Developing a Design-Based Research Methodology that Utilises Virtual-Reality (VR) Technologies to Enhance Learning for Authentic High-Risk (or Extreme) Situations

Abstract

While experienced mountaineers are generally aware of the inherent risks of alpine environments, errors in judgement and decision-making can still occur. Even highly skilled climbers can misjudge environmental cues or make critical decisions under stress. These challenges highlight the importance of preparing climbers to recognise risks and make appropriate decisions in complex and unpredictable environments. However, providing learners with repeated opportunities to experience challenging situations and practise decision-making in a safe and controlled environment can be difficult. Virtual Reality (VR) offers an opportunity to complement existing educational approaches by providing immersive learning experiences that allow learners to engage with realistic scenarios without exposure to unnecessary risk.

Emerging research suggests that immersive technologies—such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR)—hold significant promise for transforming learning in high-risk education. These technologies offer the potential to simulate authentic, hazardous scenarios in a controlled, repeatable, and safe manner, thereby enhancing both cognitive and emotional engagement. While case studies in domains such as aviation, medicine, and emergency response have begun to explore these affordances, rigorous research explicitly focused on VR applications in mountaineering education or other extreme outdoor contexts remains notably absent.

Addressing this gap, the present study investigates the potential of Virtual Reality to enhance learning for authentic, high-risk activities, using alpine mountaineering as a focal case. The overarching goal is to develop and evaluate a prototype VR educational intervention that not only supports climbers’ technical skills but also cultivates better decision-making and risk awareness. Findings from this research may offer transferable insights for other high-risk professions, including firefighting, policing, and search-and-rescue operations.

The research adopts a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach (McKenney & Reeves, 2012), integrating iterative design, empirical testing, and theoretical refinement in real-world settings. DBR is particularly well-suited for complex educational innovations because it combines theory, practice, and evaluation in real-world contexts. Guided by a constructivist paradigm, the study draws on Authentic Learning (Herrington et al., 2010), Heutagogy (Hase & Kenyon, 2001), and Engeström’s Activity Theory (1987, 2001) to ensure pedagogical relevance and cultural responsiveness. Initial design principles, derived from this theoretical foundation, are tested and refined through empirical engagement with climbers and instructors in diverse alpine settings.

Mixed-methods data collection—comprising observations, interviews, questionnaires, biometric feedback, and thematic analysis—was conducted in Chile and New Zealand to capture both user experience and systemic factors influencing technology adoption. The DBR process enabled the identification of design principles informed by empirical findings and grounded in established learning theories. Activity Theory was applied to examine the broader socio-cultural and institutional contexts, revealing tensions and affordances that shaped the intervention’s effectiveness.

In summary, this research contributes to the field of immersive learning by proposing and evaluating a Design-Based Research framework that leverages Virtual Reality technologies to enhance education in extreme, high-risk environments. It makes two key contributions: (1) the development of empirically validated, theory-informed design principles for VR-based training in high-risk outdoor education, and (2) the advancement of academic understanding of how immersive technologies can be integrated into culturally and institutionally diverse training systems. These contributions not only advance educational theory and practice in outdoor safety but also offer a transferable framework for improving safety, decision-making, and performance in other high-risk professions, including firefighting, policing, and search-and-rescue operations.