Virtual reality for sustainable and responsible pedagogy in art and design education : a systematic review of motivation and digital leadership

This systematic review examines the role of Virtual Reality (VR) in advancing sustainable and responsible pedagogical innovation in art and design education. Drawing on 52 peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025, it synthesizes evidence across educational technology, leadership, and sustainability research. The review introduces a novel TAM-SDT-DL framework that integrates the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and Digital Leadership (DL) to offer a multidimensional lens on VR adoption. This hybrid model combines functional, psychological, and organizational factors, emphasizing that sustainable VR integration requires alignment between perceived usefulness, ease of use, fulfillment of psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness), and visionary institutional leadership. Findings highlight VR's pedagogical affordances for immersive, creative, and resource-conscious learning, while identifying critical challenges such as digital skill gaps, infrastructure limitations, and the need for inclusive, ethical, and environmentally conscious strategies. The TAM-SDT-DL framework addresses gaps in current research by linking individual learner engagement with institutional readiness and policy alignment. The review provides actionable guidance for educators and policymakers, advocating faculty development that unites technical training with motivational pedagogies, leadership strategies that ensure equitable access, and policies aligned with sustainability goals, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Ultimately, the review argues that VR's potential lies not in its technological novelty, but in its capacity to support responsible innovation through alignment with sustainable educational values. It calls for longitudinal, culturally responsive, and methodologically diverse research to maximize VR's transformative impact on creative education.