Member Spotlight: Atlantic Technological University embedding Immersive Technologies

Eirmersive was delighted to welcome ATU as a new member recently. We’ve been hugely impressed by the coordinated approach they have to the embedding the use of Immersive Technologies across the university, as underlined in a news update from John Hough, Educational Technology Specialist, Immersive Learning.

By John Hough

Immersive Learning at Atlantic Technological University: Building Momentum Across Disciplines

The ATU Teaching and Learning Centre has been working to establish an immersive learning initiative across the university. This began with the purchase of 20 Meta Quest 3 headsets and a charging cart, located in the Dublin road campus library, creating a shared pool of devices that lecturers can use to pilot immersive learning activities with their students.

Of course, no XR journey is without a few surprises. Shortly after the purchase, news arrived that Meta Horizon Managed Services was being discontinued, pulling the rug from under institutions that had been planning to use it for device management. While this caused a brief moment of scrambling, it also highlighted the realities of working with emerging technologies.

ATU colleagues presenting their research a recent community of practice event

Engaging Lecturers and Building Capacity

One of the most important aspects of this work has been staff engagement. Many lecturers are curious about immersive technologies but want practical guidance on how they might fit within existing modules and curricula.

We have been working directly with lecturers through demonstrations, small pilots, and collaborative design conversations. This allows staff to experiment with immersive tools in a low-risk way while helping us identify where they genuinely add value to learning. Integrating these technologies is a gradual process, with many moving parts to consider, from hardware and apps to staff training, device management, and health and safety.

Developing a Community of Practice

To support this growing interest, we recently established an Immersive Learning Community of Practice at ATU. The aim is to create a space where staff from different disciplines can share ideas and experiences of immersive learning in practice.

Communities of practice are particularly valuable with emerging technologies. They allow early adopters to share insights while giving colleagues new to immersive learning an opportunity to learn from peers. We have also welcomed guest speakers from both industry and other institutions, which has added greatly to these sessions.

John and Aine meet their avatars at MSLETB XR Hub Sligo

Building Skills Through Training

Alongside these pilots, we are also investing in staff development. Recently John Hough (Learning Technologist) and Áine Meehan (Instructional Designer) completed the MSLETB XR Hub QQI Level 5 course in Immersive Technologies in Sligo, gaining valuable hands-on experience in designing and facilitating immersive learning sessions.

This experience is helping us develop more structured training and support for lecturers interested in experimenting with immersive learning in their teaching.

Joining the Eirmersive Network

We were also delighted recently to join the Eirmersive community. Immersive learning is evolving quickly, and collaboration across education, industry, and the wider XR ecosystem is essential.

We look forward to sharing our experiences, learning from other members, and exploring opportunities for collaboration as immersive technologies continue to develop.

Looking Ahead

While immersive learning is still at an early stage within ATU, the combination of pilots, community building, and staff development is helping to lay the foundations for sustainable growth in this area.

Our aim is not simply to introduce new technologies, but to support lecturers in exploring how immersive tools can enrich learning experiences and create new opportunities for experiential learning.