Extended Reality in Computer Science Education: A Narrative Review of Pedagogical Benefits, Challenges, and Future Directions

Technologies such as XR (Extended Reality), in the form of VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality) and MR (Mixed-Reality), are being researched for their potential to support higher education. XR offers novel opportunities for improving understanding and engagement of computer science (CS) courses, abstract and algorithmic thinking and the application of knowledge to solve problems with computers. This narrative literature review aims to report the state of XR adoption in the university CS education context by studying pedagogical benefits, representative cases, challenges, and future research work. Recent case studies have demonstrated that VR innovations are supportive of algorithm and data structure visualization, AR in programming and circuit analysis contextualization, and MR in bridging the experimental practice on virtual with real hardware within computer labs. The potential of XR to enhance engagement, motivation, and complex content understanding has already been researched. However, ongoing obstacles remain such as the high cost of hardware, technical issues in practicing scalable content, restricted access for students with disabilities, and ethical considerations over privacy and data protection. This review also presents XR, not as a substitute for traditional pedagogy, but as an additive tool that, in alignment with well-defined curricular objectives, may enhance CS learning. If it overcomes these deficiencies and progresses appropriate inclusive evidence-based practices, XR has the potential to play a powerful role in the future of computer science education as part of the digital learning ecosystem.