Implementing Low-cost Immersive 360° Video Technology to Promote Core Skills in Journalism Courses

Intentional training in storytelling is fundamental in journalism education, and effective storytelling requires empathy and perspective taking. Emerging media technologies, such as virtual reality and 360° video, are noteworthy for their ability to enhance user sense of presence and to build empathy. Using cardboard virtual reality viewers, this qualitative study explored how immersive 360° videos are relevant to journalism students’ core (i.e., emotional) skill acquisition in a classroom on crisis and trauma coverage. In this pilot study on applied instructional design, twenty-three student journal entries were analyzed, supported by the Cognitive and Affective Model of Immersive Learning (CAMIL). Key emerging themes included emotional impact, sense of presence, appeal of immersive experiences, and novelty. Pedagogical recommendations are presented to educators, instructional designers, and other audiences interested in integrating usable, existing, and affordable immersive content in journalism education.