{"id":4980,"date":"2025-06-30T13:45:03","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T11:45:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/virtuelle-welten\/"},"modified":"2025-06-30T14:03:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T12:03:47","slug":"virtuelle-welten","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/virtuelle-welten\/","title":{"rendered":"AR, VR and XR: Shaping Learning through Virtual Worlds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Immersive worlds currently draw us into virtual spaces primarily via smartphones or tablets \u2013 if at all. The potential of Extended Reality (XR), including technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) (see info box), still seems far from fully tapped, especially in the field of education. Could there be more to it? We asked three entrepreneurs \u2013 Sabine Madritsch, Niklas Knapp, and Bjarne Zimmer \u2013 for their insights.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Sch\u00fclerin
A student plays the AR game “Museum of Fake” by Polycular, Photo: Innovation Salzburg\/Benedikt Schemmer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
What role do you think XR plays in education?<\/h5>\n

Sabine:<\/strong> In my opinion, it\u2019s a valuable addition to traditional learning. Especially as part of a blended learning approach, immersive technologies offer more engagement than purely passive consumption of video content.<\/p>\n

Niklas:<\/strong> XR content creates vivid experiences that go beyond classical media. Just as I bring real estate to life through 3D tours, theoretical concepts in education can also be transformed into interactive learning environments. This makes abstract knowledge more tangible and helps anchor it more sustainably \u2013 an approach that enhances both motivation and understanding.<\/p>\n

Bjarne:<\/strong> Even when working in this field, you never really know all the possible applications. In education or industry, XR is exciting because it allows for a stronger culture of experimentation and learning from mistakes. You can simply hit reset instead of having to rebuild machines from scratch.<\/p>\n

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In which areas of education is there the greatest potential for immersive technologies?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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Sabine Madritsch, Photo: mad2learn<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sabine:<\/strong> XR promotes experiential learning as well as practical skills training \u2013 especially in situations where real-world training is difficult or expensive. It is already being used in schools for subjects like history and geography. Additionally, 3D models can improve spatial understanding in mathematics. At universities, XR can support simulations and prototyping, helping to reduce the cost of real materials.<\/p>\n

Niklas:<\/strong> Fields where visual representation and hands-on experience are key \u2013 such as architecture, engineering, medicine, history, or language learning. Learners can, for example, test complex processes in a virtual lab or explore historical sites interactively.<\/p>\n

Bjarne:<\/strong> Especially with VR, there\u2019s a lot of potential because you immediately feel transported into another space, even though you’re physically still in the classroom. The multiplayer aspect is also exciting: everyone is in the same virtual space, teachers can work with 3D structures, add elements, or display pop-ups. Learners can explore these, interact with them, or hide distracting elements. It\u2019s a great opportunity to make lessons more dynamic.<\/p>\n

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How does XR change learning compared to traditional methods?<\/h5>\n

Sabine:<\/strong> It shifts learning from simply watching videos or reading PDFs to actively engaging with and interacting in virtual environments and with digital objects. XR enables the repetition of tasks and workflows in a safe and immersive way.<\/p>\n

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Niklas Knapp, Photo: Virtual Real Estate Knapp GmbH<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Niklas:<\/strong> Traditional teaching methods often rely on static knowledge being delivered. XR, on the other hand, enables more “learning by doing.” In education, this means that information isn\u2019t just received passively, but actively experienced.<\/p>\n

Bjarne:<\/strong> The biggest benefit is that immersive digital worlds engage multiple senses at once. Maybe someday even taste and smell will be part of it. Solving problems interactively, in my opinion, also helps us retain new knowledge more easily.<\/p>\n

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How do you see the future of XR in education over the next five to ten years?<\/h5>\n

Sabine:<\/strong> Acceptance will certainly vary depending on the sector, and AR and VR will serve different purposes. In my view, VR is well-suited for focused learning, creating a sense of presence, and for simulations. AR might grow significantly due to its easier accessibility. Costs will decrease, and content creation will become easier with AI tools.<\/p>\n

Niklas:<\/strong> I\u2019m convinced that XR will increasingly be integrated into everyday school and university education. This will require technological advancements, lower costs, and continued digitalization. Immersive learning environments will likely no longer be just a supplementary medium, but will become an integral part of modern teaching concepts.<\/p>\n

Bjarne:<\/strong> I\u2019d say both AR and VR will continue to offer enormous added value and will remain relevant. They\u2019re no cure-all, but in my opinion, they will become increasingly important.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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What ethical and\/or societal challenges do you see in using XR in education?<\/strong><\/h5>\n
\"Bjarne
Bjarne Zimmer, Photo: Virtual Visions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sabine:<\/strong> There must be clear ethical guidelines for behavior in virtual environments \u2013 for example, respectful interaction with avatars and ensuring diversity in avatar representation. Accessibility for people with disabilities is also an important ethical consideration.<\/p>\n

Niklas:<\/strong> Data protection and privacy are two key issues, as immersive learning environments often collect personal data. Clear guidelines and protective measures are essential. It\u2019s also important to ensure that XR does not contribute to a growing digital divide. In education, content should always be delivered responsibly and ethically \u2013 without manipulation or distortion.<\/p>\n

Bjarne:<\/strong> As a society, we still lack broad acceptance of XR, likely due to uncertainty and limited digital experience. The risk of losing touch with reality isn\u2019t the main concern \u2013 in VR, you may be immersed in another world, but you return to the real one as soon as you take off the headset. However, virtual experiences do blend with real-world knowledge. With AR, the issue is more complex: the real world is enhanced rather than replaced, which can lead to a dependency on digital aids that may be missed once they\u2019re gone. Ultimately, the impact of immersive technologies also depends on how long and how intensely they are used.<\/p>\n

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Thank you for the interview!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Interview with Three EdTech Entrepreneurs on the Potential of XR Learning Applications.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4976,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,28,29,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4980","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-school","category-university","category-vocational-education-and-training","category-lebenslanges-lernen-en"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4980"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4980\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4990,"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4980\/revisions\/4990"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.edtechaustria.at\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}