Student Reactions to the Use of 360-Degree Videos in Virtual Reality for Teaching Intercultural Competence

Intercultural competence development has been integrated in the last couple of years in the curricula of many higher education institutions. Recent studies indicate that especially the use of 360-degree videos can help to better comprehend course materials. However, little is known about the psychological processes involved when using this technology for more psychological learning outcomes especially in the field of intercultural competence. Our report aims at better understanding student reactions to a novel use of virtual reality for teaching intercultural competence to international bachelor students at a German university and to shed more light on the role of perceived immersiveness in the student experience. Based on an online survey (n = 77 participants) our results suggest that students found the VR videos engaging with relatively high levels of spatial perception and attentional awareness. Self-reported learning was positively related to both components of immersiveness. Open-ended comments indicated the students appreciated the unique experience of using VR in the classroom despite the VR sickness but some participants desired more active control over the VR experience.