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XCITE Center for Teaching and Learning

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XCITE IDEA Lab

 

XCITE IDEA Lab

Design, Information Art and Visualization

XCITE IDEA Lab (Immersive Design for Educational Advancement Lab) explores how immersive technologies, visualization, accessibility-focused prototyping, and emerging educational workflows can support active learning and problem-based learning across disciplines. Operating at the intersection of teaching, research, and experiential pedagogy, the lab develops exploratory learning environments and translational visualization approaches that help make complex ideas more understandable, interactive, and accessible.

IDEA Lab works with instructors who are interested in transforming course content into “aha moments” for students. This can translate into better exam scores, completion of course objectives, and greater appreciation for your subject.

The intersection of art, science, and data presents an interesting relationship in academia, research, teaching. and learning. XCITE’s information design team opens a creative space for trusted communication that transforms your content into visual explanation.

Our purpose is simple—to partner with you to achieve your goals through world-class creative solutions. Whether you're looking to win that next big grant, showcase a visual concept in an upcoming publication, or produce interactive teaching and learning materials, we will help you to effectively, visually communicate your ideas and elevate your teaching and learning initiatives, research, and strategic plans. Request a visualization and information design consultation

IDEA Lab Projects

  • An augmented reality educational experience exploring encryption systems, symbolic communication, and problem-based learning through immersive visualization.

  • An augmented reality chemistry visualization project designed to support student understanding of dynamic equilibrium, molecular interaction, pressure systems, and Le Chatelier’s Principle through immersive and interactive learning environments.

  • Support for immersive storytelling, VR exploration, and experiential learning workflows connected to student-centered media production and emerging educational technologies.

  • A series of accessibility-oriented 3D printed biological models developed to support tactile, hands-on learning in BIO 5B laboratory environments. The initiative combines digital modeling, 3D printing, and exploratory learning workflows to help students better understand biological structures, physiology, and morphological variation through interactive physical objects.

  • Exploratory STEM outreach initiatives incorporating immersive technologies, VR360 curriculum concepts, and experiential learning activities designed to introduce students to emerging educational and visualization technologies.

  • IDEA Lab supports visualization-driven approaches to both teaching and research communication, including scientific illustration, explanatory visual systems, grant and proposal support, immersive visualization, and translational educational graphics that help make complex scientific and conceptual material more understandable, engaging, and accessible across disciplines.

  • IDEA Lab is exploring how to ethically and responsibly employ agentic AI workflows, campus-compliant AI tools, and emerging generative systems to support scalable educational content creation, visualization pipelines, research communication, and exploratory teaching and learning initiatives while remaining aligned with institutional, pedagogical, accessibility, and sustainability considerations.

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