A network comprising a research group and local community associations is carrying out an integrated educational intervention aimed at 4th grade children in a vulnerable neighborhood of an Italian city in northern Italy. The aim is to improve their socio-cognitive and digital skills while raising awareness of environmental issues. These topics are addressed at local level, but are also recognised by some European frameworks (DigComp 2.2 and GreenComp) and by the 2030 Agenda. These frameworks are used as reference points for the approach and activities of this intervention.

The combination of environmental education and the development of digital skills represents a key aspect of the research underlying this educational intervention, which is focused on the creation of virtual reality games and immersive teaching as emerging themes in the field of K-12 education. Experiences in virtual reality promote a sense of immersion and involvement, supporting attention processes and emotional engagement (Tilhou et al, 2020). Moreover, virtual reality, when supported by appropriate teaching methods, can influence learning processes and motivation to learn. The immersiveness and high interactivity inherent in some virtual reality games place the student in a situation, in an authentic context, fostering experiential learning through practical activities (Angel-Urdinola et al., 2021; Di Natale et al., 2020). For this reason, the theme of the environment and its preservation, if addressed through gaming in virtual reality, can be presented as a challenge to be tackled, or a problem to be solved through practical experience in a safe play space, where the consequences of the player's actions, although simulated, can stimulate reflection. The pedagogical strategy employed in this educational intervention adheres to a constructionist framework for game design (Harel & Papert, 1991; Kafai, 2006; Li et al., 2013), aimed at fostering students' engagement in the creation of VR games, thereby surpassing mere consumption of VR games. Students use a program development environment that enables them to construct applications on environmental issues by themselves.

Our research hypothesis is that the direct involvement of nine- and ten-year-old children from more disadvantaged urban contexts in the design of games should ensure that they not only learn more effectively, but are also more likely to change their habits and develop new attitudes, such as a better awareness of the environment. Furthermore, it is the children who, through their environmentally friendly behavior and active participation in an educational intervention led by the network of associations involved in this research, can positively influence their families and inspire change in the community to which they belong.

The methodological approach chosen for this study is Design-Based Research(DBR) (Anderson and Shattuck, 2012), that combines a theory-driven approach with empirical evaluation, encompassing two cycles. The former cycle was carried out last year, while the second cycle is currently still underway. The research results of the first iteration, in which a quasi-experimental study was conducted to investigate the extent to which students improve some socio-cognitive skills and develop pro-environmental attitudes, show that students in an at-risk neighborhood make a meaningful improvement when compared to students attending schools in more affluent areas of the city. For this reason, the second iteration of the educational intervention is targeted towards students experiencing disadvantaged circumstances on a broader scale.

The aim of the discussion is to present the prototype design approach that is emerging from this research, which other European researchers participating in the panel discussion could adopt and apply in their own specific contexts of urban schooling.

A Design-Based Research (DBR) has been conducted in this research, encompassing two cycles (pilot phase and scaling up phase), in which the latter is still undergoing in order to progressively enhance the design approach obtained in the former. The specific DBR approach adopted envisages the four iterative phases recommended by Reeves (2006). The design approach that is emerging is aimed at guiding innovative educational interventions targeted at fourth graders of the vulnerable neighborhoods. During the first cycle of DBR, the pilot phase, the development of collaborative and cognitive skills within experimental groups of students tasked with designing Virtual Reality (VR) games structured as escape rooms (Repetto et al., 2023) were compared with control groups engaged in the creation of physical escape rooms. A pretest-posttest design was deliberately selected, using two calibrated teachers’ and students’ scales as an instrumental metric for assessing the enhancement of collaborative skills. The results of this first cycle suggest that experimental groups of students engaging with immersive VR environments enhanced situated, experiential, and transformative learning processes. In contrast, the control group involved in constructing physical escape rooms showed minimal improvements in on teachers' and students' assessment scales. Moreover, the notable improvements observed in two classrooms comprising foreign students, many of whom experience learning difficulties, underscore the necessity of expanding the sample size of these students in the ongoing second cycle of Design-Based Research (DBR). During this scaling up phase, it was imperative to establish a network of associations to provide support for this demographic and to provide training for primary school teachers in immersive teaching and learning. This involved adopting the same educational approach utilized during the first cycle - with a more active participation of teachers trained on this approach - and applying it to a larger sample of students in disadvantaged situations. The three "Is" of DBR, as outlined by Hall (2020), were utilized in our research, that can be considered an interventional, innovative, and iterative one. Firstly, the research involved intervention to alter and enhance the learning experience and the relationship that students facing disadvantaged situations have with environmental issues. Secondly, the research, due to its advancement of environmental education through immersive and novel technology and methods, can be regarded as pioneering in the realm of learning and teaching. Thirdly, the two interconnected cycles, which encompass conceptualization, design, implementation, and evaluation, represent one of the most contemporary and adaptable approaches to learning design.

The results garnered from the pilot phase of this research, in conjunction with the expected outcomes of the ongoing scaling-up phase, underscore the imperative nature of initiatives tailored for children experiencing disadvantaged situations, wherein access to diverse and innovative educational opportunities leveraging emerging technologies is limited. One primary expected outcome involves the establishment and maintenance of a comprehensive network encompassing university entities and local cultural and environmental associations. This network aims to provide integrated socio-educational support to the most vulnerable neighborhood within a city in northwest Italy. Collaboration with existing entities operating within the designated territory is integral to this endeavor, fostering synergy with ongoing local initiatives. Another anticipated outcome involves the enhancement of teaching methodologies among primary school teachers in the targeted neighborhood. Through innovative training programs, teachers will be equipped to revamp their approaches to teaching and learning. This initiative cascades to sensitize students and, subsequently, the broader community on topics related to prevention and environmental conservation. Leveraging novel immersive learning technology, this effort not only promotes active citizenship but also fosters an inclination towards advocacy and ecological transition. Furthermore, an expected outcome is the dissemination and adoption of the design approach developed within this research. This integrated perspective not only encompasses environmental considerations but also permeates social, cultural, and educational dimensions. It is envisioned that this approach will serve as a model inspiring similar initiatives in other urban areas facing similar socio-cultural challenges across Europe.

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