Learning in shared virtual spaces: getting started with co-creation in XR labs

The report ‘Learning in shared virtual spaces’ demonstrates how XR implementations in education can contribute to collaboration and learning among students at different physical locations. The documentary offers an insight into the collaboration between the XR labs at the Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE) and the HKU, with the participation of Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (HU).

The collaboration in action

Both the report and the documentary provide institutions with practical insights into how to initiate and organise such a collaboration, particularly where there are differences in budgets and starting points. Students and lecturers share their experiences of the virtual learning environment set up using immersive technologies, and what this collaboration brings them.

Learning together in virtual spaces

The report focuses specifically on campus innovation, XR applications and new forms of education, in which students at different locations collaborate in shared virtual spaces. These spaces are designed to offer an experience comparable to physical environments, so that design concepts can be jointly experienced, tested and improved.

Practical insights from two XR labs

The research was conducted in the XR labs at Design Academy Eindhoven (Trans Realities Lab) and Utrecht School of the Arts (HKU Artistic Extended Reality Lab). The two labs were extensively observed, and students and lecturers involved at both institutions were interviewed. This provided in-depth insight into how to jointly set up XR education across multiple physical locations.

The collaboration demonstrates that successful campus innovation goes beyond technology alone. It functions as an experimental learning environment – or ‘living lab’ – where experimentation and learning take centre stage.

More information

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