Immersive Learning Networks Advancing Ecocentric Sustainability Through Educational Conceptual Connectivity Framework

Abstract

The increasing demand for innovative sustainability education requires pedagogical approaches capable of integrating environmental knowledge, ethical responsibility, and systems thinking into coherent learning experiences. This study proposes a conceptual Gephi network model that explains how immersive learning contributes to the development of ecocentrism through interconnected educational constructs derived from the Sustainable Development Goals. The model positions Immersive Learning as the central construct influencing Environmental Literacy and Ecological Awareness, which subsequently strengthen Systems Thinking and Ecological Identity. These cognitive and affective dimensions promote Pro-Environmental Behavior and Ecological Citizenship, ultimately leading to Ecocentrism as the principal educational outcome. A quantitative conceptual network approach was adopted using systematic extraction and coding of scientific literature related to immersive education, sustainability, environmental education, ecological ethics, and educational technology. Conceptual co-occurrence data were transformed into weighted relationships and analyzed using Gephi network indicators, including Degree Centrality, Betweenness Centrality, Closeness Centrality, Eigenvector Centrality, Density, Clustering Coefficient, Average Path Length, and Modularity. The resulting network exhibited high structural cohesion, demonstrating strong conceptual connectivity among all educational constructs. Immersive Learning and Ecocentrism emerged as the most influential nodes, while Systems Thinking functioned as the principal transformational mechanism linking environmental knowledge with sustainable behavior. The findings indicate that sustainability education is better understood as an interconnected educational ecosystem than as a sequence of isolated variables. The proposed Gephi model provides a comprehensive framework for visualizing conceptual relationships, identifying influential educational components, and supporting curriculum design, educational innovation, interdisciplinary research, and policy development aimed at strengthening ecocentric competencies through immersive educational environments aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.