360 immersive technology as a tool for improving risk judgements in probation training

The research aims to test an immersive technology training package for teaching risk assessment decision-making in early-career probation practitioners. Comprising of 3 conditions, the research seeks to determine the extent to which different learning environments impact a practitioners’ ability to undertake a risk assessment in relation to a Home Visit case study. The research recognises the current limitations in Probation training provision, specifically related to the use of Home Visits, and the changing nature of learning delivery in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Extended Reality (XR) is an umbrella term that comprises a range of immersive technologies, including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and 360 immersive video. XR is a rapidly growing field with application to an increasing variety of domains. Training and education have played a key role in this development, with military applications leading early and ongoing innovation. Considerable research has demonstrated the value of the use of immersive technologies, notably in medicine (e.g. Vaughan et al., 2016), flight simulations and seamanship (see Ticknor, 2018).
Simulated environments, including those that use a variety of XR tools, have been demonstrated to be effective tools in facilitating the development of intuitive, implicit, and functional knowledge (Swaak et al., 1998). The capacity for repeated practice promotes the development of higher-order thinking skills allowing learners to test their knowledge and understanding in a risk-free environment. Immediate and delayed feedback can be provided by the simulation or by the instructor, enabling reinforcement of learning and skill development (Gibson et al., 2009). Simulated environments can be easily and quickly adapted to reflect the requirements of a range of learning tasks (Mayne & Green, 2020). The immersive nature of the experience increases learner engagement, improving the transfer of knowledge and skill acquisition to the real world (Witmer & Singer, 1998).