Enhancing Cultural Learning Through Spatial Audio in a Virtual Reality-Based Chettinad Experience

This chapter examines how immersive cultural learning using spatial audio and Virtual Reality (VR) can be used for enhanced learning. The study has taken a heritage building in Chettinad, Tamil Nadu, known for its palatial mansions with unique architectural properties and sustainable measures for preservation of various resources. On the basis of an experiment to understand user engagement, the chapter focuses on proposing an Immersive Cultural Learning Framework (ICLF), which can be implemented for immersive cultural learning. The study uses a custom-designed VR-based immersive learning environment, to demonstrates how the ICLF can be utilized to deepen cultural understanding and enhance learner engagement. This framework is suitable for representing intangible heritage, particularly through audio cues. The authors hope that this multi-use case study is relevant to various stakeholders, such as educators, cultural practitioners, and immersive media designers, by providing a structured model for facilitating meaningful and inclusive cultural learning in the digital age.