New Competence Development Methods in Social and Healthcare Utilizing XR Technology and Remote Connections
The development work of the InnoXR project is aimed at the entire Kainuu region and all professional groups in the social and healthcare sector. InnoXR is implemented by Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK) and the Wellbeing services county of Kainuu. The project will participate in an international webinar in October.
At KAMK’s Social and Health Care studies, XR (Extended Reality) technologies and gamified methods have been developed for about ten years. This development work, which also considers the needs of remote learners, has been made possible through close cooperation with the Clever Simulation Entertainment game development team at KAMK.
– In KAMK’s social and healthcare studies, we have dared to try different ways of teaching. Learning through XR technology or games can be surprisingly impactful, regardless of age or technological skills. It is wonderful to now be able to carry out development work together with working life, says Taina Romppanen, Project Manager of InnoXR and Senior Lecturer in Nursing education at Kajaani University of Applied Sciences.
KAMK has implemented gamified methods in the social and healthcare sector that are not found elsewhere. For example, the virtual wound care game WoundED has attracted interest abroad as well. The effective remote teaching practices learned during the COVID-19 pandemic are also well mastered at KAMK.
– Now it’s time to let others know what we can do in social and healthcare sector in Kainuu, Romppanen continues.
This autumn, the InnoXR project will participate in a webinar organized together with the Scottish Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI). The webinar will cover, among other things, remote practices in elderly care in Scotland. Speakers at the webinar include KAMK’s Clever team game producer Kyösti Koskela and InnoXR Project Coordinator Minna Malinen from the Wellbeing services county of Kainuu. Koskela’s presentation will focus on KAMK’s serious game development, while Malinen will highlight the working life perspective on innovating new methods for competence development.
Bringing new methods into daily social and healthcare work
The InnoXR project produces XR technology solutions that enable students and professionals to, for example, improve their understanding of the life of a neurodivergent person and to practice handling violent situations safely. The existing virtual wound care game will also be further developed. In addition, the project identifies other topics and sought-after competence development methods that can support different ways of learning.
In Kainuu, where distances are long, remote connections are particularly important. For this reason, all development work considers the possibility of remote participation. The target groups are guided to create new content themselves and to use the innovations developed so that they remain in use after the project ends.
The InnoXR project is co-funded by the European Social Fund and will run until 29 February 2028.
Further information:
Taina Romppanen, Project Manager, Senior Lecturer in Nursing, Kajaani University of Applied Sciences, taina.romppanen@kamk.fi, tel. +358 44 7101 232
Minna Malinen, Project Coordinator, Wellbeing Services County of Kainuu, minna.malinen@kainuu.fi, tel. +358 40 685 1627
Register for the webinar
The webinar organized with the Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre (DHI) can be attended via Teams on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, from 15:00 to 17:00 (Finnish time). Registrations and more information: taina.romppanen@kamk.fi