MAKE LEARNING FUN: IMMERSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE TRAINING OF EDUCATORS SPECIALIZED IN LEARNING DISORDERS

The number of students with special educational needs is increasing and, in particular, those with learning disorders. Teachers and families are getting up to speed on these issues, but the need for specialized support is growing. In recent years, a new professional figure has emerged and is becoming more widespread: educators specialized in inclusive teaching strategies and methodologies. This professional figure was born to answer the needs of children and families, and to provide a reference point in order to manage parent, teacher and clinical therapist relationships and support in studying. The training of these figures is now carried out by universities, cooperatives, associations and private centres. We are talking about adults in training, who often have little time and prefer to combine in presence training with an online part. The paper presents an example of a training course implemented in an immersive environment that combines within it typical elements of the metaverse, gamification, and instructional design. The purpose is to test whether it is possible to use the metaverse for adult training, providing for the inclusion of elements that make it both more metacognitive and engaging. The paper shows how the metaverse can become an effective option for ensuring quality and engaging training.