Bridging the preparation gap: Immersive virtual reality outperforms traditional lectures in preparing preservice teachers to prevent school bullying

Bullying is a global issue with serious effects on mental health, academic success, and social development. Teachers are key agents of prevention, yet initial teacher education often lacks structured, evidence-based training that fosters real readiness to act. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of immersive virtual reality (VR) training, compared with traditional lecture-based training, in enhancing preservice teachers' awareness, professional responsibility, and readiness to intervene in bullying situations. To this end, an immersive virtual reality program designed to enhance preservice teachers’ awareness, professional responsibility, and intervention self-efficacy. A total of 148 Spanish preservice teachers were assigned to one of three conditions: a 60-min lecture, a 7-min 360° VR simulation showing a bullying episode from multiple perspectives, or a combined lecture-plus-VR format, following a computer-generated balanced randomization procedure. Analyses of pre-post assessments using a validated psychometric two-factor questionnaire revealed that the lecture-only group showed no significant change, while the VR group displayed large improvements in awareness and sensitivity to bullying. These findings provide empirical evidence that immersive VR training is more effective than traditional training in fostering bullying sensitivity and awareness highlighting the pedagogical potential of experiential, technology-enhanced learning within teacher education. • First study using virtual reality (VR) in bullying prevention training for preservice teachers. • Immersive VR intervention significantly enhanced preservice teachers' awareness and sensitivity to bullying. • Lecture training had limited impact versus VR, with no significant gains in awareness or perceived responsibility. • VR simulations fostered emotional engagement and ethical reflection, bridging the gap between knowledge and action.