Experiential VR for First-Year Business Students: Design and Perceptions

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly accessible, yet many incoming business students primarily associate it with entertainment and have limited exposure to professional applications. This experience paper reports on an experiential learning module in an introductory information technology course (CS100) delivered to 999 first-year business students at a U.S. business-focused university during the 2024-2025 academic year. Students completed an 80-minute rotation that paired a hands-on activity using VR headsets with an instructor-led classroom lesson on VR business use cases. Students then completed a survey on prior VR experience, perceived experience quality, barriers, and potential applications. They rated the VR experience as highly engaging, and most reported sustained use despite limited prior exposure. Students also appreciated the potential of VR to transform industries, especially healthcare and education. Motion sickness/dizziness emerged as the most frequently reported barrier to adoption Overall, results suggest that a short, structured exposure to VR applications can broaden students’ understanding of VR's potential in industry. The paper also highlights comfort, realism, and cost as practical considerations that educators should address when designing VR-enabled learning activities.