# Extended Reality in Applied Sciences Education: A Systematic Review
## 2 Materials and Methods  
To better understand the interdisciplinary application and educational impact of XR technologies across applied sciences, this study conducted a comprehensive literature review using the Web of Science (WoS) database. Recognized for its extensive multi-disciplinary scope, WoS provides a robust platform for systematic literature analysis, facilitating the exploration of how specific technologies are applied across various academic domains. Mixed Reality (MR), an advanced convergence of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), exemplifies the next phase in immersive technology by of fering heightened interactivity and immersion in learning environments. Consequently, this study prioritized MR in its initial search, employing the keywords: (\"mixed reality\") AND (\"applied sciences\" OR \"scientific research\") AND (\"Education\" OR \"Learning\" OR \"Teaching\" OR \"Instruction\"). These keywords were selected to capture the interdisciplinary applications of MR technology, particularly its role in enhancing educational methodologies across the applied sciences. The combination of terms ensures a focus on both the technological and pedagogical dimensions, aligning with the study's objective to explore the integration of MR in facilitating practical and innovative learning experiences. Preliminary search results indicated a notable increase in research addressing MR applications in applied sciences education starting from 2010. Accordingly, the study defined its temporal scope for literature retrieval as from 1 January 2010 to 1 November 2024 to capture critical advancements in XR technologies within educational contexts. To ensure a comprehensive and representative dataset, the literature review was extended to include three complementary databases: Web of Science (WoS), ScienceDirect, and IEEE Xplore. WoS was chosen for its extensive multidisciplinary indexing capabilities, ScienceDirect for its rich repository of research in natural and applied sciences, and IEEE Xplore for its specialized focus on engineering and computational sciences. Together, these databases provide a broad and balanced perspective, ensuring the inclusion of diverse and high-quality studies across relevant fields. Acknowledging that XR technologies encompass VR, AR, and MR, the finalized search string included: (\"mixed reality\" OR \"Virtual Reality\" OR \"Augmented Reality\") AND (\"applied sciences\" OR \"scientific research\") AND (\"Education\" OR \"Learning\" OR \"Teaching\" OR \"Instruction\"). The search results underwent meticulous screening based on inclusion criteria that prioritized English-language publications while excluding review articles, conference proceedings, studies unrelated to applied sciences education, and works without available abstracts or full texts. All screening and data extraction procedures were independently conducted by two authors and jointly reviewed to ensure consistency in understanding. To systematically evaluate the retrieved literature, the study adopted the PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, Study design) framework [14]. This framework is widely used in systematic reviews to ensure a structured and comprehensive approach, where \"Population\" identifies the target group, \"Intervention\" specifies the focus or treatment being studied, \"Comparison\" explores alternatives, \"Outcomes\" highlight the expected results, and \"Study design\" ensures methodological consistency. Specific screening criteria, detailed in Table 1, were applied to ensure methodological rigor. Moreover, the study employed [PERSON]'s (2018) definition of applied sciences, encompassing disciplines such as applied biology, physics, chemical engineering, artificial intelligence, industrial arts, and business administration--all of which emphasize the practical implementation of theoretical knowledge [15]. Using this definition as a benchmark, the review rigorously filtered and selected literature aligned with the objectives of applied sciences education research.