UPOU CODTL Members Present Metaverse Research at WILLS 2025 in Kyoto

The 3rd World Immersive Learning Labs Symposium (WILLS) 2025 was held from 13 to 15 April at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS) in Kyoto, Japan. Among the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) participants were two representatives from the UPOU Center for Open and Digital Teaching and Learning (CODTL). Dr. Juliet Aleta R. Villanueva, CODTL’s Deputy Director for Open and Digital Learning Research (ODLR) and Associate Professor at the UPOU Faculty of Education (FEd) and Ms. Lovelyn P. Petrasanta, Information Systems Researcher for CODTL – Educational Media Production (EMP), each presented their latest work at WILLS 2025. Their short talks showcased how metaverse platforms can be leveraged for open and distance e-learning in UPOU’s context.

Dr. Juliet Aleta R. Villanueva presented a study titled “D.rop E.verything A.nd wR.ite (D.E.A.R.): Designing for Learning Presence at the D.E.A.R. Metaverse.” Co-authored with Mr. Lexter Mangubat, Mr. John Alain Orbe, and Mr. Douglas Eacersall, the presentation explored how learning presence can be fostered in a metaverse environment specifically designed to support research writing among graduate students. Drawing from her experience facilitating SSE 290, an education research course, Dr. Villanueva emphasized that integrating D.E.A.R. into the metaverse offers a meaningful opportunity to revisit and further examine learning presence within a digitally immersive setting.

Ms. Petrasanta, meanwhile, shared a study on “Acceptance and Usability of Metaverse Spaces for Collaboration Among IT Students in Creative and Technical Fields.”  Co-authored with Mr. Lexter J. Mangubat, the research examined how metaverse platforms support academic collaboration among IT students, particularly in creative and technical disciplines. The presentation highlighted user acceptance, system usability, and the adaptability of virtual environments in facilitating open and distance learning.

Co-organized by UPOU, KUFS’s Future Hub, and the Mixed, Augmented, and Virtual Realities (MAVR) SIG of the Japan Association for Language Teaching, WILLS 2025 brought together educators and innovators to explore emerging immersive learning technologies. UPOU had a strong presence at the symposium, with several faculty and staff presenting research on the educational applications of the metaverse. The program featured over 30 rapid-fire “Short Talk” presentations, covering topics such as ethics in virtual spaces, immersive language learning, and digital collaboration.

These contributions underscore UPOU’s ongoing commitment to advancing open and digital learning through global academic engagement and research collaboration.

Know more about WILLS at https://worldlearninglabs.com.

Know more about CODTL’s research initiatives via its official website at https://codtl.upou.edu.ph.