Virtual Reality as a Collaborative Learning Space: Lessons From an Experiment

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Published: Oct 24, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52358/mm.vi24.555
Keywords:
virtual reality collaborative learning collaboration educational scripting

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Régis Barondeau
Université du Québec à Montréal
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3882-4504
Thibault Coulon
Université du Québec à Montréal
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1769-0090
Simon Bourdeau
Université du Québec à Montréal
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6660-3398
Sirléia Ferreira da Silva Rosa
Université du Québec à Montréal
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4788-8396

Abstract

This article critically analyzes the integration of immersive virtual reality into a collaborative learning system in a university setting. It is based on a pedagogical experiment carried out with 42 undergraduate students as part of a course on mediated collaboration and addresses three challenges identified in the literature: the pedagogical gap associated with the lack of established practices and recommendations, the constraints of social interaction in an immersive environment, and the technical and cognitive barriers that can affect learning. Workshops, structured in three immersive cycles, mobilized differentiated roles around a three-dimensional co-construction task using the Arkio software. The study adopts an exploratory qualitative approach based on in situ observations and field notes produced by the research team, analyzed using an inductive approach structured around three analytical axes and supported by data triangulation. The results show that the success of the workshops depends mainly on the quality of the educational scripting and logistical orchestration, including technical preparation, instruction structuring, shared visual feedback improvement, and gradual role adjustment during the activity.

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How to Cite
Barondeau, R., Coulon, T., Bourdeau, S., & Ferreira da Silva Rosa, S. (2026). Virtual Reality as a Collaborative Learning Space: Lessons From an Experiment. Mediations and Mediatizations, (24), 399–419. https://doi.org/10.52358/mm.vi24.555
Issue
No. 24 (2026): Educational Digital Technology Under Critical Scrutiny
Section
Practitioners' articles
Creative Commons License

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

Author Biographies

Régis Barondeau, Université du Québec à Montréal

Régis Barondeau is an associate professor of information technology in the Department of Analytics, Operations, and Information Technology at UQAM’s School of Management Sciences. His research examines how emerging digital technologies are transforming the practices of individuals and organizations, with a particular focus on the conditions for their critical adoption. This question cuts across a variety of research topics: collaboration in distributed environments (wikis, virtual reality), blockchain technologies, open-source intelligence (OSINT), and the integration of artificial intelligence into information technology education.

Rooted in a rigorous tracking of technological trends, he constantly aligns his research with his teaching practices. The integration of generative artificial intelligence in an academic context constitutes a prime area of investigation in this regard: his work focuses less on the adoption of these tools than on the ability to discern what is appropriate to entrust to them and what must remain within the realm of human judgment. This tension between delegation and cognitive retention shapes his current thinking on the renewal of skills and assessment practices in IT education.

Thibault Coulon, Université du Québec à Montréal

Thibaut COULON is a professor in the Department of Management at the School of Management Sciences (ESG) at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM). He teaches project management, risk management, and agile approaches in graduate programs. Her research focuses on team dynamics—particularly in agile contexts—resilience, managing uncertainty, experiential learning, and the use of immersive and interactive simulations in education. Her work specifically examines the development of complex management skills using collaborative digital environments.

Simon Bourdeau, Université du Québec à Montréal

Simon Bourdeau has been a professor of information technology at UQAM since 2012. He holds a Ph.D. in information systems from HEC Montréal. He has been affiliated with CIRANO since 2001, where he is now a Fellow. He has been associated with CIRANO since 2001, where he is now a Fellow. He has been a Project Management Professional (PMI) since 2007, a LEGO Serious Play Facilitator since 2013, a business continuity specialist since 2020 (Certificate of the Business Continuity Institute (CBCI)), and a change management specialist and Prosci Certified Change Practitioner (ADKAR) since 2022. He teaches courses and workshops and conducts research on: 1) team dynamics (collaboration, adaptability, improvisation, resilience, conflict management, diversity), 2) digital transformation and change management, 3) innovation and creativity, and 4) complex problem-solving through, among other methods, the LEGO Serious Play method.

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