Reducing Teachers’ Stress Through a Virtual Reality Game: A Feasibility Study of the XRSkills Game

Teaching is widely recognized as a highly stressful profession, and recent educational changes have further increased the pressure on teachers to manage demanding classroom situations while adapting to new technologies. To address this challenge, the present study examines the feasibility and user acceptance of XRSkills, a virtual reality serious game designed to strengthen teachers’ coping and problem-solving strategies through realistic school-based scenarios. A feasibility evaluation was conducted with teachers from all school grades and students from multiple European countries, combining a standardized usability measure with open-ended feedback on the game experience. Overall results indicate that XRSkills achieved a good level of usability and was generally perceived as engaging and relevant, particularly for in-service teachers. Participants appreciated the game format and learning approach, while also reporting areas for improvement such as clearer guidance, richer content, and smoother technical performance. These findings support the potential of virtual reality serious games as a practical and scalable training pathway to help teachers rehearse responses to stressors in a safe environment, while also fostering confidence in using immersive technologies for professional development.