Virtual Reality as platforms for education: Prof. Regina Kaplan-Rakowski from the University of North Texas visits UPT
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 – Politehnica University Timișoara had the honor of hosting Ms. Prof. Regina Kaplan-Rakowski, a renowned specialist in the field of educational technologies from the University of North Texas (UNT), USA. Her visit culminated in a presentation, entitled "Virtual Reality as a Platform for Emotional and Cognitive Engagement", an event that brought together teachers, researchers and students interested in the future of digital education.
Organized by the Department of ID/IFR and Digital Education, in collaboration with the Multimedia Center of UPT, the event offered a deeper insight into how virtual reality (VR) can fundamentally transform learning experiences. In her presentation, Prof. Kaplan-Rakowski explored the potential of VR platforms to enhance students’ cognitive and emotional engagement, creating immersive and interactive learning environments.
"Virtual reality is not just a technological tool, but a new frontier in pedagogy. By creating unique and engaging learning experiences, we can unlock a level of understanding and knowledge retention that traditional methods can find more difficult to achieve in this era of rapidly evolving technology," emphasized Prof. Em. Dr. Eng. Radu Vasiu, who participated in the presentation given by Prof. Kaplan-Rakowski.
Prof. Kaplan-Rakowski’s expertise spans a broad spectrum of instructional technologies, including virtual reality, generative artificial intelligence, and gamification. As a professor in the Department of Educational Technologies at the College of Information, University of North Texas, she is actively involved in large-scale research projects that aim to use artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, and cybersecurity to innovate the educational process.
"I am deeply interested in exploring how virtual reality (VR) can fundamentally transform learning experiences. My research examines in depth how virtual reality (VR) can revolutionize traditional learning paradigms by stimulating spatial thinking and technical skills in an immersive environment, while simultaneously contributing to improving student well-being by reducing anxiety associated with learning a foreign language for example and promoting more experiential and authentic learning.”, said Prof. Regina Kaplan-Rakowski.
His recognition in the scientific community is also reflected in the active roles he holds. Prof. Kaplan-Rakowski is vice-president of CALICO (Computer-Assisted Language Instruction Consortium) and associate editor of well-known specialist publications, such as the Australian Journal of Applied Linguistics. His research activity has resulted in over 150 published works, including books, chapters and articles in journals or at professional conferences.
In addition to the presentation, the visit agenda included discussions and applied research activities with the teams of the Department of ID/IFR and Digital Education and the Multimedia Center. During these working sessions, the professor evaluated the Virtual Reality (VR) and Mixed Reality (MR) applications developed within UPT, particularly appreciating the projects from the Spotlight Heritage Timișoara portfolio. At the same time, the visit provided the opportunity for a meeting with the leadership of the Faculty of Communication Sciences, to discuss opportunities for continued collaboration between UNT and UPT. The partnership between the two transatlantic universities is a solid one, consolidated over the years through various internship and joint mobility programs.
Română 
English