Immigrant POVR

Immigrant POVR is a quasi-experiment exploring if games and virtual experiences could build empathy in teachers of immigrant youth.

Thirteen teachers at a Newton, MA high school struggled to understand immigrant students' lived experiences, hindering their work. The study questioned if games or VR could help.

Two approaches were used:

“Papers, Please” COTS Game: Ten educators played "Papers, Please" for one hour. Eight out of ten developed empathy for the game's immigration officer character.

Immigrant POVR: Twenty-five educators experienced a VR simulation of a student's first day in a new school without language comprehension. Thirteen empathized with the student. Notably, 18 wanted to switch to the teacher's perspective to manage the situation.

These findings suggest games and VR can foster empathy, though its focus varies depending on the experience's framing, design, and characters.