VR for Good

Classroom and e-learning type of training are mostly used on a wide scale that include opportunities for discussion, role-play and raising hands. However, classroom-based training is slowly getting less popular due to remote work and e-learning or on demand learning, tough can be accessed everywhere, but it can sometimes be less inspiring, and employees may exhibit lack of focus and a tick box attitude.
Being open to diversity and inclusion is not something to learn. It is something you “feel,” So how do you get people to understand that feeling? Virtual Reality.

Study conducted in University of Maryland found that users remember information better if it is represented in VR rather than on Computer screen. One of the main reasons for this is a well form VR learning module simulates a real-life scenario than e-learning or class-room training. But also knowing when to use VR learning modules and when not to is equally important. As poorly designed learning modules with this immerging technology could lead to sabotaging results. We should keep in mind the strengths of VR and deploy it strategically to achieve learning objectives.

Diversity and Inclusion: Both D&I not only contribute to the ethical objectives of the corporation but also business objectives where we have witnessed an increase in sales, profits, and market share. Corporates nowadays are all about culture shift and change, it requires a lot of effort to change culturally wired mindset and to challenge the status quo. Employees must understand by stepping into other shoes to show compassion, empathy and allyship.

Professor Jeremy Beilinson from Stanford have highlighted the role of virtual reality in the reduction of racist bias and the promotion of prosocial behavior. They have described virtual reality (VR) as the ultimate empathic medium which allows its users to walk a mile in another’s shoes and open the doors of perception. Jeremy Beilinson collaborated with Zucker School of Medicine and Northwell Health and piloted a 20 min virtual reality (VR) racism experience wherein participants experience racism from the viewpoint of Michael Sterling, a Black male, at 3 different time points in his life: at age 7, sitting on the floor playing with blocks and being unfairly disciplined by a teacher and taunted by children; at age 15, kneeling on the ground while experiencing an intense interaction with aggressive police; at age 30, being ignored and dismissed during a professional interaction surrounding a job interview, and then sharing a big moment with a romantic partner while listening to a voicemail from the interviewer explaining, “You aren’t a good cultural fit for the organization”

76 participants completed a post workshop survey with insights below.

90.8% reported feeling engaged in the VR experience.

94.7% agreed that VR was an effective tool for enhancing empathy.

85.5% agreed that the session enhanced their own empathy for racial minorities.

67.1% mentioned that their approach to communication would change.

A Sandford –developed VR experience called ‘Become Homeless’ in 2D (desktop) and 3D(headset) was given to 560 people aged 15 to 88 from at least 8 ethnic backgrounds. Participants were guided through interactive narration in which they lose their job and would have to sell their belongings to pay the rent. In the end they are evicted seeking shelter on a public bus while desperately trying to save their remaining belongings from being stolen. Afte the VR Experience participants were asked to sign a petition for affordable housing. It was found that those who went through VR experience were 20% more than those who did not go through VR experience. With this we can say that VR is capable of not only creating empathy but also encouraging people to act.

VR in D&I can be used in multiple scenarios to not only to tackle unconscious bias relating to race but also personality type, sexual orientation, disability, pregnancy etc.