Shared Nods, Shared Presence: Enhancing Engagement in VR On-Demand Lectures

Abstract

Asynchronous online lectures lack nonverbal cues such as peer nodding, which can decrease learner engagement. One key contrast lies in the ease of nonverbal communication among learners. In a physical classroom, students naturally observe peers’ behaviors—such as nodding or note-taking—which can influence their own learning. Nodding, in particular, serves multiple roles in lecture settings, highlighting the importance of understanding its effects when designing online learning environments. To investigate the influence of learners’ nodding on others in an asynchronous on-demand lecture, we developed a virtual reality (VR) lecture environment. This environment simulates a lecture hall containing virtual classmates (humanoid robots) and a front-facing lecture video. By reproducing nodding behaviors from previous learners at corresponding moments in the lecture, participants could experience an indirect form of nonverbal communication via these virtual classmates. Ten participants were asked to watch a real lecture video in this VR environment while wearing a headset that tracked their head movements and gaze. Results revealed that when the virtual classmates nodded, participants spent more time looking at them compared to the condition with no nodding. Post-experiment surveys further indicated that most participants felt less isolated in the VR setting. These findings suggest that shared nodding behaviors in VR can effectively promote social presence while mitigating the sense of isolation often associated with on-demand lectures. While nodding is a less-intrusive alternative to physiological data, privacy perceptions still warrant careful consideration.