Immersive serious games and educational escape rooms in adult education: A virtual reality approach to decision-making in critical situations

The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of immersive serious games, educational escape rooms, and virtual reality (VR) as an innovative approach in adult education. It builds on previous studies and explores the potential of immersive and game-based environments to increase learner engagement, enhance critical thinking, and develop decision-making skills. Furthermore, this paper introduces a theoretical model of a virtual reality-based educational escape room, designed to simulate stressful situations and facilitate experiential learning. The combination of immersion, interactivity, and narrative aims to bring the model closer to real-world practice following theoretical instruction. Furthermore, the article draws attention to the pedagogical potential of the immersive environment and suggests a starting point for further academic and practical work.