The main scientific objective of INSIDE:INSIGHT is to strengthen Europe’s position in educational technologies in the biomedical and healthcare field by revolutionizing the landscape of immersive learning environments for both educators and learners in the digital age.
INSIDE:INSIGHT will deliver dynamic state-of-the art research projects via an international consortium with highly integrated projects and coordinated delivery. The research focuses on the development, implementation and validation of XR-enhanced educational tools for biomedical and health sciences. It has been structured into multiple Work Packages (WPs), of which two scientific WP (2 and 3) reflect its key areas of innovation, from tool development to implementation and evaluation. The WP 1, 4 and 5 will assist network-wide training initiatives, management and coordination, while also maximising the societal impact of the project.
Projects of each DC will run independently, however, the stand-alone projects are designed to complement each other and, through synergies, identify optimal, new approaches and tools for health education (see Figure X).
WP2: Development of evidence-based immersive learning environments for medical and healthcare education.
Lead: Prof. D. Kalkofen, TU Graz, Austria
WP2 focuses on developing accessible, scalable XR solutions for medical education, enhancing anatomical knowledge and surgical skills. It aims to standardize XR learning environments, create authoring tools, address diverse learning needs, establish performance assessment methods, and enable open knowledge sharing. Beyond standalone applications, WP2 will emphasize understanding of user needs and equipping educators with tools to integrate XR into practice effectively.
WP3: Design-based research and effectiveness evaluation of XR learning environments for medical and healthcare education.
Lead: Prof. W. Willaert, UGENT, Belgium
WP3 evaluates XR learning environments to refine their design and effectiveness. It aligns platforms with stakeholder needs through user feedback and instructional design principles, assesses user acceptance and influencing factors, and measures impact on individual and collaborative learning outcomes. WP3 also explores the role of automated feedback, develops educational theories for XR, and provides recommendations for using XR in medical and health education. In this context, a monitoring tool for surgical skills training in a simulation centre will be designed and evaluated.
