DIGITAL LEADERSHIP IN VR-BASED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING: CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS IN HIGHER EDUCATION DECORATIVE MATERIALS EDUCATION

Abstract The project studies digital leadership challenges as well as AI leadership challenges incorporated with virtual reality in a practice-based higher education, with the applied area being Decorativematerials education. The DML-ELVR (Decorative materials learning - experiential learning in virtual reality) framework was designed and examined against substantial problems like limited resources, quality guarantees, and compatibility between technology and instruction in education administration. A mixed-method quasi-experimental study was done to randomly allocate the total sample size of 70 undergraduate students as a VR-based experimental group n=35 & 35 in a traditional control group. Quantitative data from the DMST/validated scales (e.g., LTM, TMI, etc.) will be analyzed using ANCOVA. Qualitative data will be collected via the use of semi-structured interviews with students, as well as class observation. Experimental groups scored higher than control groups on material cognition, design visualization, and applied practice (p