PolyU and EdUHK collaborate to establish Hong Kong’s first Research Centre for Immersive Learning and Metaverse in Education

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Centre for Immersive Learning and Metaverse in Education (CILME).

This collaboration between PolyU and EdUHK aims to develop a collaborative infrastructure for conducting interdisciplinary research to impact education. CILME will also serve as a powerhouse in the study of technology-enhanced learning and teaching. The Centre will specifically focus on how immersive experiences, including those from virtual reality and the metaverse in general, can enhance students’ cognitive processing, attention, memory, brain function and ultimately learning outcomes.

Combining the strengths and expertise of PolyU and EdUHK in cross-disciplinary research, learning sciences and pedagogical innovation, CILME will nurture researchers, incubate technology-based innovations in education, and facilitate knowledge transfer in teaching and curriculum design at both institutions and for the benefit of the community at large.

Prof. Ping LI, CILME Co-Director, Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Sin Wai Kin Professor in Humanities and Technology at PolyU said, “In recent years, the education sector has actively used digital technologies including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and metaverse technologies to bring real-world experiences to learners and improve learning effectiveness. With CILME, researchers and educators will work closely together to develop technological applications and solutions for immersive and active learning. At PolyU, we have sophisticated interdisciplinary research capabilities, a centralised teaching facility in VR/AR, and an extensive connection with industry. Capitalising on our strengths and the collaboration with EdUHK, we are looking to push new frontiers in education and technology to benefit learners, educators and society.”

Prof. Chetwyn CHAN Che-hin, CILME Co-Director, Vice President (Research and Development) and Peter T. C. Lee Professor in Psychology at EdUHK said, “Educational technology has been the University’s strategic area of development. At EdUHK we have a strong body of researchers and educators who specialise in learning sciences and pedagogical innovation in the school sector. They are at the forefront of the development of learning theories and the application of innovative technology-based pedagogies in kindergartens, primary schools and secondary schools. This collaboration synergises EdUHK’s educational technology expertise with PolyU’s strengths in interdisciplinary research. Together, our areas of expertise can make this technology instructive, relevant and interactive for learners, while being adaptable, effective and user-friendly for teachers.”

Under this agreement, the two universities will conduct both basic and applied research in metaverse and immersive technologies, develop practical guidelines to shape the educational values of these technologies for students, and promote immersive learning among teachers and educators through regular workshops, seminars and conferences.

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