In the early half of the 20th century, virtual reality and augmented reality were once seen as little more than science fiction – writers such as L. Frank Baum (of Wizard of Oz fame) mentions the use of glasses that overlaid data into real life, while Laurence Manning, in 1933, describes a reality where people can be connected to a machine allowing them to live a virtual life (Anonymous, 2016; Johnson, 2012). However, while fantastical these inventions may have sounded in the 20th century, the 21st century has seen the reality and rise in popularity of these tools in many contexts, including the modern classroom. Augmented reality is the integration of “graphic elements into the real world, improving our perception of the environment”, while virtual reality immerses users “in a fully digital environment, often through devices such as VR headsets of VR goggles” (Teixidor & Mezquita, 2024).
I chose to research this specific topic because having been a MBA student during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became increasingly clear to me that the use of virtual tools such as Zoom had limitations when it came to the more experiential components of a business school education. Events during the MBA such as in-person collaboration, networking, career development were (and arguably, in many ways still are) conceptualized as in-person activities, but in March 2020, I (and 60 other classmates) found myself in a program and world that rapidly shifted to a virtual environment. Now, 5 years after my MBA, I find myself an educator, and wonder how my experience would been different, had virtual and augmented reality been readily available – could they have provided us with an increased level of interaction and a space to practise these practical skills, such as networking, collaboration, and more? Besides my own interests, I was also compelled to research this topic, as I came across a pilot project where Vancouver Community College (VCC) students were able to don Oculus Quest 2 virtual reality headsets, and practice communication and interview skills with immersive virtual reality software programs, BeConfident and LincLingo (Lee, 2023).
VCC’s use of VR headsets and virtual reality environments to train students is only one example of how the use of VR and AR can help provide business programs and their students with safe, virtual environments to test one’s skills, add quick information to one’s environment, and provide substantial context. Esade, a university in Spain, contests that VR and AR enriches the teaching process, and helps educate students in various manners: for example, using one’s cell phones, students can tap into AR by displaying additional information around them. Additionally, apps such as VR Math allows students to explore mathematical concepts in a three-dimensional environment, while Bodyswaps provides professional training, by simulating work scenarios and giving students a chance to learn by exchanging roles with different perspectives (Teixidor & Mezquita, 2024).
VR can also simulate entire virtual environments for education and for training: using Oculus headsets, Esade students can join a virtual campus, where there are academic sessions being taught, with meeting rooms for discussion and group work, and even a recreational area. At Esade, their use of a VR campus permits student to map future scenarios in order to “test new business models that impact society and the planet” (Teixidor & Mezquita, 2024). VR have also been utilized in other industries for training and simulation: NASA, the United States Air Force, and Boeing have used flight simulators to train pilot, given the large costs (financial, and in terms of stakes) associated with using real aircraft (Joglekar, n.d.). Training and simulations using VR are growing in healthcare, where “medical students can practice surgical procedures on virtual patients”, and is continuing to grow in industries such as firefighting, the military, customer service, and manufacturing (Joglekar, n.d.). Unimersiv, another VR app, cites itself as “the largest platform for VR educational experiences”, and notes that for corporate training events and workshops, their app is “the perfect medium for industrial training” by replicating any possible real-life situation without the “risks, damages, or consequences possible in every day”, a significant benefit (Unimersiv, n.d.).
Other benefits to VR and AR as an educational tool includes their rate of engagement with the educational content: by its very nature, VR requires students to immerse in the topics, and research shows that VR/AR is becoming increasingly accessible due to VR and AR being available through smartphone applications (Lucena-Anton et al., 2022). The same study note that the use of multi-sensory virtual learning environments allow students to sustain their attention on the task performed, while providing feedback continuously, potentially leading to “higher achievement of objectives in the learning process” (Lucena-Anton et al., 2022). Researchers compared traditional classroom learners, e-learners, and learners using VR, and saw that VR users were less distracted as their vision and attention were commanded by VR in the headset, with no options to multitask, compared to other learners who found that smartphones were a leading cause of interruption (Likens & Mower, 2022). As an educator, the ability to have students engage in environments with little distraction is exciting, providing students the chance to be active participants and contributors, moving beyond simply learning theory.
Additionally, VR and AR offers options for educators and learners who may have “Zoom fatigue”, or physical and mental exhaustion from frequent video-conferencing on platforms such as Zoom. INSEAD, a leading university with campuses in France, Singapore, Abu Dhabi and the United States, shipped VR headsets directly to Executive Education students’ homes during the pandemic, and allowed learners to work through case studies mimicking real-world scenarios, while tearing away from the use of laptop or computer screens (Stern, Epstein, & Landau, 2021). INSEAD also reported that participants appreciated the “opportunity to “get out” in the world – even if it was virtually” and field trips that could typically take a few hours of transportation and logistics arrangement can sometimes be instead arranged with VR simulated environments, making logistics more time-efficient and convenient while still demonstrating the most important principles of real-world training (Stern, Epstein, & Landau, 2021). This opportunity to traverse different environments is also seen evidenced in research that saw Gen-Z effectively practicing digital competencies, intercultural communication and negotiation skills using VR (Hernandez-Pozas & Carreon-Flores, 2019). That said, it could also be asked to what extent does immersion actually result in learning gains, or would the use of VR/AR simply be just engagement?
Research has found that VR/AR use in the classroom include students sharing information, asking questions, and moving towards answers through assertive and argumentative discussions (Ferreira, et al., 2021). Shorey and Ng suggested that while their research focused on nursing education, VR could, in general, improve learning outcomes, especially with theoretical knowledge (The use of virtual reality simulation among nursing students and registered nurses: A systematic review , 2021). Further research also indicates that learners benefitted from VR as a training tool, compared to a traditional classroom environment (sans technology): learners reported feeling 2.75 times more confident in applying skills learned after training, 3.75 times more emotionally connected to content, and 4 times more focused than peers who learned in classroom and e-learning environments (Likens & Mower, 2022). When compared to traditional teaching methods, VR training and teaching can also allow students to navigate different complexities and dynamic scenarios, that may be more difficult to ascertain from a textbook or a lecture – for example, a virtual reality store simulation, designed by XpertVR in collaboration with Circle K, Toronto Metropolitan University, and industry experts, allowed students to analyze heat maps, compare and contrast consumer behaviour based on a simulated retail environment, and make recommendations for product placement, promotions, and pricing (XpertVR, n.d.). Detailed research is definitively showing that VR/AR can lead to students to think at the highest levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy; be it in simulations (such as interview training or communications training) or analysis (e.g. visualizing different outcomes based on cases), students can engage in analysis, evaluation, application, and even creating.
For educators, VR/AR training offers efficiencies and possible improvements in results: for soft skills training, VR/AR can be up to four times faster than traditional training, despite time needed to fit learners with VR headsets and have them review how to use the headset (Likens & Mower, 2022). For institutions, VR/AR were previously very expensive and complicated to deploy in large numbers; however, Likens and Mower found that VR training can be easily scaled, leading to lower per-head costs compared to other forms of teaching – their study found that at 375 learners, VR training achieved cost parity with classroom learning, and at 1,950 learners, VR training achieved cost parity with e-learning, effectively demonstrating that the more students and learners trained using VR, the higher the return in terms of educator time saved, facilitation, and out-of-pocket cost savings (2022).
But VR and AR also pose challenges: while VR and AR offers a new dimension of learning and can be exciting for some learners, the initial setup and development costs of using VR/AR can present problems. For example, headsets would need to be purchased, students would need to set up and secure said headsets, and simulations or virtual environments would need to be developed for live training sessions. While the cost is front-loaded, and as seen from above sources, there can be cost parity with growing numbers, this may be a challenging number to justify to institutions and administration. If there is a need, though, for growing complexity within simulations, or updates being made to existing content, “off-the-shelf” simulations may not be enough, and would require custom content, which can drive costs up (Joglekar, n.d.).
VR/AR is also not entirely appropriate for all contexts or environments; Stern, Epstein and Landau notes that learning that makes use of stories and exercises mimicking real-life environments, or simulations that are nuanced and ambiguous, translate effectively to VR experiences (Making VR a Reality in Business Classrooms , 2021). Individualized learning is also noticeably more supported with VR, while in group projects or experiences, typically students will go through the virtual experience by themselves, and share insights in discussions. Generally, INSEAD researchers also found that if the educational content does not involve appropriate dimensions of people (complex, emotion-driven circumstances with decision-making) or place (unfamiliar locales), then it may not be apt for VR/AR adoption.
The choice of appropriate learning problems also surfaces an additional challenge in the evaluation or assessment process: because these environments are simulations, and may be individualized for the learner, it can be difficult for educators to monitor all learners at the same time. Educators may need to therefore adapt how they’d evaluate learning that is conducted using VR/AR; assessment of effective learning may be more appropriately done via journalling or reflecting on one’s experiences. On another note, if cost parity is of importance to educators and institutions, and the number of learners is scaled to justify the cost of investment, educators must prepare themselves for a higher ratio of students to instructor.
A greater, pressing challenge would also be the prospective lack of inclusivity, given that VR, as we know it today, requires vision and differing levels of aural and physical mobility, posing challenges to individuals living with visual and auditory impairments, and different physical conditions (Joglekar, n.d.). Therefore, educators would need to ensure alternative options for an inclusive, non-judgemental classroom, allowing other students to participate.
As an instructor in the Business Technology department at VCC, I see enormous potential for integrating VR and AR technologies to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. For instance, VR simulations could be used to immerse students in mock business environments where they practice client communications, IT project management, or systems analysis in real time. Students could navigate virtual boardrooms, troubleshoot IT systems, or role-play stakeholder presentations—experiences that reinforce both technical and soft skills in a risk-free yet realistic setting. AR tools, meanwhile, could supplement traditional instruction by layering interactive content onto physical materials—such as 3D renderings of network architectures or annotated walkthroughs of user interface designs, accessible simply through a phone or tablet. Interestingly, because of the pilot program initiated by VCC, there is evidence that VCC has been able to work with external organizations to help provide students with real-life simulations of interview scenarios.
Looking ahead, I would consider contacting the VCC administration to see if these headsets and simulation could be provided to students in the Business Technology department, especially within the Digital Marketing Technology diploma. As there are no hands-on, graded coursework in professional or career development, using VR headsets can not only increase engagement but provide students a safe space to practise interviewing skills against simulations of employers. I would justify this by noting that this kind of immersive, role-based learning aligns with the needs of today’s learners, particularly Gen-Z students, who value interactivity, flexibility, and real-world relevance. By designing learning experiences that combine the technical rigor of business technology with the experiential power of immersive media, I hope to cultivate not only competence but also confidence in our students as they prepare for rapidly evolving digital workplaces.
A greater, pressing challenge would be ensuring equitable access to VR and AR technology across diverse student populations. While the promise of immersive, engaging learning is appealing, not all learners have access to the requisite hardware or a stable internet connection, particularly in low-income or rural settings. This digital divide can exacerbate existing inequalities in education, as students with fewer resources may be excluded from VR-enhanced learning environments or forced to rely on less interactive alternatives. As researchers have pointed out, the cost of devices like Oculus headsets or smartphones capable of running AR applications may be prohibitive for some learners, especially when scaled across entire programs or institutions (Lucena-Anton et al., 2022). Accessibility considerations must also include users with disabilities, for whom headset design and visual interfaces may not yet be fully inclusive.
As virtual and augmented reality technologies continue to mature and become more accessible, their potential to transform business education grows. While not without limitations, their immersive capabilities offer powerful tools for experiential learning, especially in areas such as communication, analysis, and collaboration. With thoughtful implementation and inclusivity in mind, I would argue that VR and AR could play a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of business leaders.
References
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