The first-ever XR Showcase took place April 8, 2026, at D.H. Hill Library in the Faculty Research Commons.
The XR Showcase highlighted how faculty across campus are transforming the classroom through extended reality (XR) technology — giving faculty and staff a space to explore innovative XR projects and connect outside of their daily work.
Hosted by DELTA and The Libraries, the showcase highlighted 14 projects ranging from using augmented reality (AR) in graphic design theory to visualizing a triathlon transition in virtual reality (VR).
“The XR Showcase was a fantastic opportunity to network with faculty and staff from across campus about our shared interests in the ways XR can enhance teaching and learning,” said Sarah Egan Warren, assistant professor in the Institute for Advanced Analytics.
“Most importantly, the emphasis at the showcase was on solving problems with instructional technology. Yes, the tools are super cool! But what matters is how XR can support learning outcomes for our students.”
What is XR?
XR stands for extended reality — it’s an umbrella term used to describe technology delivering immersive experiences and content.
The three main elements of XR are mixed reality (MR), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). MR blends digital and physical environments, VR places learners inside fully simulated spaces and AR layers digital content onto the real world. Within the education space, these technologies excel at pushing strong immersive learning and enhanced engagement.
Further, XR literacy is the ability to understand, interact with and navigate XR environments confidently and purposefully. At NC State, building this literacy is a collective effort among developers, educators and learners.
Immersive Learning in Action
The projects on display at the XR Showcase highlighted the innovative ways NC State faculty bring immersive learning to the classroom.
Alongside DELTA grant projects led in collaboration with faculty/staff:
- Marissa Cohen and Adam Fahrenholz — Feed Mill Education Unit
- Robin Moore, Nilda Cosco, Matt Babb and Adam Noel — Natural Learning Initiative
- Nathan Williams — Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
- Renee Harrington — Health and Exercise Studies
- Amy Johnson and Christina Kranz — Soil Science
- Sarah Egan Warren — Institute for Advanced Analytics
- Debbie Acker — Shelton Leadership Center
- Debbie Littlejohn — Graphic Design
- Katherine Greder and Mary Hauser — Gregg Museum of Art + Design
Attendees also heard about three independent projects from Douglas Hamilton, Arianna Soldati and Ethan Brain (Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences), Qiao (Georgia) Jin (Computer Science), and Topher Maraffi (Media Arts, Design and Technology) on various research, projects and tools.
Whether it’s seeing inside feed milling machinery, visiting remote field sites, exploring biophilic urban design or handling fragile museum artifacts, XR is being used to give students access to experiences that would otherwise be unsafe, impractical or simply impossible.
Additionally, immersive technology is used to prepare students for real-world scenarios like workplace conflicts, triathlon training and public speaking scenarios to practice before the real thing.
Learn more about each project in the XR Showcase informational packet >>
Key Takeaways
For DELTA and NC State Libraries, connecting faculty together and facilitating meaningful conversations was a key part of the XR Showcase. Donnie Wrights, senior associate director of Digital Media Innovation, echoed that sentiment and noted the energy was high while connecting faculty both interested in elements of XR, such as virtual tours.
DELTA’s Dan Spencer, McKenzie Bracken and Matthew Maharaj headed up the event and enjoyed hearing new ideas from faculty and helping them realize the possibilities.
“We designed this showcase to foster exploration in XR learning and prove that building engaging, impactful experiences is well within reach. We can’t wait to see what innovative collaborations grow from the faculty connections made as a result,” the team said.
Attendees also appreciated the opportunity to learn from peers across disciplines. Alice Lee, associate teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, said, “The most valuable and engaging part was being able to talk to the various project managers, whether faculty or DELTA staff and learning about the different ways they were using XR. There was a lot of variety, and it was inspiring to see different use cases.”
Looking ahead, Mike Cuales, director of DELTA Digital Media Innovation, sees the showcase as the beginning of a broader campus conversation around immersive learning.
“What began as an opportunity to explore XR technologies quickly became something larger: a conversation about the future of teaching and learning at NC State. The enthusiasm, creativity and cross-disciplinary collaboration on display reinforced the value of bringing people together to share experiences and learn from one another. DELTA and NC State University Libraries are excited to build on this momentum and continue creating opportunities for faculty and staff to connect, collaborate and innovate as we build a stronger campus community around immersive learning and emerging technologies,” Cuales said.
Resources
Are you ready to dive in and learn more about XR in the classroom? NC State has a number of resources to help you learn more and get started.
DELTA Grants offer a wide range of support for faculty looking to transform their courses. The Exploratory Grant is best suited for exploring and developing innovative media and technology.
The NC State Libraries Open Pedagogy Pit Stop cohort program is designed to support faculty in integrating interactive technologies with open pedagogy values. The Libraries also offers technology lending and use of studios and high-tech spaces.
