The potential of virtual reality to combat teacher bias and increase empathy

Teachers’ biases surface in interactions with students and influence students’ learning and attitudes toward school. Policymakers have increasingly called for anti-bias training for teachers; however, most research has shown little sustained effects. Virtual Reality (VR) interventions to combat bias have shown promising results; however, only a few intervention studies exist. This preliminary study included nine educators from the Northwest of the United States who engaged in a VR experience in which they embodied an avatar experiencing bias from others. They were then interviewed about VR’s potential to increase empathy in education contexts. Our findings highlight important aspects for consideration in designing VR scenarios and their use in anti-bias training. Overall, participants saw great potential in using VR due to its immersive nature. Participants noted that feelings of embodiment related to the graphics’ quality, level of interactivity, and familiarisation with the technology. Participants felt that the experience should be embedded in training that included awareness raising before and debriefing after the VR experience and included strategies to change behaviour. The study discusses specific consideration for the design and implementation of VR experiences to increase empathy and how to avoid participants’ defensiveness and raise awareness of their potentially biased deep-seated beliefs.