Digital Heritage and Ethical Display: Student Reflections on Recreating Funerary Contexts in Immersive Environments

Abstract

This paper presents a case study evaluating how 3D modeling and virtual reality (VR) support learning in an online archaeology course through an immersive tomb reconstruction assignment. Implemented as the Honors component of an asynchronous general education course, the project asked students to rebuild ancient Egyptian tombs in SketchUp and present them in a shared virtual environment. Across two iterations (Spring and Fall 2025), students engaged with mortuary architecture, spatial reasoning, and—when required—embedded ethics-focused elements addressing issues such as looting, repatriation, colonial legacies, and the display of human remains. 
Survey data and thematic reflections (n = 44) show that although most students began with little modeling experience and high concern, they reported reduced anxiety, modest gains in digital confidence, and higher perceived learning than with traditional assignments, particularly in spatial understanding and interpretive engagement. Qualitative responses emphasized creativity and ownership alongside recurring technical friction. Ethical outcomes showed high baseline concern and modest refinement rather than major shifts, with no consistent differences between students who embedded ethics in their models and those who engaged through readings alone.
Overall, findings indicate that immersive reconstruction can enhance engagement and spatial learning in online archaeology courses when supported by careful scaffolding and attention to cognitive load.