Enhancing Clinical Law Education Through Immersive Virtual Reality: a Flow Experience Perspective

Abstract

Background: The existing literature lacks experimental studies that provide a genuine virtual reality experience, particularly within the context of the flow experience, as it relates to clinical legal education. Aims: This study investigates the impact of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) on clinical law education, with a particular focus on the flow experience. Sample: Eighty-three law students participated in case practices. Method: The study adopted an experimental design that included a random post-test control group, two distinct VR environments, immersive VR and desktop VR, were employed to create authentic scenarios mirroring real-life legal cases, and differences between the groups were tested using One-Way Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). Results: The results revealed that immersive VR significantly enhances the flow experience of law students compared to desktop VR. Participants in the immersive VR group demonstrated higher levels of focused attention, telepresence, time distortion, and interaction, indicating a more profound immersion. Surprisingly, there was no significant difference in terms of enjoyment between the two groups, contradicting previous research in this area. Conclusions: This study is pioneering in its approach, offering a unique contribution to the field of law education. It highlights the potential of immersive VR as a valuable tool for enhancing clinical legal education and creating more engaging learning experiences. Expanding the use of these virtual environments to both practical and theory-based learning methods presents an exciting avenue for further exploration in the field of legal education.