The educational landscape has undergone fundamental changes in recent years due to the rapid development of digital technologies. One innovative technology gaining increasing importance in this context is Virtual Reality (VR) technology. With the capability to immerse learners in interactive learning environments, VR technology offers unique opportunities to expand and enrich traditional learning approaches (eg. Burdea & Coiffet, 2003; Butt, Kardong-Edgren & Ellertson, 2018; Herrington & Tacy, 2020).

In the realm of career orientation, the study conducted by Spangenberger and Freytag (2020) suggests that the utilization of Virtual Reality (VR) technology can serve as a valuable complement, enhancing various facets of the career orientation process. This technology facilitates immersive and authentic experiences, offering participants profound insights into diverse professional domains. Moreover, VR technology establishes a secure environment for the evaluation of intricate tasks and scenarios, enabling individuals to assess their aptitude for technical and manual professions, as well as explore diverse career pathways. This is particularly beneficial for refugees who are not yet familiar with the German job market and available options.

While the use of VR in educational and professional contexts has been extensively researched, the application of VR technology in literacy courses with a focus on career orientation has not been specifically addressed.

In 2023, within the framework of the "Educational Year for Adult Refugees with Limited or No Language and Literacy Skills" (BEF Alpha) project, VR technology was introduced into the context of career orientation at two selected educational institutions. This implementation underwent scientific monitoring, and some of the findings will be presented in the upcoming session.

BEF Alpha courses are designed to provide adult refugees in Germany, who have limited language skills, with the means to attain a solid understanding of the German language and acquire a foundational education necessary for successful integration into the society. This initiative is funded by BMBF (Federal Ministry of Education and Research) and involves a collaboration between the federal government and the state, and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The target group of BEF Alpha courses are refugees between the ages of 20 and 35. About half of the participants are either people who have not previously attended school, or they are only literate in their native language. BEF Alpha aims to provide the refugee participants with sustainable competencies to manage their integration into society and their entry into the workforce. In 35 weeks (28 lessons per week), participants receive literacy and language training, basic digital education, as well as everyday life skills and basic civics education, and career orientation (Koppel, 2020).

The presentation centers on the domain of career orientation facilitated by Virtual Reality (VR) technology within the BEF Alpha program. The primary inquiry is framed as follows: "What success factors and design principles contribute to the proficient implementation of VR technology in adult career orientation, with a specific emphasis on literacy and basic education?"

To address this query comprehensively, the presentation will commence with theoretical perspectives, followed by an exploration of practical insights derived from the 2023 implementation of VR technology within the BEF Alpha program. Specifically contextualizing within the realm of career orientation and emphasizing literacy and basic education, the presentation aims to identify and discuss key success conditions and design principles emerging from the utilization of VR technology. These insights are intended to shed light on how VR technology enhances engagement and effectiveness in the career orientation process for adult learners. Furthermore, the findings will offer valuable guidance for educators, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to integrate VR technology into similar educational contexts.

The aim of the presentation is to explore the success factors and design principles contributing to the effective implementation of Virtual Reality (VR) technology in adult career orientation, with a specific emphasis on literacy and basic education within the "Educational Year for Adult Refugees with Limited or No Language and Literacy Skills" (BEF Alpha) program. To achieve this, we employed a triangulation approach, combining course observations, interviews with instructors, and focus group sessions with course participants. The methodology involved a systematic combination of qualitative data methods to enhance the reliability and validity of our findings (Flick, 2018; Santos, Ribeiro, Queiroga, Silva & Ferreira, 2020; Carter, Bryant-Lukosius, DiCenso, Blythe & Neville, 2014). Course observations (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2017) provided insights into the practical application of VR technology in the classroom setting. Concurrently, problem-centered expert interviews (Döringer, 2021) with course instructors offered valuable perspectives on the planning, execution, and challenges encountered during the integration of VR into the curriculum. Exploring the learner experience, we conducted in-depth discussions through focus group sessions (Stewart & Shamdasani, 2015) with course participants, allowing us to gather nuanced insights into the impact of VR technology on their engagement and learning outcomes. The data analysis employed qualitative content analysis following the methodology outlined by Kuckartz and Rädiker (2023), assisted by Maxqda software (Rädiker & Kuckartz, 2020; Loxton, 2021). This systematic approach facilitated a comprehensive exploration of themes, patterns, and key insights derived from the triangulation of course observations, instructor interviews, and participant focus group sessions. By employing qualitative content analysis, our aim was to uncover nuanced perspectives, identify emerging themes, and draw meaningful conclusions regarding the success conditions and design principles influencing the effective use of VR technology in adult career orientation, specifically within the context of literacy and basic education in the BEF Alpha program. This triangulation of data sources contributed to a holistic understanding of the implementation of VR technology in adult education, providing a well-rounded perspective that enhances the robustness of our findings and recommendations.

In conclusion, this presentation delves into the transformative potential of Virtual Reality (VR)-supported career orientation within the "Educational Year for Adult Refugees with Limited or No Language and Literacy Skills" (BEF Alpha) program, guided by the research question: "What are the success factors and design principles contributing to the effective implementation of VR technology in adult career orientation, with an emphasis on literacy and basic education?" The study highlights the profound assistance VR technology offers participants in their orientation process but emphasizes the necessity of a nuanced, multifaceted approach for successful implementation. Conducive conditions, including financial allocations for high-quality VR headsets and tailored software addressing linguistic and content-related needs, are crucial for effective VR-supported career guidance. Advocating for structured and accessible VR application formats to support instructor preparation, the presentation underscores the pivotal role of educational institutions. It emphasizes the need for targeted training extending beyond technical skills to encompass pedagogical concepts for meaningful integration into career orientation instruction. Continuous monitoring and feedback collection emerge as paramount, offering dynamic mechanisms for identifying strengths and weaknesses, facilitating ongoing improvements, and fostering a lively exchange of innovative ideas, experiences, and desires among stakeholders. In summary, the research provides substantial insights into challenges, opportunities, and success conditions related to VR technology integration in BEF Alpha courses. By considering these conditions, educational institutions and instructors can enhance the efficacy of this innovative teaching method. The incorporation of VR headsets in literacy and basic education courses not only transforms knowledge transfer but also signals a forward-looking approach, enabling personalized career orientation in the digital age.

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