IMMERSIVE ENVIRONMENTS AND ETHICAL REFLECTION SKILLS – A STUDY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

This study explores the use of immersive environments to cultivate ethical reflection skills among university students. To better understand the students’ deeper learning, we applied the four-component model of moral behaviour encompassing aspects of ethical sensitivity, judgement, motivation, and action. Our case involved 360-video materials delivered in head-mounted Virtual Reality (VR) devices, combined with guided group reflections, in a bachelor’s program for social educators. Data was collected through four focus group interviews. The findings indicate that the immersive environment facilitated ethical sensitivity and judgment, and when combined with group reflections, further elaborations on ethical judgment as well as motivation. However, lacking interactivity in the immersive environment limited the ability for ethical action. Based on our analysis, we propose a set of mechanisms to cultivate ethical reflection in immersive environments: evoking emotions, incorporating ambiguous actions, maintaining narrative simplicity, and creating a safe reflective space.