VR experience provides immersive learning for soft skills training in higher education
We’re proud to announce we have collaborated with Sage to introduce a new series of innovative VR simulations designed for students in Business and related fields who need to master the art of negotiation and conflict management.
Christophe Mallet, CEO and co-founder of Bodyswaps, emphasised the importance of this partnership and new release, stating, "Our continued collaboration with Sage underscores the significance of combining technological and educational expertise to create impactful learning experiences. We look forward to contributing to an educational landscape where immersive technologies deliver measurable outcomes for students, at scale, and cost-efficiently."
Sage's Senior Director, Library Editorial, Michael Carmichael, said, "We are excited to continue our partnership with Bodyswaps to launch this new series of VR modules and are pleased to offer another comprehensive educational technology solution to help students succeed at college or university. Research has informed us that VR can facilitate a deeper learning experience by engaging a physical, mental, and emotional connection to the content, which can support students' skills development such as their empathetic, problem-solving, and decision-making capability."
This VR experience was created with the input of Dr. Kevin Rockmann, Professor of Management at George Mason University Business School and co-author of the Sage textbook Negotiation: Moving From Conflict to Agreement. “Central to any negotiation or conflict management course is giving students personalised, real-time, actionable feedback,” says Rockmann. “The VR experience allows students in synchronous courses a superior experience because it delivers the tailored feedback that in-class, stressful, time-constrained exercises do not. It also delivers the immersion and focus on relationships that is largely absent from asynchronous courses.”
The experience includes three modules - Laying the Groundwork for Negotiation, Approach and Mindset, and Gaining Influence and Value in Negotiations - each approximately 25 minutes in length. Users are presented with lifelike avatars playing the roles of VR coaches to help facilitate self-reflection or illustrate best practices. Additional characters engage in real-life negotiation scenarios to encourage knowledge and skills development via repeated practice. Unique to this experience is the incorporation of AI-powered feedback and the opportunity to review interactions from the perspective of the other party, offering valuable learning opportunities.
The launch of the Negotiation and Conflict Management VR experience represents an advancement in business education, offering students a unique opportunity to develop and refine essential soft skills that will carry them into their professional lives.
Access a free trial
Sign up today for a free trial of this new three-part module series to empower your students with the skills they need to succeed in negotiation and conflict management.