The Immersive Learning Research Network is a global network of researchers and practitioners collaborating to develop the scientific, technical, and applied potential of immersive learning.
The papers in this book comprise the proceedings of the meeting mentioned on the cover and title page. They reflect the authors' opinions and, in the interests of timely dissemination, are published as presented and without change. Their inclusion in this publication does not necessarily constitute endorsement by the editors or the Immersive Learning Research Network. Copyright Information Privacy Statement Publications Ethics and Malpractice Statement Contact: publications@immersivelrn.org
The purpose of this workshop is to bring together scientists, educators, augmented reality designers, and curriculum developers to discuss and explore whether and how virtual reality may enhance learning. Scientists and augmented reality designers will present their latest results in developing augmented reality learning environments. Educators and curriculum developers will present their experience and best-case scenarios for applying those elements to their daily life teaching.
Copyright (c) 2023 María Blanca Ibáñez, Ángela Di Serio, María Lucía Barrón, Anasol Peña Ríos, Ramón Zatarain Cabada, Carlos Delgado Kloos
Mixed reality, the combination of physical reality with virtual reality elements, and gamification, the application of gaming principles into non-gaming contexts, are becoming more and more popular practices in education and learning context. Previous studies have shown that students can control their learning processes in mixed reality systems more actively and that gamification elements in lectures can lead to a long-term increase in the learners’ motivation. But how exactly can lecturers take advantage of these benefits? How can the dependencies on a tool level between the domain (e.g. engineering) and the type of course be exemplified? And how can Mixed Reality and Gamification elements technically and didactically be implemented into education and learning environments?
Copyright (c) 2023 Freya Willicks, Laura Lenz
This workshop explores how current research might be imaginatively extrapolated to explore the possible ways immersive-reality technology might change future education. In this we take a very broad vision for the delivery of education stretching from formal education at (say) university through industrial training to informal settings where we are all involved in a continuous process of learning. To this end the workshop will accept papers providing visions of the future (5-10 years out) of immersive learning environments. Papers do not need to adhere to any particular methodology but those that adhere to the Science-Fiction prototyping methodology will be especially welcomed (for more information visit www.creative- science.org).
Copyright (c) 2023 Vic Callaghan, Dennis Beck, Leonel Caseiro Morgado, Michael Gardner, Christian Gütl, Jen O’Connor, Anasol Pena-Rios, Jonathon Richter, Oluwatimilehin Salako, Minjuan Wang, Jen Wu, Shumei Zhang, Ping Zheng
CTRL+Story / Developing Configuration Literacy for Human-AI Collaboration in XR
This doctoral colloquium paper presents work in progress investigating how an interdisciplinary team develops the capacity to collaborate with a multi-agent artificial intelligence (AI) system in a virtual reality (VR) laboratory. CTRL+Story brings together a filmmaker, designer, computer scientist, dancer and educator working alongside three distinct large language model (LLM) agents (two configured as creative participants, one as a reflexive Assessor) to co-create an immersive narrative experience. Existing frameworks for artificial intelligence in education (AIEd) position systems as tools acting on individual learners in bounded interactions. This research addresses what current frameworks cannot account for: how groups develop configuration literacy, defined as the capacity to configure, critically evaluate and iteratively refine persistent AI systems as collaborative participants. Informed by Karen Barad’s agential realism and Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui’s ch’ixi, the research treats the laboratory apparatus (collaborative participants, VR environment, facilitation structure and documentation infrastructure) as the primary research instrument, examining how distributed authorship and traceable attribution emerge through collaborative configuration. The research employs a longitudinal design, generating primary data through session transcripts, configuration logs and Assessor analysis, with the XR artefact serving as a material trace of configuration literacy as it develops within the CTRL+Story lab.
Foundations in Immersive Learning Research and Theory
OnLIFE Education Paradigm: Wearables and Immersion as a Connective-Embodied Experience
Contemporary digital transformation has established new ways of being, existing, and learning in a hyperconnected world, marked by the dissolution of boundaries between the physical and the digital, the human and the technological. In this scenario, OnLIFE Education emerges as a paradigm that understands learning as an inventive, ecosystemic, and connective process in which body, environment, and digital technologies are inseparably co-engendered. Despite this paradigmatic shift, the concept of immersion remains, in most educational and technological approaches, anchored in representational logics associated with entering and/or remaining in virtual or digital environments, sustained by the separation between the physical and the digital. The aim of this article is to problematize the concept of immersion in OnLIFE Education, displacing it from a spatially simulation-centered understanding toward conceiving it as a process of ”agencement as coupling” among body, environment, technologies, and informational ecosystems. From this perspective, wearable technologies are understood as co-engendering interfaces. Methodologically, the article presents an empirical excerpt from a doctoral investigation that adopts the cartographic research-intervention method, qualitative and interventive in nature, through which the tracking of inventive processes emerged in the development and experience of a wearable glove prototype in the context of dance. The results indicate that the experience with the wearable reveals immersion as a continuous process of agencements among body, dance, data, and digital technologies, contributing to its conceptual reconfiguration within the OnLIFE Education Paradigm.
OnLIFE Education Paradigm in Ecologically Connected Immersive Contexts
Copyright (c) 2026 Lisiane Cezar de Oliveira, Eliane Schlemmer
The Future Possibilities of Mimicking EEG Signals To Generate Flow State in Immersive Educational Games
Player engagement in educational games is most effective when players enter the psychological state of flow, defined as the balance between challenge and skill that fosters deep concentration, intrinsic motivation, and sustained enjoyment. Traditional approaches to adaptive gameplay in immersive virtual reality and extended reality environments have relied heavily on electroencephalography (EEG) or other biosensors to monitor cognitive states in real time. While these methods provide accurate insights into player engagement, their reliance on costly, intrusive, and impractical hardware restricts their scalability in mainstream gaming, education, and health application. This paper proposes an EEG free meta learned player behaviour model designed to predict EEG like engagement markers directly from gameplay telemetry, such as input timing, retries, pacing, and decision making patterns. The proposed framework integrates teacher–student knowledge distillation to mimic EEG based models while applying meta learning algorithms (MAML/iMAML) to enable rapid personalisation across diverse players and genres. By validating against EEG calibration datasets and psychological flow measures, the model aims to deliver scalable, sensor free engagement prediction and flow induction in immersive VR/XR educational games. This work represents a preposed framework toexploring, a hybrid mimicry–personalisation framework, and an ethically grounded approach to adaptive game design. Applications extend beyond education to entertainment and healthcare, offering a pathway for large scale, personalised, and responsible affect adaptive systems. Immersive VR educational games offer a unique opportunity, as existing HMDs provide the necessary sensors using this model to allow for a state of Flow to be discovered without any EEG input.
Copyright (c) 2026 Madhesh Vijayasankar, Abraham G. Campbell
Work-in-Progress—Manna DroneVerse Integrating Drones and Immersive Virtual Environments in Education 5.0: Promoting Sustainable Development Goals and Soft Skills
This paper presents a work-in-progress instructional model that integrates drone piloting (virtual and physical) with immersive virtual environments to support Education 5.0. We describe a didactic sequence (imagine, create, play, share, and reflect) and the design of the Manna DroneVerse ecosystem, developed within the Manna_Team research group, which combines Unity-based simulations for PC, Android, and Meta Quest 2 with a physical Track aligned to the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The proposal aims to foster students’ engagement with sustainability topics while supporting the development of soft skills such as collaboration, communication, and critical thinking. To validate this approach, we outline a mixed-method evaluation framework including pre–post questionnaires on SDG understanding, technology acceptance measures, and qualitative data from observations and interviews. As the study is ongoing, future iterations will report learning outcomes and soft-skill indicators based on the proposed analysis.
Immersive learning across Latin America: state of research, use cases and projects
Copyright (c) 2026 Jéfer Benedett Dörr, Linnyer Beatrys Ruiz Aylon
WebXR Visualisation of the Aqueducts of the Heraklion-Knossos Area in Crete to facilitate teaching and research
This paper explores the application of digital archaeology in immersive education, by focusing on the creation of a website that allows WebXR-enabled visualization of archaeological monuments along several historic aqueducts (Roman, Venetian and Ottoman-Egyptian) in the HeraklionKnossos area in north central Crete, Greece. Moreover, the digital manipulation of the models produced will facilitate both teaching and research on a global scale. To this end, drone flights were conducted over several days at specific nodes along these aqueducts in Crete. The drone took hundreds of images for each structure, capturing them from multiple angles. This paper reports on the process of creating the models, the choices made by the team in their development, the development of a website to host these 3D visualisations (including tools suited for archaeology, such as a measurement tool and other data gathering devices), and finally discusses the platform’s future use in teaching and research.
Copyright (c) 2026 Abraham G. Campbell , Matéo Allègre, Amanda Kelly, Leo Humphreys Newman
Scaling Authenticity: Low-Threshold Social VR for Teacher Training and Didactical Practice
Teacher education requires accessible training environments that bridge theory and practice without costly infrastructure or burdening schools. This exploratory proof-of-concept study examines whether low-threshold Social Virtual Reality (VR) can enable authentic classroom management practice for teachers. In-service teachers and Master’s students (n = 5) managed disruptions from virtual pupils in a browser-based simulation built with open-source tools. Mixedmethods analysis combined quantitative measures of authenticity, user experience, and behavioral presence with qualitative interviews. Participant responses indicated that perceived authenticity was driven primarily by coherent role enactment and plausible interactions rather than visual realism, which is consistent with multidimensional authenticity frameworks. Quantitative ratings suggested moderate authenticity alongside low pragmatic quality (usability and dependability). Despite these constraints, participants highlighted the platform’s capacity to foster behavioral presence and to rehearse fundamental classroom management principles such as withitness. The simulation was viewed as most useful for early-stage training when embedded in seminars with theoretical grounding and guided reflection. Given the small, convenience sample, these results should be interpreted as feasibility signals and hypothesis-generating rather than definitive. The findings nevertheless suggest that low-threshold Social VR is worth evaluating as an accessible and potentially scalable practice format for undergraduate teacher education, provided technical stability improves. The study also questions assumptions that authentic teacher training necessarily requires high-fidelity technology, while acknowledging substantial limitations in sample size and diversity.
Workforce Development & Industry Training
Copyright (c) 2026 Kathrin Knutzen, Thorsten Ziegler, Ulf Sauerbrey, Wolfgang Broll
Gamification of a virtual reality simulator for learning dental anesthesia
The healthcare field is increasingly adopting innovative strategies, such as simulation tools enhanced with gamification, visual realism, and immersive technologies, to make the training of medical procedures more engaging and effective. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the VIDA Odonto, a gamified dental anesthesia simulator in an immersive virtual reality environment. The development process followed several stages: starting with a systematic review, identifying user requirements, designing the system architecture, incorporating gamification principles, and conducting usability evaluations. Testing with dental students demonstrated that the gamified simulator led to improved performance during the simulated procedures. Usability assessments further indicated that the gamified approach increased user engagement and encouraged more frequent use of the simulator.
Copyright (c) 2026 Allan A. Tori, Romero Tori, Fatima L. S. Nunes
Tales of Etrya: Resolving Inconsistencies
This extended abstract presents the reconstruction and enhancement of Tales of Etrya (ToE), an educational mobile game designed to support English vocabulary acquisition through narrative-driven gameplay. Initially conceived as a sequel to Strong Shot to address limitations in visual design and player engagement, ToE later became fragmented due to outdated frameworks, missing documentation, and incompatible builds. To overcome these issues, a comprehensive redevelopment process was undertaken, consolidating multiple versions, upgrading the Unity engine, and applying structured project management practices. Development followed a Game-Scrum methodology across three phases: pre-production, production, and post-production. Key contributions include a redesigned user interface, the implementation of core systems such as the Quest Manager and Dialogue Manager, and the delivery of a unified version of ToE. Player experience was assessed through two validated instruments, the Game Experience Questionnaire and the Player Experience of Need Satisfaction, revealing notable improvements in competence, immersion, and overall satisfaction. The resulting version of ToE provides a stable and pedagogically coherent platform for future research in educational video game development.
Contextualized English Vocabulary Learning
Copyright (c) 2026 Sebastian Penaranda, Juan David Suaza, Deisy Chaves, Maria Trujillo
Audio Design Preferences for Immersive Learning Environments: Comparing Autistic Users’ Preferences with Stakeholder Perceptions
Immersive learning environments (ILEs) offer considerable potential to support autistic individuals; however, developers often overlook this population’s sensory preferences when developing audio elements. Before implementing audio features in ILEs, understanding user preferences is essential to avoid creating environments that may exclude or overwhelm autistic learners. This foundational study examined whether stakeholder perceptions of autistic individuals’ audio preferences align with actual user preferences, establishing baseline data to inform future ILE audio design. Twenty-three participants (16 autistic individuals and 7 stakeholders including parents, researchers, therapists, and caregivers) completed a two-stage preference assessment examining background speech, background noise, background music, interactive audio, and feedback audio elements. Participants indicated preference (Yes/No) followed by intensity ratings (1-7 scale) for preferred audio elements in learning contexts. Results revealed variation in stakeholder-user alignment across audio categories. Background music and background noise showed strong alignment with negligible effect sizes, suggesting stakeholder input can reliably inform environmental audio decisions for ILE development. However, substantial misalignments emerged for interactive elements: stakeholders overestimated preferences for interactive audio and feedback audio. Background speech showed the largest misalignment. Intensity ratings revealed additional misalignments, particularly for feedback audio. These exploratory findings provide preliminary evidencebased guidance for ILE developers, indicating when stakeholder consultation may be sufficient versus when direct user involvement is necessary, particularly for interactive and feedback audio elements central to ILE learning experiences.
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, & Social Justice
Copyright (c) 2026 Gunjan Kumari, Wolfgang Broll
Immersive and Embodied Learning in Motor Training: Opportunities and Risks
Immersive learning environments increasingly incorporate neurophysiological measures such as EEG to capture learner states and adapt instruction. Virtual embodiment, where learners inhabit avatars performing motor tasks, has been shown to accelerate skill acquisition in sports, rehabilitation, and clinical training contexts. This paper synthesizes recent findings on embodied avatars in motor learning and virtual rehabilitation, drawing on quantitative improvements in motor skill performance and neurophysiological markers of engagement and recovery. We highlight opportunities for using neurophysiological measures to personalize immersive rehabilitation, while also considering risks related to AI-driven neuroanalytics and the ubiquity of wearable sensing technologies. The work presented here is part of a broader project that seeks to tackle the challenges of developing ecologically valid, intensive, and personalized VR-based rehabilitation frameworks, with the goal of enhancing Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), enabling telerehabilitation, and supporting inclusive recovery pathways. We propose a framework that balances innovation with ethical safeguards, arguing that embodiment and neurophysiology together form both a catalyst and a challenge for the future of immersive rehabilitation. Rather than reporting novel empirical results, this work provides a framework intended to guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of future immersive and neuroadaptive motor training systems.
Copyright (c) 2026 Athanasios Vourvopoulos, Serafeim Perdikis
Designing and Evaluating an AI-Enhanced Immersive Multidisciplinary Simulation (AIMS) for Interprofessional Education
Interprofessional education has long relied on case studies and the use of standardized patients to support teamwork, communication, and related collaborative competencies among healthcare professionals. However, traditional approaches are often limited by cost, scalability, and inability to mimic the dynamic complexity of real-world clinical scenarios. To address these challenges, we designed and developed AIMS (AI-enhanced Immersive Multidisciplinary Simulations), a virtual simulation that integrates a large language model (Gemini-2.5-Flash), a Unity-based virtual environment engine, and a character creation pipeline to support synchronized, multimodal interactions between the user and the virtual patient. AIMS was designed to enhance collaborative clinical reasoning and health promotion competencies among students from pharmacy, medicine, nursing, and social work. A formal usability testing session was conducted which participants assumed professional roles on a healthcare team and engaged in a mix of scripted and unscripted conversations. Participants explored the patient’s symptoms, social context, and care needs. Usability issues were identified (e.g., audio routing, response latency) and used to guide subsequent refinements. Findings in general suggest that AIMS supports realistic, profession-specific and contextually appropriate conversations. We discussed technical innovations of AIMS and concluded with future directions.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ruijie Wang, Jie Lu, Bo Pei, Evonne Jones, James Brinson, Timothy Brown
Developing a Shared Understanding of AR Learning and Instruction: Community Workshop and Theory Reflections
Augmented Reality (AR) can provide interactive, immersive and situated learning experiences. However, we are still missing a shared theoretical understanding of AR in education from researcher and practitioner perspectives. To expand the theoretical perspective by incorporating the voices of the immersive learning community, an interdisciplinary community workshop was held at the iLRN2025 conference. Four groups (N = 24) brainstormed anticipated technological innovations and captured relevant theories and instructional frameworks. The results presented in this Extended Abstract provide another step in an in-progress project. They show that technological innovations in hardware performance and combination of AR and AI are anticipated most. Furthermore, the applied frameworks show a high variability, but not many AR-specific frameworks. No systematic approach from the AR learning and instruction community towards frameworks is apparent. Based on the findings, we want to start cultivating a shared understanding and foundation for researchers and practitioners in AR learning and instruction, for example in the form of a conceptual compass to navigate the educational AR landscape and scaffold the selection of theoretical and pedagogical foundations. For a starting point, frameworks from workshop results and the literature are described. Future discussions with practitioners and researchers will include discussions about these frameworks and how a conceptual compass can keep up with future technological innovations.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jule M. Kruger, Josef Buchner, Yiannis Georgiou, Kevin Palzer, Kristin Altmeyer, Zoya Kozlov, Juan Garzon, Eleni Kyza, Daniel Bodemer, Christoph Hoyer, Sarah Hofer, Sarah Malone
Extended Abstract—A Serious Game for Psychedelic Psychotherapy Training for Mental Health Professionals
Psychedelic psychotherapy (PP) is gaining attention as an effective treatment for conditions such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and addiction. This work-inprogress paper introduces a serious game designed to train mental health professionals in the safe and evidence-based use of PP. The game adopts a visual novel format where trainees interact with virtual patients (VPs) across varied clinical scenarios. Through guided choices and feedback, trainees learn to assess patient needs, select appropriate psychedelic treatments, and apply integration strategies. The system aims to support clinical reasoning and enhance preparedness for future PP practice. Future work includes expanded case content and testing for usability and educational effectiveness.
Copyright (c) 2026 Gary Liu, Bill Kapralos, David Chandross
Measuring Decision-Making Competence in Immersive Cybersecurity Training: A Telemetry-Based Virtual Reality Incident Triage Study
In many Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) environments, the people running these systems are dealing with cyber issues far more often than they used to, and the impact when something goes wrong is noticeably greater. Even so, much of the training they receive still looks the same as it did years ago—slides, briefings, or walk-throughs that don’t resemble the pressure or uncertainty they face when a real incident unfolds. This study looks at whether a hands-on, immersive simulation—built in virtual reality and able to adjust to a participant’s actions while capturing performance data—can help OT cybersecurity personnel think more clearly under pressure and improve the way they make decisions during fast-moving situations. Grounded in andragogy, experiential learning, transformative learning, and cognitive load theory, the research employs a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design. The quantitative phase examines whether AI-driven adaptivity predicts measurable gains in decision-making competence, operationalized through behavioral telemetry and structured performance assessments, while controlling for professional experience. The qualitative phase explores how participants made sense of the scenario—what felt realistic, what generated pressure, and how the system’s behavior shaped their decisions. Throughout the process, data such as reaction times, eye-movement patterns, and task results will be used both to adjust the scenario as it unfolds and to give participants material to reflect on afterward. The study is expected to offer practical guidance for building more responsive immersive training tools and to shed light on how people think and act when the demands of a cybersecurity event are compressed into a virtual environment. The broader goal is to support stronger preparation for the workforce responsible for safeguarding critical infrastructure.
Civic Becoming in the Age of Simulation: Rethinking Community, Identity, and Democratic Life through XR and AI
As the United States approaches the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, this moment invites reflection not only on the nation’s founding ideals but also on the contemporary forces reshaping civic identity, participation, and democratic life. This doctoral colloquium examines how emerging simulated and algorithmically mediated environments reshape the communal and discursive practices through which civic identity is formed. Focusing on participants’ lived experiences of presence, dialogue, and belonging across both embodied and simulated settings, the paper argues that these environments do more than augment reality. XR and algorithmically mediated environments reorganize how individuals experience authenticity, relationality, and belonging. Grounded in Spencer’s Phenomenological Variant of Ecological Systems Theory (PVEST), the study employs a qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design that uses surveys to inform the contextual framework and support pattern identification and dialogic inquiry through in-person and fully simulated porch conversations. Centering the Declaration of Independence as a shared historical anchor, these conversations invite participants to reflect on civic becoming as an ongoing, adaptive process across physical and digitally mediated spaces. The study contributes to our understanding of how immersive technologies are changing where and how civic identity develops, with implications for the future of democratic participation.
Towards Inclusive XR-based History Education: Doctoral Research Design and Methodology
With an emphasis on inclusivity and emotional engagement, this paper presents a doctoral research project in progress and describes its theoretical framework, research questions, and methodological design for history education and cultural heritage using XR technologies. To illustrate, the study uses three-phase, mixed methods designed to fill in the gaps found in the literature. The theoretical framework is established through a systematic review, and then an XR learning prototype based on Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles is developed. In order to assess cognitive outcomes, emotional reactions, and accessibility, the last empirical phase entails several comparative studies with students including those with learning disabilities. In this light, the present study will attempt to produce evidence-based guidelines for creating immersive, empathetic and equitable history learning environments that fully exploit the affective and cognitive potential of immersive technologies.
Special Track 3: Immersive Technologies, XR and AI for Education (XRAI4Edu)
Copyright (c) 2026 Athina Papadopoulou, Ioannis Kazanidis
Exploring the Applicability of Embodied Conversational Agents for Second Language Learning: A Sociocultural Theory Perspective
Recent advances in artificial intelligence have led to growing interest in Embodied Conversational Agents (ECAs) as pedagogical tools for second language (L2) learning. While prior research has demonstrated the potential of ECAs to enhance learner engagement and language performance, many studies remain technically driven and theoretically under-specified. In particular, the sociocultural processes through which learning occurs during human–agent interaction have not been sufficiently examined, especially within emerging immersive/XR language learning environments. Grounded in Sociocultural Theory (SCT), this doctoral colloquium paper critically reviews existing ECA-based L2 research and explores the conceptual applicability of ECAs as mediational partners for language development. Drawing on key SCT concepts—mediation, the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), and scaffolding—the study synthesizes theoretical gaps, proposes an SCT-informed conceptual model situated within immersive technological affordances, and outlines an empirical validation roadmap to guide future research. The paper contributes a socioculturally grounded framework for understanding ECAs not merely as technological tutors, but as interactional agents that support meaning-making, learner agency, and developmental transformation in immersive language learning contexts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Daeun Han, Jeeheon Ryu
The Role of Haptic Feedback in Modulating Task Load in Immersive Learning Environments
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of haptic feedback on learners’ task load in an immersive virtual reality (VR)-based simulation environment. A total of 84 participants were randomly assigned to either a VR with haptic feedback group or a VR without haptic feedback group (n = 42 per group). The learning task was embedded in a simulation scenario designed to train procedural responses to a hazardous chemical spill incident. Task load was measured repeatedly at four time points during the learning process using the Simulation Task Load Index (SIM-TLX): before the simulation (pre-test), after the simple procedural simulation, after the complex procedural simulation, and after the debriefing session (post-test). A mixed-design repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant Time × Haptic interaction for frustration, F(2.36, 187.58) = 5.64, p = .002, η²p = .07, indicating that haptic interaction dynamically modulated affective task load across learning stages. These findings contribute to understanding how embodied tactile interaction influences learners’ cognitive and affective experience in immersive procedural training.
Self and Co-regulated Learning with Immersive Learning Environments
Copyright (c) 2026 Suhyun Ki, Yeonjik Joe, Jeeheon Ryu
What Makes Actions Matter in Virtual Reality? Examining the Effects of Conceptual Congruence and Sensorimotor Engagement on Geometric Reasoning
While virtual reality adoption accelerates in mathematics education, we lack an understanding of what makes physical actions in VR environments effective for learning. This dissertation examines how body movements influence geometric reasoning through two complementary studies grounded in Grounded and Embodied Mathematical Cognition theory. According to the action-cognition transduction hypothesis, directed actions drive cognitive states toward valid geometric reasoning by activating spatial-motoric simulations that reveal invariant mathematical properties. Study 1 synthesizes nine randomized controlled experiments (N=774) using integrative data analysis to establish baseline mechanisms. Employing Item Response Theory for measure harmonization, the study uses structural equation modeling to test pathways from task-relevant/irrelevant actions through cognitive mechanisms to reasoning outcomes. Preliminary analysis reveals dual pathways: imagery formation (β*=.392) and sensori-motor simulation (β*=.159), with task-relevant actions showing positive indirect effects while task-irrelevant actions impair performance. Study 2 employs a 2×2 between-subjects experimental design (N=200), manipulating conceptual congruence (alignment between virtual actions and mathematical properties) and sensorimotor engagement (active manipulation versus passive observation) in VR. Participants interact with virtual geometric shapes through hand-tracking in CurioXR, with multimodal data capturing verbal proofs (intuition, insight, generality, logic, operationality), and gesture production (dynamic/non-dynamic). This work advances embodied learning theory for immersive environments and methodological approaches for cross-study data harmonization, while providing evidence-based design principles specifying when and how virtual actions enhance mathematical learning.
Copyright (c) 2026 Doy Kim, Chenny Kim, Mitchell J. Nathan
Designing Narrative Games to Foster Empathy Toward Neurodivergent Persons: A Case Study of The Things Left Behind
Empathy is important in how non-neurodivergent individuals understand neurodiverse experiences, yet many empathy-oriented games rely on simulation or deficit-based narratives that risk reinforcing stereotypes. This doctoral colloquium proposes a qualitative study examining how a 2D narrative-driven game co-designed with neurodivergent creators, may support empathetic understanding of neurodiversity through an attunement-based design approach. Rather than simulating neurodivergent perception, the game invites players into everyday relational experiences that emphasize reflection, pacing and narratives. The proposed study uses pre- and post-game semi-structured interviews and gameplay recordings to explore how non-neurodivergent players interpret the game’s narrative and characters, and whether engagement prompts shifts in understanding or perspective toward neurodivergent experiences. By focusing on qualitative meaning-making rather than predefined empathy outcomes, this work contributes to research on narrative games, empathy education and ethical representation of neurodiversity.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lanxin Xue , Noah Glaser
AR and niVR as Tools for Creativity and Cultural Identity: Evaluating the Educational Role of New Technologies in Shaping Destination Image in Preschool Education
The rapid development of new technologies is reshaping educational practices, enhancing experiential learning and active knowledge construction. Their integration enriches learning environments, strengthening cognitive skills and fostering meaningful student engagement. This paper presents initial findings from an action research project conducted in a kindergarten, integrating augmented reality (AR) and non-immersive virtual reality(niVR) through visual art-based coloring activities. The study explored how these technologies support experiential learning, creativity, and the formation of destination image among preschool students, while evaluating learner engagement in AR/niVR environments. Data were collected through questionnaires and systematic observation. Questionnaires examined students’ acceptance, interest, and active participation in AR/non-virtual activities, while observation focused on creativity, concentration, collaboration, and engagement. The findings highlight the contribution of AR/niVR to cultural identity, aesthetic experience, and tourism awareness, demonstrating the value of action research in fostering innovative practices and an interdisciplinary approach in early childhood education.
Copyright (c) 2026 Antonia Griva, Maria Argyropoulou, Panagiota Vathi-Sarava
Extended Abstract—XR Cognitive Training for Early Dementia: User Reactions and Experiential Insights from a Pilot Study
This paper presents findings from a pilot user study assessing the user acceptance and selected user experience constructs for an immersive cognitive training system designed for individuals in the early stages of dementia. The comparative user study used a counter-balanced, within-subject approach in which users engage and assess two custom-modified versions of the same XR cognitive training game. Conducted in collaboration with the Alzheimer Athens organization, the study involved 20 older adults, 15 of whom were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or more severe conditions such as aphasia. The assessment was performed with closed questionnaires and a short interview, facilitated by a neuropsychologist. Results suggest that the XR game was perceived as highly acceptable and accessible by the user group, elicited engagement, motivation and enjoyment, and was regarded as promising for cognitive training support. Challenges remain, yet the overwhelmingly positive feedback by the user group supports the viability of immersive playful activities for effective cognitive training.
Copyright (c) 2026 Olga Chatzifoti, Christina Chrysanthopoulou
Erasmus+ Project: XR Compass as Evidence-Informed Guidance for the Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Immersive Learning Scenarios
The integration of Extended Reality (XR) technologies in education requires educators to develop XR-specific literacies that extend digital competences. In this extended abstract of the Erasmus+ Project the PAX Framework and its operationalization, the XR Compass, are presented as an evidence-based model that integrates pedagogical, didactical, ethical, and organizational dimensions for immersive learning scenarios [1, 2]. It is implemented as a web-based tool with modules aligned to the framework´s dimension, guiding questions, examples and a shared glossary [2]. The development follows a design-based research logic in the sense of McKenney & Reeves [5], integrating established reference frameworks and iterative feedback from student teachers, educators and researchers. This extended abstract presents the conceptual logic of the framework, its methodological development, and early qualitative findings from document analyses, expert workshops and initial field applications. The qualitative findings indicate that planning becomes more coherent, ethical and inclusive considerations are addressed earlier, and formative assessment is more systematically embedded. This contribution advances the discourse on XR-specific teacher competence and its integration by bridging theoretical frameworks with actionable practice-oriented guidance.
Teaching with XR Literacies: Empowering Educators through EU Projects’ Frameworks
Copyright (c) 2026 Benjamin Brandic, Renate Burian, Jure Purgaj
Empowering Girls to Be Our Colleagues: Learning Experience Design Case of Summer Camp Engaging Design Thinking for Extended Reality
While improving STEM education and participation has been an objective for decades, a shortage of STEM professionals and gaps in career attainment for women and people of color persist. Educators have increasingly experimented with immersive technologies to engage students in STEM, but many interventions have failed to teach transferable skills or capture usability and student experience in ways that inform future work. This paper presents the design and delivery of a summer camp for middle and high school girls, aimed at teaching design thinking and user experience (UX) testing using immersive technology. Our learner-centered approach introduced students to HCI principles such as usability and design thinking, scaffolding activities from brainstorming to testing XR tools and games, and culminating in students presenting early prototypes they designed. The camp was grounded in the LEDSEL (Learning Experience Design for Scaffolded Experiential Learning) framework, which guides experience design through scaffolded, experiential learning that considers environmental and sociocultural contexts. All students voluntarily presented their prototypes publicly, adopted professional UX language such as “ease of use” and “comfort,” addressed usability issues, and engaged STEM speakers, while their interest in returning and pursuing STEM roles suggests benefits of this approach. Key design principles emerging from the camp include using XR as a participatory medium for critique and creation, embedding UX evaluation early, scaffolding from immersive experience to reflection and prototyping, leveraging peer mentoring, providing authentic audiences, and layering instructional support to scaffold STEM learning in informal, learner-centered contexts.
Copyright (c) 2026 Aleshia Hayes, Debbie Cockerham, Danita Bradshaw-Ward, Erin Howard, Megan McAdams, Taylor Panbamrung
Immersing Students in Ecosystems: Expanding Access and Fostering Deep Understanding
Ecosystem ecology education requires students to comprehend complex biological, geochemical, and physical processes across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Though field trips have long been recognized as essential experiential learning tools that enhance student engagement and ecological understanding, they face significant limitations, including geographic constraints, accessibility barriers for students with mobility impairments, and scheduling conflicts arising from work, family, or military obligations. This contribution describes the implementation of immersive virtual reality modules in an upper-division ecosystem ecology course to address these limitations while maintaining the pedagogical benefits of experiential learning. Virtual reality enables students to visit diverse ecosystems—from headwater streams and kelp forests to deep-sea hydrothermal vents—that would be logistically impossible or prohibitively expensive to access through traditional field trips. Beyond addressing accessibility concerns, immersive technologies leverage embodied presence and perspective-taking to help students connect more deeply with ecosystem complexity and scale. We present our implementation approach, discuss technical and pedagogical challenges encountered, share lessons learned regarding student engagement and learning outcomes, and outline future directions for integrating VR into ecology education. Our work demonstrates that well-designed VR experiences can serve as valuable complements to traditional field-based instruction, expanding educational equity while maintaining high-quality experiential learning opportunities.
Copyright (c) 2026 Benjamin P. Colman, Jonathon Richter
“Listen to the Whole Story!”: Narrative-Driven Learning in Cultural Spaces Through AR
Although Extended Reality technologies, such as Augmented Reality (AR), are increasingly used in museums and other public cultural spaces to enhance visitor engagement, relatively little research has explored how the design of interactive digital storytelling and specific modes of content communication influence visitors' cognitive processes and understanding of cultural content. This study contributes to this research gap by empirically examining visitors’ perception and comprehension of cultural content communicated through AR experiences. Building on prior work that aims to enhance visitor experience in cultural settings, the purpose of this research is to explore the role of immersive storytelling in conveying cultural knowledge in ways that are both meaningful and attractive, while also gaining deeper insights into associated learning processes and content understanding. To this end, the paper presents two case studies deploying AR storytelling in a museum and a museum-library, respectively, and reports preliminary findings from two user evaluation studies examining how the cultural content was perceived and understood in each context.
Galleries, Libraries, Archives, & Museums
Interactive Digital Storytelling, Augmented Reality
Copyright (c) 2026 Vasiliki Rodopoulou, Eirini Papagiannaki, Angeliki Chrysanthi
Instructor-Created Custom GPTs as Pedagogical Partners Fostering Immersion in Online Higher Education: Two Case Studies
As online higher education expands, sustaining student engagement remains a critical challenge. This paper approaches immersive learning by investigating how custom GPTs foster immersion (as a state of deep mental involvement) for students and instructors. While large language models (LLMs) offer potential for enhancing feedback, little research has examined instructor-created custom GPTs designed to align with specific pedagogical goals. This paper addresses this gap, employing the Immersive Learning Cube framework, which conceptualizes immersion through three dimensions: system (envelopment by the environment), narrative (meaningful context), and agency (commitment to meaning-making). Through a qualitative analysis of two distinct case studies, an accelerated graduate grant writing course in the US and an undergraduate software engineering course in Portugal, we analyze course-embedded artifacts to map how custom GPTs influence these immersion dimensions. In the grant writing course, the custom GPT functioned as a feedback partner, fostering system immersion through its immediacy, narrative immersion by reinforcing the proposal's evolving story, and agency immersion by empowering students to negotiate feedback and take ownership of revisions. In the software engineering course, a diegetically-framed custom GPT acted as a metacognitive tutor, enhancing system immersion via its permanent availability, narrative immersion through its role-play function and agency immersion by scaffolding students’ self- and co-regulated learning. Our findings demonstrate that thoughtfully integrated custom GPTs can act as powerful pedagogical partners that leverage all three dimensions of immersion. Rather than replacing human instructors, they can amplify immediacy, coherence, and learner autonomy, creating more engaging and immersive online learning environments.
OpenEU Pathways to Immersive Societies: AI‑Empowered Learning Ecosystems for Digital Education
Copyright (c) 2026 Dennis Beck, Leonel Morgado