A Blueprint for Domestic and Family Violence Education in Social Work Through Virtual Reality Design

Abstract

Domestic and family Violence (DFV) is a global issue, necessitating a proactive response from social workers. As such, social work graduates must possess the requisite skills and knowledge to respond effectively in practice. To aid social work students’ readiness to respond to DFV, an innovative approach involving the use of virtual reality (VR) has been established within the University of Southern Queensland’s social work and human services program. VR simulations can be used to support experiential learning by providing immersive experiences that foster formative skill development. Consequently, it presents a distinctive advantage in ensuring all social work students, irrespective of where they engage in placement, are exposed to DFV content in a scaffolded and safe manner. We created four VR simulations that simulate different intersectionalities relevant to individuals affected by DFV. Creating these experiences required a co-design approach, involving extensive collaboration with a community advisory group, to ensure an authentic narrative and effective realisation of the simulation in VR. This study outlines the design-based research process, including stages of development and outcomes, highlighting emergent themes from interviews with the community advisory group. Our findings offer valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers looking to incorporate VR simulations, providing procedural design recommendations and forward-thinking suggestions to advance the field of DFV education in social work. Our outcomes can also be applied in other learning environments that seek to develop DFV professional practice competencies.