Faculty Insights on Mixed Reality Integration for Collaborative Learning and Design in Indonesian Maritime Vocational and Higher Education

The maritime sector is undergoing rapid transformation in the era of Industry 5.0, driving increasing demand for professionals who can adapt to emerging digital technologies and evolving industry practices. Consequently, maritime vocational education faces growing pressure to modernize its curriculum and adopt innovative pedagogical approaches that prepare graduates for the future maritime workforce. This study investigates faculty perceptions of the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating Mixed Reality (MR) into maritime vocational education. A qualitative research design was employed, with data collected through in-depth interviews with faculty members from maritime-related institutions. The findings indicate that current curricula provide limited exposure to immersive technologies, collaborative digital learning environments, and interdisciplinary design activities, resulting in insufficient preparation for the digital transformation of the maritime sector. Participants also identified several potential benefits of MR, including increased learner engagement, improved visualization of complex maritime concepts, and enhanced opportunities for interactive and collaborative learning. At the same time, they highlighted important barriers to implementation, such as infrastructure limitations, costs, faculty readiness, and curriculum alignment. This study contributes to the growing literature on immersive technologies in education by providing empirical insights into educator perspectives on MR adoption in maritime vocational settings and by identifying key considerations for curriculum development and institutional digital transformation