Exploring The Potential of VR: Enhancing Competency-based Learning through Simulation-based Environments

The use of VR in higher education is becoming increasingly popular due to its ability to promote hands-on learning, instant feedback, and repetition of complex scenarios. However, there is still a lack of studies that examinehow to  incorporate VR as a didactical method for competency-based learning effectively.

This Boardroom Dialogue will discuss recent findings regarding how pre-service teachers acquire classroom management skills in a virtual environment. It will also delve into the advantages and challenges of integrating VR in higher education. This includes exploring strategies for effective integration, suitable assessment methods, and appropriate research methodologies. The aim is to establish practical guidelines for designing, developing, implementing, maintaining, and leveraging simulation-based learning environments effectively.

Erik-Jan Smits

Lector, Christian University of Applied Sciences (CHE), Netherlands

Dr. Erik-Jan Smits conducted research on the logical reasoning abilities of children as part of his PhD. Since then, the question of how people can understand each other has remained a central theme in his work. After completing his PhD, he worked for 15 years as a "connector" in the healthcare field, serving as a consultant, process facilitator, team leader, and innovator. This allowed him to gain an in-depth understanding of numerous healthcare organizations from within. He firmly believes in the opportunities that human-centered IT (Information and Communication Technology) offers and the necessity of conducting research on its practical implementation in complex contexts, such as healthcare, welfare, and education. With this motivation, he has been leading research activities at CHE in precisely these intersections since May 1, 2022.