Abstract:

Introduction:
Virtual Reality (VR) has rapidly evolved from a novel technology to a transformative tool in various fields, including education. Its potential to elevate learning experiences lies in its ability to create immersive, interactive, and engaging environments. The objective of this paper was to assess whether (VR) is more effective for learning than traditional tools. Based on existing literature a high-level framework to define effectiveness was created. The study also aims to demonstrate the role of VR in skill acquisition and enhancing experiential learning.

Methodology:
We conducted a mixed methods research study among students at a public research university in the Netherlands. It involved quantitative data collected from surveys and qualitative data collected from interviews. Three educational tools- PDF, presentations, and VR modules were compared. The study focused on soft skills, particularly improving job interview skills. The students were split into groups to interact with different tools (either a PDF, a presentation, or a VR module), followed by an assessment of their learning outcomes. The sample consisted of 81% bachelor's students and 19% master's students. The ages ranged from 20-30 years with 63% of the sample being either 20 or 21. Most of the participants stemmed from a business study, the remaining coming from economics and philosophy.

Results:
In the pre-survey, we observed that 75% of students had no previous training for job interviews, however, 56% of the students felt somewhat comfortable with interviews. After the learning phase, we observed that 88% of students expressed they had learned something new with 31% feeling they were now more comfortable giving interviews. Additionally, we observed that students in the PDF and presentation groups felt less engaged and motivated during the learning phase. Most students responded positively to the VR simulation and found it useful. Participants found the job interview simulation useful to test the skills they gained in the learning phase.

Conclusion:
The study’s findings revealed the advantages of using Immersive technology in learning and improving soft skills. Preliminary findings show that students preferred the VR module with most of them learning something new during the learning phase. In reflection of the tool, most students were motivated and stimulated by the tool while also finding it easy to use. The preliminary findings indicate VR can also be a very useful tool to simulate real-world situations. This shows that VR might already be ready for implementation and this will be further explored in the final paper. The final paper will also shed light on the efficiency of virtual learning for skill acquisition when compared to other learning tools.

Keywords:

Immersive technology, Virtual Reality, Soft Skill training, Job Interview preparation.