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The World Immersive Learning Labs Symposium (WILLS) 2025, held from 13-15 April at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (KUFS) in Kyoto, Japan, brought together educators, researchers, and innovators from around the world to explore the evolving landscape of immersive learning technologies. From virtual and augmented reality to AI-driven learning environments, the symposium highlighted recent developments in educational innovation. Co-organized by the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), WILLS 2025 featured keynotes, technical talks, and hands-on experiences demonstrating how immersive learning can engage, educate, and inspire.

The event kicked off with a tour of Kyoto’s historic Arashiyama district and a guided tour of the KUFS Future Hub Laboratory. These tours, led by immersive learning leaders Dr. Eric Hawkinson and Dr. Roberto Figueroa, Jr., merged physical and digital worlds, showcasing how location-based technologies can transform education and cultural engagement.

Dr. Shannon Putman presents her keynote message “From Vision to Reality: Leading the Largest VR Deployment in the U.S. Schools – Shannon Putman”.

Day 2 opened with an insightful keynote by Dr. Shannon Putman, who detailed her journey in leading the largest virtual reality deployment in public schools in the United States. Her talk, “From Vision to Reality: Leading the Largest VR Deployment in the U.S. Schools – Shannon Putman,” offered a roadmap for integrating VR at scale while emphasizing accessibility, equity, and pedagogy. A lively Q&A followed, sparking conversations about real-world challenges and opportunities in immersive education.

WILLS 2025 featured innovative presentations from leaders in eXtended Reality (XR) education, including:

• Dave Dolan on VR in Every Class, Worldwide
• Paul Raine, who showcased AI-Powered Language Learning in Immersive Environments
• Pat B. Bongsasilp on Transferring Idealistic to Realistic Universes of Wat Arun Virtual Reality
• Liam Iñaki Gillamac, with HeAR: Enhancing Filipino Sign Language Learning through Augmented Reality
• Angus McGregor, who presented Virtual Reality in Model United Nations at KUFS

These presentations underscored how immersive tools are helping bridge geographic, linguistic, and cultural divides in education.

Dave Dolan, one of the featured presenters in the symposium, shares about his study on VR.

The symposium’s hallmark was its Short Talks series, with over 30 rapid-fire presentations covering a rich array of topics. With themes ranging from ethics in immersive spaces to virtual tourism, sustainable farming, healthcare training, and social work, the talks emphasized the breadth and depth of XR’s potential in education. A number of UPOU faculty and staff presented their research results during this series. From the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), paper presentations were delivered by Asst. Prof. Blancaflor Arada, Asst. Prof. Mary Clariño, Asst. Prof. Luisa Gelisan, Asst. Prof. Margaret Suarez, and Ms. Christine Faye Pesimo. The symposium also featured compelling presentations from Dr. Aleta Villanueva and Mr. Lexter Mangubat from the Faculty of Education (FED), and colleagues from the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) led by FMDS Dean, Dr. Finaflor Taylan.

The last day of the symposium was dedicated to unconferencing—a participant-led discussion encouraging spontaneous, organic dialogue. An inspiring panel session opened the day, featuring Roberto Figueroa, Jr., Shannon Putman, Dave Dolan, and Pruk Sasithong, who discussed major obstacles to XR adoption in education. Following this, the attendees formed groups to collaborate on pressing topics. More short talks rounded out the day.

UPOU Chancellor, Dr. Joane V. Serrano, gives the closing remarks on the last day of the World Immersive Learning Labs Symposium (WILLS) 2025.

The conference closed with reflections from the UP Open University Chancellor, Dr. Joane V. Serrano, who commended the event for its energy, insight, and spirit of collaboration. She emphasized that immersive education is not just about technology or novelty, but transformation. With UPOU’s continuing commitment to open and distance e-learning, the event served as a pivotal step toward reimagining education through innovation, inclusivity, and meaningful engagement in immersive environments. Before ending her speech, Dr. Serrano announced the next WILLS in 2026, encouraging attendees to continue pushing the boundaries of immersive learning.

Written by: Jessa Perez and Christine Faye Pesimo | Edited by: Joy Abigail Rebulanan