Exploring Enactive Learning in Immersive XR Environments
A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Educational Psychology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 71
Special Issue Editors
Interests: cognitive science in UX design; human-computer interaction; culturally-responsive design; digital innovation in education
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The enactive approach to learning, rooted in the Santiago School of Cognition, offers a profound lens through which to explore human experience and cognition in immersive environments. This perspective, grounded in the concepts of autopoiesis and structural coupling, emphasises learning as an embodied, dynamic, and participatory process, where knowledge emerges through active engagement and interaction with the world. As immersive and XR (Extended Reality) technologies increasingly redefine educational landscapes, they offer unique opportunities to explore and expand enactive learning principles.
This Special Issue seeks to bridge philosophical, theoretical, and practical domains, examining how immersive environments—such as VR, AR, MR, and XR—can embody enactive principles to enhance educational experiences. Key areas of focus include the design of immersive learning experiences informed by the 4E cognition framework (embodied, embedded, enacted, extended) and 3E cognition (embodied, enacted, and environmentally scaffolded), as well as the integration of affectivity and entangled cognition into educational design and the epistemological implications of transitioning between physical and virtual worlds.
By connecting enactive learning theories with cutting-edge technologies, this Issue will address critical questions about human experience, sense-making, and adaptive learning in immersive environments. It aims to inspire novel research, foster interdisciplinary dialogue, and provide actionable insights for designing transformative educational experiences.
Topics
- Theoretical Frameworks: Extended Reality Meets 4E Cognition
- Enactivism in immersive environments: Learning as action-driven sense-making.
- How embodiment enhances XR experiences in education.
- Embedded cognition: Context-aware learning through AR/VR applications.
- Extension and distributed cognition in XR-enhanced classrooms.
- Designing XR Environments for Education
- Principles of enactivist design for XR learning spaces.
- Scaffolding through XR: Supporting “learning by doing”.
- Gamification, simulation, narrative structures, and experiential learning in XR.
- Social–emotional learning in XR: Enhancing interpersonal and self-awareness skills.
- Emerging Frontiers: AI, Neurodiversity, and Multimodal XR
- Integration of AI and XR for personalised learning paths.
- Neurodiverse learners and XR: Leveraging 4E cognition for inclusivity.
- Multimodal XR: Combining haptics, sound, and visuals for deeper engagement.
- Accessibility and equity in immersive education.
Dr. Claudio Aguayo
Dr. Ronnie Videla
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- enactive learning
- human experience
- entangled cognition
- immersive environments
- experience design
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
