on behavioral analysis in immersive learning environments; (2) researchers can customize immersive experimental systems by considering factors across four dimensions: learners, pedagogy, context, and representation; (3) the behavioral patterns constructed in immersive learning environments vary by considering the influence of behavioral analysis techniques, research themes, and immersive technical features; and (4) challenges related to technical infrastructure, implementation, and data processing persist. This study also articulates a critical research agenda that could drive future investigation on the sustainability of behavioral analysis in immersive learning environments.