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Just Released: The 3rd Edition of the State of XR and Immersive Learning Report
Co-authored by Maya Georgieva and Jonathon Richter
Jump in, explore the 16 #ImmersiveLearning trends, review the foresight brief, and help shape what comes next.
Request a copy of the report: https://tally.so/r/wd1g1y
iLRN’s Immersive Futures & The State of XR and Immersive Learning Project
Change is accelerating — and with it, the scope and reach of immersive learning across education, research, and practice continues to expand.
Even for seasoned professionals working in immersive tech every day, the rapid evolution of Extended Reality (XR) and Generative AI can be overwhelming. That’s why iLRN launched the Immersive Futures Initiative — our commitment to scanning, sensemaking, and amplifying emerging possibilities at the intersection of immersive technologies and learning.
The State of XR and Immersive Learning Report
Co-Written by Maya Georgieva & Jonathon Richter
The State of XR and Immersive Learning Report is a Delphi-inspired environmental scanning and forecasting project developed by iLRN. Modeled in the spirit of the Horizon Report series, this annual initiative brings together a diverse global panel of educators, researchers, technologists, and creative professionals to:
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Analyze trends in immersive learning
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Surface innovative pedagogies and exemplars
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Forecast key developments across XR, AI, and experiential learning
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Offer evidence-based recommendations for strategy, curriculum, and policy
The report is produced through a rigorous and inclusive process that includes synchronous expert sessions, asynchronous collaboration, and open calls for contribution. It is published under a Creative Commons license and used globally in strategic planning, faculty development, and academic coursework.
Immersive Futures Forum
A Global, Expert-Driven Crowdsourcing Effort
The Immersive Futures Forum is an open, expert-guided initiative designed to persistently scan the horizon of immersive learning. We surface emerging trends, projects, platforms, and research, and we work to amplify practices with high-impact potential for teaching, learning, and training. This effort powers iLRN’s flagship foresight initiative.
From 2019 to Now: A Growing Global Resource
2021 – The inaugural report launched in collaboration with IEEE ICICLE, EDUCAUSE, CoSN, and the eLearning Guild. It was quickly adopted by institutions worldwide, informing strategy and instruction across disciplines such as design, media, teacher education, and professional development.
Published in May 2021, the first edition has served as a resource for curriculum design, academic research, and institutional projects. It has been integrated into undergraduate and graduate-level courses in instructional technology, the arts, education, media, administration, and the sciences—as well as in educator training programs and workshops globally.
This multi-sector, cross-disciplinary initiative was developed to regularly survey the immersive learning landscape—identifying promising technological and pedagogical innovations, alongside major opportunities and barriers to their adoption. It advances research-informed practice across the full learning spectrum, from K–12 and higher education to workforce, community, and lifelong learning.
2022 – The process evolved to adopt a more interactive, networked model, with real-time workshops, asynchronous contributions, and a dedicated virtual collaboration space—the State of XR & Immersive Learning Lighthouse on the iLRN Virtual Campus.
Under the strategic leadership of Maya Georgieva, the process was significantly redesigned to foster deeper engagement, increased agility, and stronger expert feedback loops. Maya led the integration of synchronous global Expert Panel working sessions, flexible asynchronous participation, and new spaces for panelists to connect and learn from one another.
The Expert Panel also gained a dedicated home on the iLRN Virtual Campus, enabling collaboration, visibility, and the option to establish individual meeting spaces within the Lighthouse.
The 2022 report began with a series of expert panel sessions in Spring 2022. An Executive Summary, co-produced with the panel, was launched at the 8th Annual iLRN Conference, with the full-featured report completed in Winter/Spring 2023.
The process remained rooted in a Delphi-style methodology. Forecasting Working Groups explored three guiding research questions via live sessions and asynchronous contributions. A final vote in April 2022 established the emergent categories. Panelists were also invited to showcase their work at the Immersive Learning Showcase, hosted each year during the iLRN Conference.
2024 - 2025 – The third edition of the report marks a shift toward a more open, community-sourced model. We are expanding access to expert contributions, surfacing exemplars from around the world, and integrating insights at the convergence of XR and Generative AI.
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