The Potential of Immersive Virtual Reality for Teaching Geography in Schools

Abstract This article examines the potential of immersive virtual reality (VR) technologies for geography lessons in schools in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The study assumes that VR can function not merely as a visualization tool but also as a didactically grounded medium that fosters spatial reasoning, critical reflection, and decision-making competence. As part of a smart city project, a collaboration between the Ministry of Schools and Education of North Rhine-Westphalia and the universities of Bochum and Cologne, a VR learning environment was developed that addresses key aspects of current urban development. The focus is on three thematic “immersion points”: smart mobility, smart retail, and smart living in a smart environment. These enable learners to experience present and future scenarios of urban spaces from multiple perspectives, to reflect critically, and to make their own informed design decisions. The didactic concept combines immersive exploration with problem-oriented learning tasks that are closely linked to the core curricula for geography and social studies as well as to the media competence framework of North Rhine-Westphalia. Particular emphasis is placed on internally differentiated approaches, interactivity, and relevance to everyday life. Visualizations on a 1:1 scale, changes of perspective, and gamification elements are intended not only to promote motivation but also to enable a deeper understanding of complex spatial processes. The case studies from the three immersion points show that VR can stimulate both exploratory and constructive learning processes. Preliminary classroom experiences indicate that the immersive learning environment helps learners engage with socially relevant future issues —such as mobility, digitalization, and sustainability—in a vivid and critical way. Finally, it is emphasized that the added value of VR lies less in technical innovation than in its integration based on subject-specific didactics. In perspective, this approach offers a promising contribution to the further development of geography education.