The project allowed for the creation of a novel solution based on VR technology. VR is an emerging technology which has gained progressive visibility and application in several sectors (training, clinical, media and entertainment, building and architecture, etc.), besides military where it was initially developed in the early Seventies. Over the years, VR has proved to be particularly effective for the treatment of adults’ psychological diseases (anxiety and depression) and to sustain learning (problem-solving, decision-making, and information retention) as well as the development of social-emotional skills (empathy) with adult samples. Recent research works, including investigations carried out in Zeeko, confirmed the potential of VR technology in education with samples of children. The solution service proposed by Zeeko, ABC_VR, promises to positively impact children’s learning experiences and wellbeing. Children are provided with a truly immersive learning experience that triggers self-reflection on their behaviours and emotions. This happens in a controlled and safe virtual environment under the guidance of an adult. In doing so, children can learn how to self-regulate when facing distressing situations in ‘real life’, such as offline and/or online aggressions (bullying and cyberbullying). ABC_VR experience is guided by Zeeko’s trainer; teachers will be present during the session. The VR educational game presents a narrative in which children experience different scenarios through three perspectives: (a) perpetrator, (b) victim, (c) bystander using a user’s first-person perspective. The scenarios consider gender differences: users experience bullying toward both same-sex and opposite sex peers. As an example, an 11-year-old child will take turns first experiencing playing the role of the perpetrator, then the victim and then finally the bystander. This is directed towards the same sex peers first and then towards the opposite sex peers. Both genders experience and witness aggression equally. Teachers will assist Zeeko’s trainer during the initial run-through of the game; afterwards, teachers will be offered 30 minutes of further training after the session. The innovation of ABC_VR concerns the combination of three aspects: (a) VR technology, (b) cyber-psychology (self-regulation, self-reflection, decision-making, empathy) and (c) pedagogy (digital literacy). In addition, the content of the educational game is particularly innovative: it builds upon Zeeko’s strengths on content development around Internet Safety. ABC_VR will also have societal implications since it is aimed at tackling a widespread phenomenon among youngsters, namely bullying. This service will allow schools to deal with the problem of aggression online and offline engaging children in an educational game that is affordable can be easily used by teachers. Also, a specific training is provided to teachers.
