This paper presents the conceptual design of an immersive virtual escape-room system for training a broad range of soft skills, including teamwork, communication, collaborative problem-solving, time management, leadership, adaptability, situational awareness, and decision-making under pressure. The system consists of two integrated components: (1) a multi-user VR environment in which participants must coordinate actions and solve interdependent tasks under time constraints, and (2) a moderator interface enabling real-time supervision, scenario control, performance annotation, and structured debriefing. The design followed an iterative, user-centered methodology involving requirements analysis, definition of learning outcomes, narrative and puzzle design, interaction prototyping, and preliminary pilot testing with student teams. Early observations suggest that the VR environment elicits authentic teamwork behaviors, supports high engagement, and provides a psychologically safe and repeatable training context. Future work will include empirical evaluation of learning effectiveness across specific soft-skill domains, refinement of facilitator workflows, and integration of behavioral analytics for semi-automated performance assessment.

Deep learning (DL) is changing the way we analyze financial problems. By leveraging DL, we can build models that are significantly more efficient and accurate at identifying signs of financial distress. This work explores recent advancements in the use of DL for financial forecasting, especially on text data sourced from reports, websites, and news articles. It fills the gap in existing literature by providing a critical examination of the DL techniques in analyzing financial text to address the Financial Distress Prediction (FDP) problem, and provides key recommendations for future research. It reviews existing studies, discusses applications and limitations, and outlines future directions and challenges based on articles published between 2020 and 2025.

This paper presents the design and evaluation of a Virtual Reality (VR) application developed to educate young adults on flood safety. The simulation, playable on the Oculus Quest 2, was created using Unity and features assets modeled in Blender. It adopts a scenario-based learning approach, set within a school setting, where users navigate a seven-stage flood emergency by locating survival equipment and making contextually relevant decisions. The effectiveness of the application was assessed using pre- and post-intervention Likert scale questionnaires. The results indicate improved knowledge retention, enhanced decision-making skills, and increased user engagement. Qualitative feedback highlighted the simulation’s realism and emotional resonance. This preliminary study highlights the potential of VR-enabled experiential learning in disaster preparedness, providing ethical considerations and recommendations for broader implementation.

Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly recognized as a transformative tool for soft skills training, offering immersive and interactive environments that enhance learning outcomes. The eXcape project leverages VR to develop realistic scenarios that can be designed to practice and learn critical soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, and leadership. This paper presents a systematic approach to designing these scenarios ensuring effective skill acquisition and transferability. We discuss the methodology employed in scenario creation, key pedagogical considerations, and the challenges encountered in designing immersive training experiences.

ABSTRACT This paper presents a literature review of 33 papers published on virtual reality-based soft skills training, selected using the PRISMA checklist and flow diagram. The analysis was conducted using the qualitative approach of grounded theory for literature review. Four relevant themes that highlight the major trends and the research gaps were identified: the types of soft skills usually targeted with virtual reality, the types and the characteristics of virtual reality technologies employed, the different approaches endorsed in defining the educational interventions, and finally, the methods used in evaluating the effect of technology on training. These themes help map the current research on this topic and may help delineate opportunities for further research.

: Game-based learning is becoming an increasingly valuable tool for enhancing education, especially for young learners. This study explores the usability, engagement, and educational impact of a serious game designed to help children develop skills in math and logic, colors, reading and writing, and shapes through interactive gameplay. The game was tested by both children and adults, with feedback gathered through scaled question responses, open-ended suggestions, and task-related questions. The results show that children found the game intuitive and enjoyable, with particularly high ratings for interface usability and clarity of instructions. While adults provided a different perspective from the target audience, their feedback offered useful insights for improving the game’s design. These findings highlight the importance of user-centered design and adaptive learning approaches in creating engaging and effective educational games.