Meta has chosen Luiss to analyze the potential impact of immersive technologies in the field of education.

Meta has selected the Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome to conduct an academic study analyzing the impact of immersive technologies on the education sector. This collaboration is part of a European research program initiated by Meta, involving five academic institutions, experts, and think tanks from five different countries (including the University of Glasgow, ESADE in Barcelona, France Immersive Learning, and Straightlabs in Germany). The experts examined how immersive technologies can enhance learning experiences, boost youth employment rates, and contribute to the professional development of future managers.

The initiative follows recent research by the XR Association and the International Society for Technology in Education, which found that 77% of teachers believe extended reality sparks curiosity and boosts student engagement in the classroom. Based on these findings, researchers at Luiss have begun experimenting with the capabilities and potential of immersive technologies in various educational settings.

The university named after Guido Carli, which has already submitted an initial research report, has specifically focused on measuring the impact of Virtual Reality (VR) on learning and collaboration processes in management. Twelve researchers from the Free International University of Social Studies conducted a three-month comparative test between immersive reality and a 2D environment. Approximately 90 students from the university’s Advanced Marketing Management program participated.

The test

• Over a three-month period, the students were divided into two groups and observed as they engaged in several online teamwork sessions and discussed a business case, using both the immersive technologies of Horizon Workrooms and those of a 2D environment.
• Each group experienced both collaborative work environments at different times. One group interacted in Horizon Workrooms, while the other used a 2D app.
• At the end of each session, the students assessed the social, behavioral, cognitive, and emotional dimensions, as well as the outcome (performance or degree of representation during an interaction on the online platforms), for each of the two work environments.

The results

• This initial test revealed that students perceive interactions more positively and constructively with immersive technologies than in 2D environments.
• Immersive technologies positively enhance the social, behavioral, and emotional dimensions of the experience. Compared to 2D environments, students felt more aware of their online presence and more connected to others, resulting in a greater willingness to collaborate and participate in the meta-environment.
• One of the most significant findings from the test is the ability of VR technologies to create a strong sense of telepresence [1] and separation [2] from the physical dimension. In fact, students emphasized that, in virtual spaces, they felt much more “inside the environment they were seeing and hearing” and “engaged and immersed in the experience” compared to 2D environments.

“We believe the metaverse will have a significant impact on education, as our academic study demonstrates. As researchers, we must now focus our efforts on the rigorous study of multiple dimensions to ensure maximum effectiveness in different learning contexts. In fact, alongside our research, we are actively experimenting with new ways to use technology for education. We are constantly sparking our students’ curiosity and imagination to fully engage them in new learning experiences that complement effective traditional teaching methods,” said Simona Romani, Dean of the Graduate School at Luiss University, and Marco Francesco Mazzù, Professor of Practice in Marketing at Luiss University.

“Immersive technologies are already being used today to teach and learn in new and exciting ways, and they have tremendous potential to transform the world of education and training. Early academic studies have found that VR can positively enhance a range of learning-related processes, including comprehension, knowledge retention, student engagement, attention levels, and motivation. “Partnerships like the one we've signed with researchers at Luiss Guido Carli are important for understanding and leveraging these opportunities,” said Angelo Mazzetti, Head of Institutional Affairs at Meta in Italy.

Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, also addressed this topic today, outlining Meta’s four key priority areas for action in the education and training sector. The focus will be on redesigning school lessons, enabling teachers and students to meet in shared virtual spaces, providing hands-on vocational training, and creating new opportunities for long-term learning.

[1] Telepresence is the feeling of being present in a place other than where you are physically, through communication or virtual representation devices.

[2] Separation is a psychological concept that refers to the ability to identify and maintain a distinction between oneself and the surrounding environment. In other words, it's the ability to separate your own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors from those of others and the outside world.