The technologies Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), now often referred together as Extended Realities (XR), have been used in education for some time for applications such as training ship’s captains on virtual bridges and preparing future airplane pilots for reality with the help of flight simulator training devices. Over the last ten years or so the technology has been adapted for the mass-market and the use of XR is now available for a broader range of learning scenarios. For this special issue of the Electronic Journal of e-Learning we want to address the so-called unique affordances of XR such as the learner’s sense of presence, interaction with 3D objects, emotional design, virtual body-transfer and social collaboration capabilities (Plass et al. 2022). Accounting for such affordances in the design and operation of XR-based learning scenarios facilitates meaningful learning experiences that provide advantages over conventional learning approaches. As a result, XR-based learning scenarios can help to compensate for the increased technical, organizational and content-related issues that surround the application of XR for learning.

We are particularly interested in research studies, analyses, surveys, and evaluations addressing some of the topics listed below and contributing to theory building of XR for learning.

Potential topics include but are not limited to:

Affordances and Constraints of XR
- Cost benefit analysis of different XR-based learning scenarios
- Data protection and privacy issues
- Embodiment or body transfer in VR
- Emotional design
- Handling of motion sickness
- The future of XR-based learning
Learning Outcomes
- Design and evaluation of XR-based assessment
- Evaluations of XR technologies for learning
- XR-based informal learning
Implementation of XR and XR-based learning scenarios
- Blended learning models for XR
- Instructional design and pedagogical “engineering” for XR
- XR pedagogies
- Project Management methodologies for rapid XR experience implementation, such as agile methodologies
- Synchronous vs asynchronous modes of delivery
- Teaching culture changes due to implementation of XR scenarios
Societal Impact:
- Accessibility and equal opportunities
- Changing roles in education based on XR
- Impact of XR on teacher education
- Sustainability of XR-learning activities

The submission deadline for all papers is August 31st, 2023. Papers will be evaluated as they are received and where appropriate put into the review process.