Bhagya Rodrigo

Bhagya’s research primarily focuses on designing and developing adaptive virtual reality (VR) learning environments, as well as the design and evaluation of VR as a learning platform enhanced with adaptive artificial intelligence for healthcare education. Her work supports interprofessional collaboration among nursing and medical learners, with particular attention to self-regulated learning (SRL) and socially shared regulation of learning (SSRL) in complex clinical contexts.

Her research lies at the intersection of the learning sciences and immersive technologies, particularly immersive virtual reality (IVR). She investigates how regulatory learning processes, traditionally studied in physical and social environments, can be effectively translated into VR-based experiential settings. Drawing on theories of SRL, SSRL, and embodied cognition, her work aims to design immersive learning environments capable of identifying when learners encounter challenges and providing personalized, real-time support.

Methodologically, she employs design-based research, usability studies, and empirical evaluations of learning outcomes within simulated clinical scenarios, complemented by multimodal data analytics. Through this work, she aims to develop evidence-based design principles and pedagogical models for XR-enhanced healthcare education, ultimately supporting effective collaboration, communication, and stress management among students and healthcare professionals.