Realidad extendida en la educación superior: El caso del laboratorio VIROO en la UNAD

Laura Nataly Villa Arrieta; Juan Gabriel Cabrera Ortiz

doi:10.22490/ECBTI.10037

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2025)

Published 2025-10-21

license

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Artículos

Extended Reality in Higher Education: UNAD’s VIROO Laboratory as a Case Study

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22490/ECBTI.10037

Ing. Laura Nataly Villa Arrieta Faculty Member of the Multimedia Engineering Program at ECBTI

Eng. Juan Gabriel Cabrera Ortiz National Leader of the Multimedia Engineering Program at ECBTI

Pre-print (Spanish)

Abstract
References

Extended Reality (XR) has emerged as a key field of innovation in higher education, enabling immersive experiences that strengthen teaching, research, and knowledge appropriation. This working paper presents a preliminary analysis of the implementation of XR technologies in universities, focusing on the VIROO laboratory at UNAD as a case study. The methodology included a documentary review of international experiences in the use of XR in education (architecture, medicine, engineering) and the analysis of institutional documentation on the VIROO laboratory.

The results show that VIROO, developed by Virtualware and distributed in Colombia by Virtual4, combines a multi-user immersive room equipped with NMERSO® technology for precise tracking, specialized hardware (Pico Neo 3 headsets, HP Z1 workstations, control servers), and a SaaS platform that facilitates the creation, management, and deployment of multi-user VR experiences.

Its pedagogical value lies in enabling real-time collaborative practices, full-scale simulations, and remote learning experiences through VIROO Players and Portal.

Beyond its contribution to teaching, the VIROO laboratory is projected as a strategic space for applied research and university extension, opening opportunities to articulate innovation initiatives with companies, communities, and international organizations. However, challenges were identified related to infrastructure (lighting conditions, high-capacity WiFi, ceiling and flooring adjustments), as well as institutional sustainability and faculty training.

In conclusion, VIROO represents a milestone for UNAD, positioning the university as a pioneer in Colombia in the use of XR for distance education. Nevertheless, it requires a pedagogical integration strategy and institutional cooperation (GAIA, Virtual4, Virtualware) to ensure its full potential.

keywords: extended reality, higher education, VIROO, pedagogical innovation, immersive laboratory, UNAD

Al-Ansi, A. M., Jaboob, M. A., Garad, A., & Al-Ansi, A. M. (2023). Augmented reality and virtual reality in education: A systematic review of recent developments. Education and Information Technologies, 28(10), 10951–10977. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11797-3

Allcoat, D., & von Mühlenen, A. (2018). Learning in virtual reality: Effects on performance, emotion and engagement. Research in Learning Technology, 26(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v26.2140

González, E. (2023). Entrevista sobre el laboratorio VIROO en la UNAD [Documento institucional]. Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia – UNAD.

Hamilton, D., McKechnie, J., Edgerton, E., & Wilson, C. (2021). Immersive virtual reality as a pedagogical tool in education: A systematic literature review of quantitative learning outcomes and experimental design. Computers & Education, 103818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2021.103818

Hui, K., Raslan, R., & Grierson, H. (2021). Applications of extended reality technologies within design pedagogy: A case study in architectural science. Architectural Science Review, 64(6), 543–555. https://doi.org/10.1080/00038628.2021.1967682

Jensen, L., & Konradsen, F. (2017). A review of the use of head-mounted displays in education and training. Education and Information Technologies, 23(4), 1515–1529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9676-0

Koohang, A., Nord, J. H., Ooi, K.-B., Tan, G. W.-H., Al-Emran, M., Aw, E. C.-X., Baabdullah, A. M., Buhalis, D., Cham, T.-H., Dennis, C., Dutot, V., Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Mogaji, E., Pandey, N., Phau, I., Raman, R., Sharma, A., Sigala, M., Ueno, A., & Wong, L.-W. (2023). Shaping the Metaverse into Reality: A Holistic Multidisciplinary Understanding of Opportunities, Challenges, and Avenues for Future Investigation. Journal of Computer Information Systems, 63(3), 735–765. https://doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2023.2165197

Korre, A., & Sherlock, L. (2021). Augmented reality in higher education: A case study in medical education. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 8, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205211038953

Kluge, A., McIntosh, B., & Meyer, M. (2022). Comparing approaches for selection, development, and deployment of extended reality (XR) teaching applications. Computers & Education, 187, 104568. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104568

Spricigo, D., Bulegon, A., & Carvalho, F. (2023). Implementation of an XR Center in a higher education institution in Brazil: A case study. Brazilian Journal of Information Systems, 17(2), 45–61. https://doi.org/10.5753/jis.2023.3456

Virtual4. (2023). Anexo 1 – VIROO Room. Documento técnico interno, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia – UNAD. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gwrJz02gGGbixthoZffZbLk-QOFjCKjI/view?usp=sharing

Virtual4. (2023). Anexo 2 – VIROO Software. Documento técnico interno, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia – UNAD. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CfTdhMfisB0q4ajNB116fP_lUgWfEyVD/view?usp=sharing

Virtual4. (2023). Anexo 3 – Requisitos de instalación VIROO Room. Documento técnico interno, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia – UNAD. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IILRNaS0m45D4scLH8AlzQYhZfyRrods/view?usp=sharing

GCON4 & Virtual4. (2023). Laboratorio inmersivo realidad virtual VIROO – UNAD. Documento institucional, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia – UNAD. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zTvoeJWM2z8MtOOjktr78DrZPGDNXUmb/view?usp=drive_link

UNAD. (2023). Propuesta de laboratorios de realidad virtual. Documento institucional, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia – UNAD. https://docs.google.com/document/d/14Piv9psAmt45UX5gS8mLwdfYHo793-tS/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104291910540967503287&rtpof=true&sd=true

Virtual4 & GAIA. (2023).

Acuerdo de intenciones para la implementación del laboratorio VIROO en la UNAD. Borrador institucional, Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia – UNAD. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xvtZo1lVraemYxv8U0nSJuSBqj4yQPZL/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=104291910540967503287&rtpof=true&sd=true

license

How to Cite

Villa Arrieta, L. N., & Cabrera Ortiz, J. G. (2025). Extended Reality in Higher Education: UNAD’s VIROO Laboratory as a Case Study. Documentos De Trabajo ECBTI, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.22490/ECBTI.10037

Download Citation

Almétricas

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...