Students to use VR technology to improve interview techniques

Students at Basingstoke College of Technology (BCoT) are to use virtual reality (VR) technology to improve their interview skills and practice interview techniques in a safe space.

The college has joined forces with Bodyswaps, a leading VR soft skills training provider, who will provide VR headsets and a simulation programme that will help students with answering questions, refining their interview techniques and managing interview anxiety as well as improving their social skills such as listening and presenting.

The exercise aims to help students feel more prepared and confident for the interview process. The technology will provide a behavioural analysis of their words, voice, and body language and give real-time tips to improve, so they will be ready for the real thing.

If the experience is successful, more modules to help student personal development in areas such as gender inclusivity could be introduced.

Anna Thorpe, Careers and Industry Placement Team Leader at BCoT, said:

“Interviews have always been incredibly important in securing employment, whether you’re just coming out of college or a seasoned professional. We know that some students can feel apprehensive about interviews, and we want to help them feel comfortable and empower them to positively show their attributes during an interview process. We are excited to be using this new technology to help our students develop interview skills that will help them stand out from the crowd.”

Feedback from students and staff on how the tool has helped them and how the experience could be improved will be given back to the Bodyswaps team. 

This VR technology is the latest EdTech provision at BCoT, which is recognised as a pioneer of technology in the classroom.

The college uses a flipped learning approach combining in-person lessons with online lessons to allow students to practise independent study skills and develop their own digital skills, preparing them for any progression route whether it is going on to university, apprenticeship or work. The college was recently included in the EdTech 50 2021/22 – the largest and most competitive recognition programme in education technology – for the third time and is and is in the final for the AoC Beacon Award for use of Digital Technology.

Jay Anderson, a Learning Technologist Apprentice and former Student Digital Leader at BCoT, led the project with Bodyswaps. He said:

“We are proud to be working with Bodyswaps – it is important that we help develop the digital skills of all learners in not only their academic studies, but also their personal skills too.”

Scott Hayden, Digital Innovation Specialist said

“it is important to us that we use technology to improve teaching and learning for all learners but we also feel a duty to show how it can be used to help strengthen the valuable human CORE (Compassion, Originality, Responsibility, and Empathy) skills  that can never be replaced. Bodyswaps is provides safe and contextual learning that helps all students practice on their own device or using the VR in college to feel better prepared and equipped with more confidence and self-awareness when their next step arrives”