On 27 May 2026, the eTACCHE project hosted a 60-minute interactive webinar on the pedagogical utilisation of Augmented Reality (AR) in Cultural Heritage Education, led by Dr. Alexia Spanoudaki and the eLearning Lab Team of the University of Crete.
The session brought together participants to explore the key concepts distinguishing Augmented Reality from Virtual Reality, and to examine how AR enriches real-world environments with digital content while VR fully immerses users in a virtual one. Attendees also delved into the theoretical foundations of cultural heritage and digital cultural heritage, setting the stage for a discussion of AR’s pedagogical benefits — from improved understanding of abstract and spatial concepts, to increased motivation and engagement, to fostering collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity among learners.
A highlight of the webinar was the presentation of interactive AR examples created with Blippar, showcasing real monuments and cultural sites of Rethymno, Crete, including the Lighthouse of Rethymno, the Loggia, the Rimondi Fountain, Porta Guora, the Neradje Mosque, the Kara Musa Pasha Mosque, the Saint Francis Monastery, a traditional handmade-leaves workshop, and a scene inspired by the Cretan literary work Erotokritos. These examples illustrated how AR can bring cultural heritage to life through QR-code-triggered digital overlays, allowing users to visualise, contextualise, and interact with historical sites in new ways.
Participants left with a clearer understanding of how immersive technologies like AR can support innovative, student-centred teaching and learning practices, transforming learners from passive recipients into active interpreters of cultural heritage.
