💡How can schools turn the potential of virtual reality into meaningful, safe and responsible learning experiences?
A series of four VR4Empathy workshops in Slovenia brought educators, researchers, policymakers and EdTech specialists together to explore the answers.
Between 28 May and 18 June 2026, the Slovenian Ministry of Education organised four national thematic and networking workshops. The online series brought together around 100 participants from 83 organisations, including schools, universities, public authorities, EdTech organisations and teacher-training providers.
Rather than concentrating all topics into a single event, the programme was designed as a learning journey. Participants moved from the practical use of VR equipment to broader discussions about empathy, classroom implementation and the ethical implications of emerging technologies.
🚀 Four workshops, one shared goal
The Slovenian workshop series covered four complementary themes:
- 🥽 Effective Use of VR Headsets — 28 May 2026
- A practical session focused on equipment, technical preparation, safety and the effective introduction of VR into educational activities.
- 💙 Empathy and Modern Technologies — 4 June 2026
- A discussion about how immersive and digital technologies can support empathy, perspective-taking and meaningful interaction.
- 🧩 From Potential to Practice: What Is Missing? — 11 June 2026
- A workshop examining the gap between technological possibilities and their successful implementation in real classrooms.
- ⚖️ Ethical Aspects of Modern Technologies in Education — 18 June 2026
- A reflective session addressing the responsibilities and ethical questions connected to the use of emerging technologies in education.
Together, the four events combined expert presentations, interactive polls, collaborative digital boards and structured discussions, encouraging participants to contribute experiences, concerns and practical ideas.
⏱️ Can VR really fit into a school lesson?
One of the strongest messages from participants was that the initial preparation of a VR lesson can create a significant barrier for teachers.
Setting up equipment, organising the classroom and familiarising students with the activity require time. Participants noted that a standard 45-minute lesson may be insufficient, particularly when VR is being used for the first time. However, they also agreed that the process becomes much more efficient once the activity has been established. Repeated implementation requires less preparation and enables teachers to focus more closely on the educational experience.
This highlights the importance of giving schools enough time, training and technical support during the first stages of VR adoption.
👩🏫 Students and teachers as co-creators
Participants expressed strong interest in approaches that position teachers and students as co-creators, rather than simply as end users of educational technology.
Schools can provide authentic classroom feedback, help test new solutions and contribute to the refinement of resources before they are introduced more widely. EdTech organisations also recognised the value of this collaboration. Direct cooperation with schools can provide validated use cases and help ensure that new products respond to genuine educational needs.
The discussions therefore reinforced an important principle: successful educational technology should be developed with schools, not only for schools.
🛡️ Safety must come first
The safe use of VR was discussed extensively throughout the workshops. Participants agreed that the manufacturer’s instructions and safety guidance should provide the starting point for any school-based VR activity.
These should be complemented by practical safeguards adapted to the school environment. Recommendations included:
- Using a dedicated VR area with enough free space
- Removing obstacles that could cause accidents
- Monitoring the duration of immersive sessions
- Recognising early signs of fatigue, discomfort or cybersickness
- Ensuring that teachers know when and how to intervene
The workshops underlined that teachers and facilitators need more than technical knowledge. They must also be prepared to protect students’ physical comfort and wellbeing throughout the experience.
🧼 Managing and maintaining VR equipment
Sustainable use also depends on how schools store, clean and maintain their equipment.
Participants highlighted the importance of suitable storage conditions, regular technical checks and compliance with manufacturers’ maintenance recommendations.
When headsets are shared, hygiene becomes particularly important. Replaceable or disposable face and eye pads were suggested as practical ways to improve comfort and cleanliness. Clear sanitisation procedures should also be established between users, alongside appropriate supervision and handling rules to reduce accidental damage and extend the lifespan of the equipment.
💡 Moving from innovation to meaningful practice
The workshops demonstrated that introducing VR into education is not simply a question of purchasing new devices. Schools also need:
- well-designed learning activities;
- teacher training and technical support;
- sufficient preparation time;
- clear safety and maintenance procedures;
- collaboration between educators, researchers, policymakers and technology providers.
By spreading the programme across four sessions, participants were able to reflect between events and gradually develop a broader understanding of the educational, practical, social and ethical dimensions of immersive technology.
🤝 Building a community for responsible innovation
Each workshop also contributed to the longer-term sustainability and exploitation of the VR4Empathy results.
Participants were invited to continue exchanging knowledge and experiences through the project’s stakeholder network, strengthening cooperation between schools, universities, public institutions and the EdTech sector.
The Slovenian workshop series showed that the future of immersive education depends not only on what technology can do, but on how thoughtfully, safely and collaboratively it is used. 🌍✨
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