Journal of East China Normal University(Educationa ›› 2026, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (6): 56-77.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2026.06.004

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The Relationship Between Teaching Presence Types and Learning Effectiveness in Virtual Reality Contexts: An Empirical Study Based on Latent Profile and Network Analysis

Jing Ma1, Yue Wang2   

  1. 1. School of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
    2. School of Politics and Public Administration, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
  • Online:2026-06-01 Published:2026-05-27

Abstract:

Learners’ perceived learning effectiveness in VR environments is influenced by teaching presence and need for cognition; however, the mechanisms underlying these relationships remain insufficiently understood. Guided by the Community of Inquiry framework, this study surveyed a sample of 1,347 university students to identify latent profiles of teaching presence in VR-based instruction using latent profile analysis. In addition, network analysis was employed to examine the structural characteristics and core components of each profile, and the effects of different profiles on perceived learning effectiveness were tested while also assessing the moderating role of need for cognition. The results revealed that: (1) teaching presence in VR instruction can be categorized into three profiles—“Basic Construction Type,” “Innovative Leading Type,” and “Balanced Progressive Type”—which differed significantly across the dimensions of instructional design, facilitation, and direct instruction; (2) network analysis indicated distinct differences among the three profiles in network density, core nodes, and cross-dimensional interaction levels, with the “Innovative Leading Type” exhibiting the highest level of integration and systemic coordination; and (3) the “Innovative Leading Type” achieved the highest score in perceived learning effectiveness, with need for cognition significantly moderating the differences between the “Basic Construction Type” and the other two profiles. These findings illuminate the latent profiles of teaching presence, their network structures, and their differential impacts on perceived learning effectiveness in VR contexts, offering theoretical insights and practical implications for teacher professional development and personalized instructional support.

Key words: teaching presence, perceived learning effectiveness, need for cognition, latent profile analysis, network analysis