With support from SJSF Finland, Cristina Obae from the University of Lapland made a research visit to Sophia University in Tokyo in May 2026. There, a collaborative project between the two universities evaluated a metaverse-based HyFlex learning environment, a model that combines in-person and remote learning.
During the visit, the research team developed and implemented a WebVR learning activity and collected multimodal learner data. They also explored how the Multimodal Learning Analytics Framework can be applied in immersive learning settings.
The visit also included presentations on European developments in virtual worlds for education, and discussions on future collaboration funded through Horizon.
The project strengthened Finnish–Japanese research collaboration and generated data that is now being analysed. It also laid the groundwork for a joint scientific publication and future research in virtual reality, multimodal learning analytics and AI-enhanced education.
