"Having a Take Two Would be Worth the Learning": Exploring Experiences in Virtual Reality Simulation

Background and Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) technology is gaining momentum in social work education as a tool for enhancing student learning through immersive, experiential methods. By simulating complex real-world scenarios, VR offers students opportunities to practice critical skills such as active listening, decision-making, and empathy in a controlled, low-risk environment (Levine, D’Andrade, & Wretzman, 2021; Reamer, 2019). As the profession evolves to include more digital competencies, understanding how students experience and process immersive VR is crucial for designing impactful pedagogical interventions. Although VR’s educational utility has been well-documented in health and counseling disciplines (Linder et al., 2017; Chicchi Giglioli et al., 2015), research that explores social work students’ perspectives, particularly at the graduate specialization level, remains limited. This study examines how MSW specialization students engage with immersive VR simulations and identifies perceived strengths and areas for improvement.

Methods: Data were collected from three cohorts (n=84) of MSW specialization students who were in a university-based workforce training initiative incorporating immersive VR into their training. Students completed post-simulation questionnaires, and a qualitative component was conducted with one cohort (n=29) through three focus groups (two groups of 12 students and one group of 5 students). Discussions were facilitated by faculty using semi-structured guides that explored students’ learning experiences, perceived challenges, emotional engagement, and suggestions for future use of VR in social work education. Focus group sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through thematic open coding from a phenomenological perspective. Two researchers coded each transcription independently and reached consensus through iterative discussion.

Results: Students expressed high levels of engagement and emotional investment during the VR simulations, often describing the experience as “real” and “intense.” Four key themes emerged: (1) Active use of strategies and thought processes during the client interaction; (2) The critical role of preparation and orientation before engaging with the simulation; (3) The visceral and emotionally evocative nature of immersive experiences; and (4) Constructive suggestions to improve scenario realism, cultural responsiveness, and technological usability. Students reported that the simulation helped them confront biases, manage uncertainty, and practice professional boundaries.

Conclusions and Implications: Findings support VR’s potential as a transformative educational tool that complements traditional methods by immersing students in emotionally charged, practice-based learning. However, successful integration requires careful scaffolding. Students benefit most when VR is embedded in a broader pedagogical framework that includes preparatory technical training, emotional debriefing, and guided reflection. Recommendations include expanding case diversity, increasing realism in client narratives, and ensuring cultural and contextual sensitivity. These results have implications for curriculum designers, educators, and program evaluators interested in leveraging immersive technologies to build professional competencies. Future research can explore long-term impacts on skill retention, compare VR with standardized patient simulation or role-play, and assess its efficacy across diverse student populations.