Immersive 360° Experiences for Geoscience Learning

Extended reality (XR) and virtual field trips (VFTs) are increasingly used in the field of geoscience dissemination and education as they can enhance the motivation of students and citizens to learn about these topics. They allow to observe the territory and its forms overcoming the possible physical (e.g. disabilities and health problems), economic, and temporal limitations that are connatural to normal field excursions. Among XR technologies, immersive 360° experiences showing an actual field trip can be even more useful for bringing students and citizens virtually into the considered environment. In this paper, we present the immersive 360° experiences developed by the researchers of the University of Milan (UNIMI, Italy) to support public engagement and education in geosciences, and to enhance cultural heritage accessibility and inclusiveness. In 2023–2024 we proposed these immersive 360° experiences during three public engagement and two education events using Oculus (TM) and Pico (TM) VR headsets to show the impacts of climate change and anthropic activities, and to promote culture and geo-heritage. Despite some criticalities, we found that this kind of experience can be inclusive for people with a wide range of disabilities and can allow wider access to sites of cultural and environmental interest overcoming social and physical barriers.