# iVRPM: Conceptual Proposal of an Immersive Virtual Reality Pedagogical Model
## 2 Essential Elements in the Learning Process Within Immersive Environments
In this sense, immersion can be described as \"a psychological state characterized by the perception of being enveloped, included, and interacting with an environment that offers a continuous flow of stimuli and experiences\" [16] (p. 277). Presence can be defined as the subjective psychological response of the individual to the immersive environment [19] or as a subjective experience of feeling present in an artificially created place [23]. \"Presence is a subjective experience, a 'psychological state of 'being there', mediated by an environment that engages our senses, captures our attention, and promotes active involvement\" [16] (p. 298). An essential element in the perception of presence is the individual themselves. Presence arises from the active decision of the user to focus their attention on the virtual world instead of the physical one [24]. Individual personality and engagement are directly related to the sense of presence [3]. According to [PERSON] et al. [4], engagement and immersion are essential conditions for experiencing a sense of presence. The author suggests that (i) engagement is a psychological state in which the individual focuses their energy and attention on a set of stimuli or activities, and (ii) a higher level of engagement and immersion leads to a greater sense of presence in a virtual environment. It is also important to highlight that iVR is a technology that allows the use of natural physical movements, such as gestures, touches, and body positioning, to enable interaction between the user and the virtual environment [25]. Students can move and interact as they would in the real world, and the virtual environment responds to their movements [1]. Interaction, defined as the user's ability to act in the virtual environment, encompasses the intuitiveness of the interaction, the congruence and significance of actions, as well as the clarity of actions and their consequences [24; 25]. It is considered a technological characteristic related to the freedom given to the learner to control the learning experience and linked to the fidelity and alignment between real movements and the corresponding feedback [5]. For the authors, agency is a subjective response to interaction that allows the user to act in the virtual environment and receive responses from it [5]. In essence, the perception of control (agency), according to [PERSON] et al. [26], represents the individual's freedom over environmental sensors and the ability to modify the environment and its objects. It is related to the individual's freedom to control the immersive experience. This concept is also correlated with the student's active participation [19] and the use of manual controls, which can be a powerful catalyst for engaging students, enhancing their perception of agency, and facilitating the understanding of complex concepts [1]. However, for iVR experiences to be optimized, it is essential to consider not only the student's ability to use technologies but also the crucial role of embodiment in the learning process. Embodiment, as highlighted by [PERSON] [1], refers to the idea that learning is enhanced when students actively engage with the content, using their bodies through gestures, physical movements, or object manipulation in virtual environments. This physical and sensory engagement not only reinforces the encoding and retention of information but also enhances the student's immersion in the experience. Additionally, the development of psychomotor skills, such as the dexterity and coordination required to navigate and interact in the virtual environment, is essential. The learner's ability to use technologies can influence both how they interact with the experience and their ability to engage immersively in activities [27]. The immersive experience provided by virtual reality can often distract learners, compromising the acquisition of cognitive skills [28]. The authors observed that participants reported being so captivated by the virtual environment that they overlooked the information presented.