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Advancements in computer technology have revolutionized extended reality (XR) experiences, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and 360° photography and videography. These technologies have found widespread adoption in various educational contexts, from K-12 schools to universities. However, community and technical colleges in the United States have been slower to adopt these innovative instructional modalities. This study was conducted in two phases to investigate factors influencing the adoption of XR technologies at two-year institutions. In the first phase, Advanced Technician Education (ATE) program participants were surveyed (n = 44) on barriers to adoption of XR at two-year institutions. In the second phase, participants from two-year colleges (n = 18) were interviewed guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to identify their perceptions and the challenges faced in implementing XR-enabled instruction. Most survey respondents (20.5%) reported a lack of XR knowledge as a reason for not integrating XR into their curricula, followed by the cost of XR hardware and content (10.3%). Lack of knowledge about XR was rated as a “moderate” barrier and hardware and content costs were both rated as “significant” barriers for XR implementation. The qualitative findings identified enhanced visualization, experiential learning, high student engagement, and institutional support for technology implementation as facilitators to XR adoption. In contrast, limited availability of XR educational content, restricted development opportunities of XR content, integration challenges of XR technologies with existing learning management systems, resource constraints, and training needs of educators were reported as hindering the implementation of XR technologies at two-year colleges.
Upadhyay et al. (2025) studied this question.