Pedagogy in Practice – Creating Student Engagement

This session focuses on Game-based Learning, examining how structured play can deepen engagement and support meaningful learning. Drawing on elements such as goals, rules, feedback, and challenge, the session explores how to start and leverage Game-based Learning, and how to create a narrative that motivates participation and sustains curiosity. Participants will gain insight through experiencing how intentional game design, reflection, and facilitation transform play into learning opportunities that promote problem-solving, collaboration, and transferable skills across disciplines.

Prof. Meike Sauerwein Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Education at the Division of Environment and Sustainability Dr. Meike Sauerwein is an Assistant Professor of Interdisciplinary Education at the Division of Environment and Sustainability. Her research and teaching interests lie in holistic assessments of the environmental impacts of products (Life Cycle Assessment) and in how such knowledge can be used for corporate impact assessment and consumer education. Meike is passionate about teaching and enjoys exploring tools and methodologies to make lectures interactive and engaging. She is leading projects to develop educational tools, such as serious games and impact calculators, to teach life-cycle thinking and sustainable consumption concepts. Meike is a recipient of the Common Core Course Excellence Award 2021 and 2024 for her individual and team-teaching efforts.

	Prof. Ben Y. B. CHAN Professor of Engineering Education, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Registration starts in early April.

This roundtable brings together faculty members who are actively developing or exploring AR, VR, and game-based learning initiatives. Designed as a focused community conversation, the session provides space to share current projects, exchange challenges and insights, and brainstorm future possibilities. Participants will connect with colleagues working at the intersection of pedagogy and immersive technology, fostering collaboration and mutual support. The gathering aims to strengthen a growing community of practice and spark new ideas that advance innovative, experiential learning across disciplines.

Prof. Eric Hawkinson Professor of Learning Design and Technology – Institute of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Kyoto University of Foreign Studies Professor Eric Hawkinson is a learning futurist and professor at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. His work explores how emerging technologies shape the future of teaching and learning. He develops immersive learning environments using augmented and virtual reality, including projects such as Reality Labo and the My Hometown Project. Hawkinson is founder of Together Learning, chair of the World Immersive Learning Labs community, and author of Beyond the Automation Abyss. His research focuses on experiential learning, digital citizenship, and technology-enhanced pedagogy.

Immersive technologies create new conditions for teaching and learning. This session explores how educators can design experiences that combine physical and digital environments through AR, VR, and narrative interaction. Participants examine case studies and reflect on how immersive learning can support engagement, collaboration, and contextual understanding across disciplines.

Registration starts in early May.

This session demonstrates practical techniques for building immersive learning activities using accessible tools. Participants interact with examples drawn from university projects and student work, exploring how immersive environments can support exploration, role play, and experiential learning across subject areas.

Registration starts in early May.