EdTech in the Metaverse: What to Expect

 


EdTech in the Metaverse: What to Expect 



There has been a lot of buzz across the internet about the emergence of the metaverse. It is safe to say that it is not a matter of “if” but “when” it will arrive, and some would say that it is already here. Either way, the transformation of our virtual world (and everything in it) is inevitable. For educators the question becomes: “What does higher education look like in the metaverse?” 

What is the Metaverse? 

I know you are probably wondering, “What in the world is a metaverse?!” Well, simply put, the metaverse is a virtual reality world in which users can interact with each other and their digital objects using avatars. You could also own things in the Metaverse like property, land, cars, and art (NFTs) – pretty much anything that you can own in the real world. 

The metaverse was first conceived by Jaron Lanier, who worked on this idea since the 1990s. In 1999, Lanier published his book You are not a Gadget: A Manifesto that explores how our online experiences are becoming more immersive and seamless as we transition into what he calls “the metaverse” or “second life." Since Jaron’s research, many institutions have started experimenting with ways people could use this technology for education purposes – including Morehouse College and Harvard University! 

The following outlines how we will interact with computers through virtual reality technology, plus how we might use it to learn new things about ourselves and others around us.

How Education Can Benefit from the Metaverse

Experts believe that the metaverse will be an extension of our current world in online education, but with a few key differences. Most importantly: it will be more personal and interactive. This means that learning will be much more social and students can interact with one another in ways that are not possible in traditional in-person and online classrooms. For instance, imagine students of a midwifery program from two different ends of the world being able to interact with and learn from one another in a virtual delivery room environment. They would be able to more accurately visualize the process of delivering a baby with a team and working through uncommon complications that could arise. 

The outcome of having access to these new forms of teaching and learning could mean increasing students’ interest and motivation to learn by providing a more personalized learning experience. The potential to improve engagement in all aspects of online learning (game-based learning, immersive storytelling, etc.) is then multiplied. 

Additionally, the metaverse is a place where students can learn at their own pace, in a safe and social environment. This is particularly useful for students who have disabilities or other physical limitations that make traditional learning methods difficult. These immersive capabilities can support or facilitate learning situated in more authentic contexts than the online classroom. 

Challenges to Overcome

While the metaverse is full of opportunity when it comes to online learning, it does have some crucial limitations as well. Some notable ones from Kim (2022) include:

  • The risk of cyberattacks and data breaches are increased in the metaverse - this is a particularly critical when it comes to education and FERPA rights 

  • The costs of implementing Extended Reality (XR) technologies including the construction of digital twin campuses and virtual reality (VR) headsets are significantly high

  • Lack of advanced infrastructure in rural and remote areas can leave may users without access to the metaverse as it requires high-speed data networks to work properly 

To maximize the benefits of the metaverse for education, developers will have to wrestle with protecting users’ privacy and ensuring that the technology is accessible to all users before moving forward with its implementation. 

Conclusion

It is clear the metaverse will be an extension of our current world. Education as we know it will change and that is both exciting and daunting. The metaverse may offer some exciting new ways to teach and learn but  there are still challenges we will face with this emerging technology especially when it comes to privacy and access. So, does EdTech truly have a future in the metaverse? I guess we will just have to wait to see how it all unfolds.  

Want to learn more about EdTech in the Metaverse? Check out this seminar on Using the Metaverse to Transform Online Education from the 2022 Educators Conference. Also, this video explains what the metaverse is and could potentially become. 


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