Oral Examinations in Immersive 360° Environments
Integration of 360° video technology into federal oral examinations in vocational education.
Duration: January 2025 – December 2025
Status: Ongoing
Educational Level: Tertiary Level
Topic: Digital Skills & Literacy, Digital Tools
Keywords: VR, Virtual Reality
Initial Situation
The project explores the integration of a 360° video-based technology into Federal Oral Examinations for Vocational- Professional Education and Training.
Objectives
The «Oral Examinations in Immersive 360° Environments» project aims to enhance the examination process by simulating real-life professional scenarios, making competence assessments more realistic and relevant to workplace settings. Additionally, the project seeks to develop a cost-effective and accessible approach for integrating 360° video-based technology (360°VR) into exams without requiring advanced technical infrastructure. This innovation will enable examiners (Prüfungsexpert*innen, PEX) to assess professional skills and reasoning in more authentic environments.
Method
The research design is structured as follows: – Evaluation of performance in an oral exam between a control group (traditional oral examination with information) and an experimental group (oral examination using 360°VR) using the same evaluation criteria for both groups assessed by two independent examiners – A pre-test (questionnaire) to assess participants’ knowledge and collected data on other potentially influential factors, such as familiarity with the examination content, previous experience with VR, and attitudes toward VR – A post-test (questionnaire) designed to capture participants’ experiences, including factors such as sense of presence, motivation, and cognitive load – Data analysis using statistical techniques (t-tests, structural equation modeling) – A group discussion.
Planned Translation
The developed tools and procedures will be refined to enable the scalable implementation of 360°VR assessments across various VPET domains. The long-term vision is to establish immersive 360°VR environments as a standard practice for competency-based assessments, enhancing the effectiveness and realism of evaluations across the VPET system. To ensure the sustainability and expansion of the project’s outcomes, further collaborations and funding opportunities will be pursued. At the pedagogical level, the integration of 360°VR technology will provide exam candidates with a more engaging and motivating examination experience. The project will deliver empirically validated evidence and practical guidelines for implementing immersive assessments in VPET, fostering innovation and standardization across different professional domains. The project will demonstrate that immersive 360°VR assessments can be implemented cost-effectively and without complex technical infrastructure, promoting equitable access and scalability. In the long term, the findings will contribute to the development of national good practices for digital and competence-oriented examination formats, supporting the broader BeLEARN goals of enhancing digital tools and digital skills in education.
