Design of an immersive virtual classroom in virtual reality as an innovative tool for the preparation of teachers in pedagogical competences in higher education

The study investigated the impact of an immersive virtual reality classroom design for teacher preparation in pedagogical competencies in higher education. Virtual reality, as an emerging technology, offers opportunities for teacher preparation through interactive environments that facilitate the development of complex skills. The objective was to propose an immersive virtual classroom design to improve teachers' pedagogical competencies. A descriptive and exploratory approach was used, with a structured Likert-scale survey applied to 30 teachers from higher education institutions. The survey assessed perceptions of feasibility, accessibility, effectiveness and the potential of virtual reality in pedagogical training. The results showed that most teachers had a positive attitude towards the use of VR, although concerns were raised about costs, infrastructure and the need for additional training. Despite these barriers, participants recognised the potential of VR to improve the quality of education. The study concluded that, although there are challenges to implementing an immersive virtual classroom, teachers are willing to adopt this technology if they are provided with adequate infrastructure and training support. Virtual reality has the potential to transform teacher preparation in higher education.