The Relationship between Immersive Learning, Social Presence, and Student Interaction in Technology-Enhanced Learning Environments: A Systematic Literature Review and Bibliometric Analysis (2021-2026)

Abstract

Immersive technologies (Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Metaverse) are increasingly used as innovative approaches to technology-enhanced learning. However, despite growing research on immersive learning, the ways in which immersive experiences influence social presence and, in turn, student interaction remain insufficiently understood. This study examined the relationship among immersive learning, social presence, and student interaction in technology-enhanced learning environments through a Systematic Literature Review guided by the PRISMA 2020 protocol, combined with bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer. A search of the Scopus database in the 2021-2026 period yielded 38 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. The results showed a rising publication trend led by South Korea, Germany, and the United States, with virtual reality and social presence emerging as central keywords linked to five main research themes. The synthesis indicated that immersive learning was associated with stronger social presence, which in turn supported richer student interaction and collaborative knowledge building, following three conceptual patterns: direct relationships, support for collaboration, and mediation of learning engagement. Student interaction itself also reinforced social presence, indicating a reciprocal relationship. The study identified research gaps and proposed a conceptual framework linking the three constructs, suggesting that learning design should deliberately target social presence as the mechanism through which immersive tools translate into meaningful student interaction.