The VR4Empathy - Using virtual reality for inclusive and action-oriented empathy in schools, funded under the Erasmus+ programme, fosters collaboration between schools and EdTech companies to develop virtual reality (VR) resources for education. Its primary goal is to use VR to enhance cognitive and emotional empathy among adolescents, enriching their learning experiences by immersing them in virtual scenarios that promote perspective-taking and emotional connection.

The rationale behind the project relies on a comprehensive analysis of scientific literature, encompassing two primary dimensions: first, the benefits, impacts, and challenges associated with the implementation of virtual reality (VR) as an educational tool, and second, the mechanisms by which cognitive and emotional empathy can be effectively fostered in adolescent. To better understand these two dimensions and define a quality framework for the development and implementation of VR-based resources based on EdTech and cross-sectoral partnerships for innovation, a research combining literature review with field work was conducted in the initial phase of the project, aiming at:
- Mapping teachers' and students’ needs and expectations regarding the two dimensions
- Involving teachers and students in the design of the project’s approach by enrolling them in design thinking workshops

The research demonstrated VR’s significant potential to enhance both cognitive and emotional empathy by deepening the connection between understanding and emotional engagement through immersive experiences. Teachers and students recognised VR’s capacity to increase motivation and engagement compared to traditional methods, benefiting from its interactive and stimulating nature. While feedback highlighted enthusiasm for VR, challenges such as accessibility and technical issues underscored the need for educator support and training. Inclusivity was identified as a key priority, emphasising the importance of designing VR tools that accommodate students with disabilities. The project also outlined essential standards to effectively integrate VR, culminating in a set of recommendations for designing and implementing VR-based resources to complement traditional teaching methods and foster empathy, as detailed in the «Report on the power of VR to stimulate students’ empathy skills and motivation to learn”. The recommendations are the pillars for the development of the quality assurance framework, a document establishing clear guidelines and benchmarks to ensure VR resources are developed and implemented to the highest standards, fostering an engaging, inclusive learning environment that enhances student outcomes and promotes cognitive empathy. This framework will be strategic to guide partners and other stakeholders in effectively using VR to support formal education, considering 5 areas: Teaching, Learning, and Assessment, Students’ Learning Experience, Inclusive Digital Education, Relevance and Quality of the scripts and Resources and equipment.

Following this framework, the consortium is co-designing lesson plans and VR videos, involving teachers and students from Portugal, Slovenia and Greece, addressing European historic facts, common values, diversity and citizenship, to be used in upper-secondary schools and classes.

Keywords: Virtual reality in education, cognitive empathy, emotional empathy.