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Call for Participation

TeacXR '26: The 1st International Workshop on Teaching eXtended Reality
A Hybrid pedagogical workshop in conjunction with ISMAR 2026  |  Bari, Italy  |  October 5–9, 2026

Workshop Overview

As eXtended Reality (XR) moves from a niche research interest to a mainstream medium, the "skills gap" between technical proficiency and human-centric design has become a critical bottleneck. TeacXR '26 is a half-day, interactive workshop dedicated to the pedagogy of spatial computing.

Unlike traditional 2D interfaces, XR requires students to master complex 3D interactions, spatial navigation, and multisensory feedback. This workshop brings together educators, researchers, and industry leaders to share evidence-based practices for teaching the design and development of AR/VR/MR applications. We invite submissions that explore how we can train the next generation of developers to prioritize accessibility, user comfort, and ethical design.

Topics of Interest

We invite short papers, position papers, and case studies on topics including, but not limited to:

Submission Categories

Short Papers (4-6 pages)

Original research or robust case studies in XR education.

Position Papers (2-4 pages)

Provocative ideas, proposed frameworks, or early-stage pedagogical experiments.

The "Syllabus Show-and-Tell" (1-2 page abstract)

A description of a specific teaching module, assignment, or tool that you wish to demonstrate during an interactive session.

Important Dates

  • Submission Deadline
  • Notification of Acceptance
  • Camera-Ready Deadline
  • Workshop Date October 5 or 6, 2026 (TBD)

Submission Guidelines

All submissions must follow the IEEE VGTC format (opens in a new tab) and will be peer-reviewed by our international program committee. Accepted papers will be published in the ISMAR 2026 Adjunct Proceedings and indexed in IEEE XRef/Xplore.

Further detail to be announced soon!

Workshop Format & Agenda

TeacXR '26 is a participatory, highly interactive half-day workshop (~210 Minutes). To maintain high engagement, the session balances rapid presentation styles with deep-dive collaborative breakouts. NOTE: The current schedule is subject to change.

Time Offset Session Description
00:00 - 00:20 Welcome & Vision Introduction by the organizers. Framing the "Skills Gap" in current XR education.
00:20 - 01:20 Lightning Paper Presentations 5-7 minute rapid-fire presentations of accepted position papers, followed by brief Q&A. Focus on "Current States of XR Teaching."
01:20 - 01:40 Coffee & Networking Break Facilitated networking (with a dedicated "virtual coffee" breakout for remote attendees).
01:40 - 02:20 "Syllabus Show-and-Tell" A curated syllabus sharing session. Organizers and attendees share a specific tool (e.g., WebXR vs. Unity) or an assignment that successfully bridged the 2D-to-3D development gap.
02:20 - 03:10 Interactive Breakout: The "Curriculum Hack" Participants split into groups (Hybrid-friendly) to solve a specific challenge, such as: "Designing for accessibility" or "Measuring learning in XR assessments."
03:10 - 03:30 Synthesis & Roadmapping Group reports and the "Manifesto" draft. Discussion on future iterations of TeacXR and community resource sharing.

Organizing Committee

Portrait of Anthony Scavarelli
Anthony Scavarelli
Toronto Metropolitan University
Department of Computer Science
Assistant Professor
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Portrait of Preeti Raman
Preeti Raman
Toronto Metropolitan University
Department of Computer Science
Assistant Professor
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Portrait of Rob Teather
Rob Teather
Monash University
Department of Human-Centred Computing
Senior Lecturer
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Portrait of Vicky McArthur
Vicky McArthur
Monash University
Department of Human-Centred Computing
Senior Lecturer
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Portrait of Sam Qorbani
Sam Qorbani
MacEwan University
Department of Computer Science
Associate Professor
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Portrait of Mark Billinghurst
Mark Billinghurst
Adelaide University
Director, Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments
Professor
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Program Committee

Kristen Grinyer
Carleton University
Annie Le
Toronto Metropolitan University
Ali Naveed
Toronto Metropolitan University

Co-Organizing Institutions

University of Adelaide logo MacEwan University logo Monash University logo Toronto Metropolitan University logo