4th State of XR & Immersive Learning Report
.Manage, synthesize, and prepare the global environmental scan into a unified 2026 report. This book functions as the coordination hub and final showcase space, weaving together the five regional scans and the Special Call on Indigenous XR into a coherent narrative for iLRN 2026 in Athens.
Overview & Workspace
This page serves as the single-source overview and shared workspace for the 4th State of XR & Immersive Learning Report, part of iLRN’s global Immersive Futures initiative. It provides the structural backbone for synthesis, coordination, and progress tracking across all five Continental Regions and the Indigenous-Led XR Special Call. All contributors should regard this page as the primary reference point for project scope, timelines, workflows, and submission pathways.
The book operates as both a coordination hub and the final home of the 2026 report. It brings together regional environmental scans, community-submitted signals, scholarly papers, simulations, and Indigenous-led contributions into a unified publication to be released in early 2026 and showcased at iLRN2026 (online and in Athens).
Project Overview
iLRN has launched the fourth edition of the State of XR & Immersive Learning Report, an expanded cycle that now integrates:
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A coordinated global environmental scan, organized through Continental Regional Hubs
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A Call for Papers and Simulations for the scholarly collection
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A Special Call for Indigenous-Led XR Contributions
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Community-driven data collection feeding into a peer-reviewed, internationally indexed publication
From now through December 2025, educators, researchers, designers, technologists, and practitioners across the five Continental Regions are examining developments shaping immersive learning worldwide. Each regional team is identifying signals across technologies, pedagogies, cultural contexts, and application domains in education, workforce, and public engagement.
Scan Participation (Nov–Dec 2025)
Contributors take part in several coordinated activities:
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Weekly horizon scans within Continental Hub Discord channels
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Cross-regional discussions comparing insights, approaches, and developments
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Signal identification across educational, cultural, societal, and industry contexts
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Collaborative sensemaking to inform report structure, priorities, and emerging themes
This distributed scan forms the evidence base for the 2026 report.
Synthesis Phase (Jan 2026)
In January 2026, Regional Teams and iLRN Chapters will produce concise geographic synthesis reports (4,000–6,000 words + appendices). These reports integrate the signals, trends, and regional narratives surfaced during November–December scanning. They form the core analytic chapters of the Immersive Futures: State of XR & Immersive Learning 2026 volume.
Our Delphi-Inspired Approach
The synthesis phase follows a structured, Delphi-inspired methodology adapted for distributed global collaboration. The intent is to combine inclusive participation with a systematic process capable of producing scholarship that can withstand external peer review. Each Regional Team will use the following shared protocol:
1. Round One: Signal Prioritization
Participants review the full set of regional signals collected during scanning and undertake a structured sorting process:
Teams may supplement this round with brief surveys or voting instruments inside Discord or Invision Community.
2. Round Two: Interpretive Consensus
Regional Teams then work toward interpretive clarity rather than unanimity. Expectations include:
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Drafting short interpretive summaries for each cluster
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Comparing perspectives across subregions or national contexts
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Surfacing minority viewpoints when interpretive differences reflect meaningful regional variation
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Documenting unresolved tensions rather than forcing alignment
The emphasis is on transparent reasoning and acknowledgment of complexity.
3. Round Three: Narrative Construction
Teams then develop a cohesive regional narrative supported by evidence:
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Constructing trend statements grounded in clustered signals
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Identifying accelerators, constraints, and contextual modifiers
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Situating findings alongside 2024–2025 benchmarks, prior iLRN reports, and relevant literature
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Integrating lived contexts—including cultural, educational, environmental, and industry factors—where they shape regional interpretation
Teams are encouraged to include data visualizations, comparative charts, and methodological appendices.
4. Cross-Regional Calibration
A mid-January calibration session aligns interpretive approaches across regions:
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Reviewing definitions, rating practices, and inclusion criteria
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Ensuring that regional chapters remain comparable
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Noting areas where statements require nuance due to regional asymmetries
This step ensures that the final report reflects both global coherence and local specificity.
5. Finalization and Submission
Each Regional Team submits:
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A 4,000–6,000 word synthesis chapter
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Appendices (e.g., signal inventories, rating instruments, data visualizations)
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A short methodological note documenting how their team applied the Delphi-inspired steps
These materials will undergo light editorial review by the Immersive Futures editorial group before integration into the full report.
Co-Authorship
All contributors who participate substantively in the January synthesis—signal rating, clustering, interpretive rounds, drafting, or methodological work—will be listed as co-authors of the published Immersive Futures: State of XR & Immersive Learning 2026 volume.
This inclusive authorship model reflects the collaborative nature of the methodology and ensures that contributors receive recognition for both analytic and community-driven labor.
Special Call: Indigenous-Led XR Contributions
The Indigenous-Led Special Call invites contributions from Indigenous scholars, Elders, youth, storytellers, designers, researchers, and community partners. Submissions may include:
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Protocols and guidance for immersive storytelling
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Land-based learning practices
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Approaches to sovereignty-centered design
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Community-informed XR or mobile immersive projects
These contributions form a dedicated section of the report and will be highlighted during iLRN2026 (online and in Athens).
Ways to Participate
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Join your Continental Hub on Discord
Email futures@immersivelrn.org to request access and take part in weekly scans. -
Submit a full paper, short paper, or simulation
Upload via EasyChair by January 10, 2026 (link provided below). -
Respond to the Indigenous-Led Special Call
Share culturally grounded work for inclusion in the report. -
Volunteer as a reviewer or sensemaking partner
Regional synthesis occurs throughout January 2026. -
Contribute regional or institutional data
Support development of a more complete comparative global picture.
The full Call for Papers, Simulations & Regional Scans is linked at the bottom of this page. Additional onboarding opportunities—including the Immersive Futures Webinar Series and orientation sessions—are listed on the iLRN Events Calendar at immersivelrn.org.
Purpose of This Workspace
This page anchors the project’s mission and provides the tools required for effective collaboration across the network. Contributors will find:
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Structural guidance for regional and global synthesis
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Links to onboarding resources, submission pathways, and templates
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Progress tracking and coordination notes
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Access to interim analyses and cross-regional signal discussions
The 2026 cycle is designed to strengthen global capacity for immersive learning scholarship and to build a shared, regionally informed foundation for understanding where the field is heading.
We welcome your participation in shaping this collective effort.
iLRN Knowledge Tree Showcase Mapping
✔ 17 Knowledge Tree Branch Tracks (1–17)
- trunk = Branch #1 Immersive learning foundations (Computer, science, game design/UX, Learning sciences)
- Nine main branches of applied immersive learning
- Seven special tracks for the 12th annual conference in Athens, Greece + online 2026
✔ Branch/Track color codes
🎨 Color Coding Legend — Knowledge Tree Branch Tracks (iLRN2026)
|
Code |
Track Name |
|
🔵 |
Track 1: Foundations (Computer Science, Game Studies, Learning Sciences) |
|
🟣 |
Track 2: Assessment & Evaluation |
|
🟨 |
Track 3: Galleries, Libraries, Archives & Museums (GLAM) |
|
🟥 |
Track 4: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access & Social Justice (IDEAS) |
|
🟩 |
Track 5: STEM Education |
|
🟧 |
Track 6: Language, Culture & Heritage (LCH)** ← updated from brown |
|
🩺 |
Track 7: Medical & Healthcare Education (MHE) |
|
🌿 |
Track 8: Nature & Environmental Sciences (NES) |
|
⚙️ |
Track 9: Workforce Development & Industry Training (WDIT) |
|
🌀 |
Track 10: Self and Co-Regulated Learning with Immersive Learning Environments (SCILE) |
|
📘 |
Track 11: XR Literacies (EU Teaching with XR Literacies) |
|
🤖 |
Track 12: XRAI4Edu |
|
🧭 |
Track 13: AI-Empowered Immersive Societies (OpenEU) |
|
🌍 |
Track 14: Immersive Futures for the UN SDGs |
|
🌎 |
Track 15: Immersive Learning Across Latin America |
|
🎮 |
Track 16: Critical Game Literacies |
|
🪶 |
Track 17: OnLIFE Ecologically Connected Immersive Contexts |
✔ Immersive Learning Weekly #1 Foundational trunk (Track 1) emphasis
✔ Showcase nomination markings (★)
📘 iLRN Knowledge Tree Showcase Mapping
Scan Nomination Table — Items #1–39 (Updated for Codex, November 26, 2025)
|
# |
Interaction Focus |
Knowledge Tree Branch Alignment |
Showcase Value |
|
1 |
MR-native spatial mechanics |
🔵 Track 1, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
2 |
Street-scale locative reality |
🔵 Track 1, 🌿 Track 8, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
3 |
MR onboarding (“First Encounters”) |
🔵 Track 1, 🌀 Track 10, 📘 Track 11 |
★ |
|
4 |
CHI body-interaction techniques |
🔵 Track 1 |
★ |
|
5 |
VR-enhanced museum engagement |
🔵 Track 1, 🟨 Track 3, 🌀 Track 10 |
★ |
|
6 |
Narrative-centered learning in VR |
🔵 Track 1, 🟥 Track 4, 🌀 Track 10, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
7 |
Social VR for autism (MHE) |
🩺 Track 7, 🌀 Track 10 |
★ |
|
8 |
Affect & presence via VR horror |
🔵 Track 1, 🟥 Track 4, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
9 |
Spatial context-aware MR |
🔵 Track 1, 🎮 Track 16 |
|
|
10 |
Cross-reality game ecosystems |
🔵 Track 1, 🌀 Track 10, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
11 |
Generative AI NPC learning agents |
🔵 Track 1, 🤖 Track 12, 🧭 Track 13, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
12 |
Co-located MR collaboration |
🔵 Track 1, 🌀 Track 10 |
|
|
13 |
Room-reskinning MR mechanics |
🔵 Track 1, 🟩 Track 5, 🌿 Track 8, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
14 |
AI-adaptive RPG learning |
🔵 Track 1, 🤖 Track 12, 🧭 Track 13, 🌀 Track 10 |
★ |
|
15 |
Fuzzy Cognitive Map VR learning |
🔵 Track 1, 🟩 Track 5 |
★ |
|
16 |
Accessible VR for intellectual disabilities |
🩺 Track 7, 🟥 Track 4 |
|
|
17 |
Embodied AR health exergames |
🩺 Track 7, 🌀 Track 10 |
|
|
18 |
AR emotional companion agents |
🔵 Track 1, 🟥 Track 4, 🌀 Track 10 |
★ |
|
19 |
MAR interaction taxonomy |
🔵 Track 1, 📘 Track 11 |
|
|
20 |
XR Communities of Practice |
🔵 Track 1, 🌀 Track 10, 📘 Track 11 |
★ |
|
21 |
Meta-analysis of gamified VR |
🔵 Track 1, 🟣 Track 2, 🟩 Track 5 |
|
|
22 |
Spatial literacy VR reading |
🟧 Track 6, 🌀 Track 10, 📘 Track 11 |
|
|
23 |
Proxemics in MR teamwork |
🔵 Track 1, ⚙️ Track 9, 🌀 Track 10 |
|
|
24 |
AR knowledge workspaces |
🔵 Track 1, ⚙️ Track 9, 🌀 Track 10 |
★ |
|
25 |
Body-aware parkour VR |
🔵 Track 1, 🩺 Track 7 |
|
|
26 |
Immersive museum transformation |
🟨 Track 3 |
|
|
27 |
Global immersive attraction list |
🟨 Track 3, 🌿 Track 8, 🌍 Track 14 |
★ |
|
28 |
XR theme park edutainment models |
🟨 Track 3, ⚙️ Track 9, 🌍 Track 14 |
★ |
|
29 |
Triotech narrative rides |
🟨 Track 3, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
30 |
The Met VR cultural exhibits |
🟨 Track 3, 🟧 Track 6, 🌍 Track 14 |
★ |
|
31 |
Multisensory museum design |
🟨 Track 3, 🌀 Track 10 |
|
|
32 |
UNESCO Virtual Museum (heritage + justice) |
🟥 Track 4, 🟧 Track 6, 🌍 Track 14 |
★ |
|
33 |
XR in nature wellness & ecologies |
🌿 Track 8, 🩺 Track 7, 🌍 Track 14, 🪶 Track 17 |
|
|
34 |
XR-based critical digital art |
🟥 Track 4, 🟧 Track 6, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
35 |
Promisedland hybrid XR workflow |
🔵 Track 1, 🟨 Track 3, 🌿 Track 8, 🌍 Track 14 |
★ |
|
36 |
Holo-Artisan adaptive XR museums |
🔵 Track 1, 🟨 Track 3, 🌀 Track 10, 🧭 Track 13 |
★ |
|
37 |
Paradox Museum perceptual illusions |
🟨 Track 3, 🟥 Track 4 |
|
|
38 |
Ghostly Manor interactive projection ride |
🟨 Track 3, 🎮 Track 16 |
★ |
|
39 |
Crystal Bridges outdoor XR playscape |
🌿 Track 8, 🪶 Track 17, 🟨 Track 3 |
★ |
🔀 Crosswalk Matrix (Tracks & Interaction Types — Updated with 🟧 for LCH)
|
Interaction Category |
1 Foundations 🔵 |
3 GLAM 🟨 |
6 LCH 🟧 |
7 MHE 🩺 |
8 NES 🌿 |
10 SCILE 🌀 |
14 SDG 🌍 |
16 Game Literacies 🎮 |
|
Narrative & Story-Based XR |
★ |
★ |
★ |
|
☆ |
★ |
☆ |
★ |
|
Embodied / Physical & Sensory |
★ |
☆ |
|
★ |
★ |
★ |
☆ |
★ |
|
Cultural Heritage & Preservation |
★ |
★ |
★ |
|
☆ |
|
★ |
|
|
Spatial Knowledge Work & XR Literacies |
★ |
★ |
☆ |
|
☆ |
★ |
|
|
|
AI-Driven Personalization |
★ |
|
|
★ |
|
★ |
★ |
★ |
|
Affective, Emotional, & Social XR |
★ |
☆ |
★ |
★ |
☆ |
★ |
☆ |
★ |
|
Workforce & Professional XR |
★ |
☆ |
|
★ |
☆ |
★ |
☆ |
☆ |
|
Nature, Ecology, Climate XR |
☆ |
|
☆ |
|
★ |
☆ |
★ |
|
|
Critical Game Design & Mechanics |
★ |
|
|
|
|
★ |
|
★ |
Legend: ★ Strong match | ☆ Partial match | Blank = minimal alignment
📎 iLRN Codex Placement Recommendations
BookStack › Knowledge Tree › Branch Alignment Tools:
- Scan Nomination Rubric (with Track Mapping)
- Interactive Showcase Mapping Table (Items 1–39)
- Crosswalk Matrix for Reviewers
- Nomination Template (Form-Ready)
- Branch Track Metadata Pages (Pages for Tracks 11–17 pending)
NEEDED Resources and Related Pages:
🔹 Tally.so nomination form pre-filled with Track emoji tags
🔹 Branch Track Profile pages (one per track, with definitions, use cases, and XR relevance patterns)
🔹 Scan Intelligence Pack PDF version for leadership review