Metaverse has recently become the center of media attention after Mark Zuckerberg announced that his company will invest billions of dollars in the project in the next 5-10 years, promising to change human interaction as we know it. The leap from the current internet experience to the metaverse matrix can be compared to the dramatic impact of smartphones or the introduction of social media platforms back in the days, and even more. People will live in the internet instead of browsing it. This parallel universe is a game-changer for work, commerce, entertainment, social interaction, and education.
My forecasting project closely examines the opportunities that the virtual world of Meta will offer to the “new learner” and the “new teacher” in the framework of transformative learning. It also tackles the benefits of this platform as well as the possible limitations and concerns.
You can check the OER here.
Enjoy!
Aren’t we already there with teaching? except having avatars, we have been practically doing all the learning in the virtual world in past 2 years (platforms like gather.town even fill that gap). What keeps me thinking is what values can we get out of a metaverse? and this is a genuent question. I believe we should understand what problems we would be able to solve through this, then we can have more targeted conversations.
In the context of teaching/learning, I believe certain topics are very much suitable to be taught in the metaverse. I teach “virtual design and construction” virtually and it is going smoothly. This experience has shown me that metaverse can definitely make education more accessible, reduce human movement and so help the environment, reduce the amount of educational space needed, which means less real estate investments by universities, and maybe less tuition fees, and so on. Lots of good things there.
The teaching/learning aside, I see the metaverse as an environment, where digital twins live and interact. If combined with AI tools, the metaverse could be a place, where the human-machine cohabitation goes to the next level.
Anyhow, very inspiring topic.
Hi Feras,
Thanks for the informative OER, definitely there’s a lot to think about. While I was going through your presentation, I couldn’t help but wonder when would be an appropriate time to introduce this to students? A big part of younger children’s development involves sensory input such as touch, so I think AR-type technology would be better for the younger age groups, but if the metaverse can give students a VR experience, I imagine it could easily be modified to give an AR experience too.
Hi Sheena. In my opinion, the true benefit of the metaverse won’t be cultivated before the technologies are fully developed to enable seamless interaction that is up to the expectations. My research shows that this is not likely to happen before at least 5 years from now, but who knows? The acceleration and proliferation of emerging technologies are insanely progressive, and the metaverse might be operational in some parts of the world before others. It is safe to tread lightly on this terrain because it is literally a new world that needs to be well familiarized with before completely shifting to it. Do you think the advantages of this world overshadow the disadvantages?
Hi Feras! Thank you for introducing me to the metaverse and the unlimited possibilities it has. Your OER was incredibly educational and I now need to spend more time digesting what you provided and how it can be utilized!
Hi Nicole. I am glad that you found my OER valuable. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the topic.
Hi Feras, thank you for this fantastic project and informative OER! The Metaverse is something that I assume is the future learning space for learners and teachers. After exploring your OER, your insightfulness indeed explained the whole concept of Metaverse, which really helps someone who doesn’t know what Metaverse could apply to future education. As an educator, I always believe that an engaging and interactive class is the key to motivating learning to their full potential and creating an immersive learning environment. The Metaverse could potentially fulfill the gamification and interactive learning all at once with this innovative platform. However, the only concern I have is that individuals may become addicted to the Metaverse world and lose the daily routine in the real world. At the same time, restrictions to apply the concept in some countries or cultures may cause limited access to the Metaverse. Nevertheless, I have confidence in Metaverse that this innovative technology could bring human life to another level.
Hi Steve. Your concern is completely understandable as this sort of technology will be equally immersive and addictive. Therefore, I predict the emergence of a paradigm that systemizes the learning process, making it more blended to ensure that not all interactions take place in the virtual world. We will probably see many academic institutess applying a considerable amount of fusion of real and virtual tasks so that the students still feel that the physical presence and interactions is meaningful even though the metaverse has the potential to fully replace the traditional setting. Your point about restrictive access to the metaverse in some countries is valid. This limited access to the metaverse may hinder the growth of the project, and perhaps some countries or regions will have their own version of the virtual world, the same way we have a substitute for YouTube and Google in China. Who knows, right? Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Hi Feras, Great project. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the Metaverse. Seeing the applications for learning has significantly softened me to the idea. Personally, I can’t wait to visit Ancient Rome. I guess my primary concern would be the digital divide worldwide. There will likely be a huge gap between those who have the ability to immerse themselves in these new technologies until they become ubiquitous. However, that said, I found it notable that resources will be a fraction of the cost int he physical world, so in the long run, perhaps this is a more financially viable and ecologically sustainable way to learn! Great job and interesting topic!
Hi Sage. I understand at the idea of teleporting to a virtual world can be daunting or even frowned upon, and that’s mainly due to the fear of the unknown. If we compare this emerging technology with other technologies that people were first skeptical about, such as TV and Facebook, we might see a similar pattern. One day, the metaverse will be mainstream, and the world will change as we know it. There will be fewer commuting services, fewer physical workplaces, and more value to the purchase of virtual items and services. It is a new marketplace where you get the “better twin” of what we see in reality at a far cheaper price. I am optimistic and excited about it. Do you think the metaverse can address all of our needs as humans?
Very timely presentation Feras. Wheeler does a great job of highlighting the hurdles that metauniverise will need to overcome in order to gain widespread acceptance and uptake.
Regardless of our occupation, all educators are striving to provide transformative learning but often with tools or delivery that are founded in didactic (and maybe a little authentic) modes. Moving away from instructivist approaches and into more constructivist and constructivism is where the potential of the metauniverse truly exists.
Your limitations and concerns page was well done. Do you think that learners can maintain focus on content with all the stimula both from the metaverse and the real world? Is it something we adapt to? I wonder about learners losing a sense of personal space within a constant virtual environment. Is there a way to address that?
FYI – you have a typo on your Rationale page – paragraph under “changes in education” (fifth word in the below sentence, assuming it should be “the”)…
It is clear that he industrial form of education is outdated, and the pandemic shed some light on existing gaps in the educational system, urging educators to rethink learning and leaders to redesign schools to operate in harmony with the current and future technologies
Hi Sam. I agree with you that one of the biggest affordances of the metaverse is to provide a nourishing environment for constructivist approaches where learners add more meaning to the learning process by crafting their ways. To answer your first question, one of the disadvantages of such an immersive world is the overstimulation of sense that can lead to inescapable distraction. However, I can speculate on this and say that this is normally the case when an emerging technology is initially introduced in an educational setting. Students grow curious and start exploring the potentials and testing the boundaries of the technology; then, the wow effect fades away, and they start approaching the new element in a more judicious manner. The same thing applies to the metaverse: the first couple of years will be jerky and full of adventure, but later on, it might grow to be a mainstream norm. As for the personal space, I think the users will learn to manipulate their way around it. We have seen how fast people adjusted to run the business remotely and work from home fully operational. Are you skeptical in that regard? Do you envision the metaverse as dystopian or revolutionary?
Hi Miguel. I am pleased to hear your opinion on the subject matter. The school weekly schedule is already metamorphosing into a more personalized form in democratic schools that celebrate self-guided learning, but this is going to be radically changed in the digital world. I like your vision on the flipped learning module, which I think works perfectly in the metaverse. It is interesting how blended learning can take place in numerous ways and styles in the metaverse. I am also glad you mentioned game-based learning as it goes hand in hand with the following concepts: VR, self-paced learning, autonomy, adaptive AI, and serious play. We know that the immersive nature of the metaverse will definitely increase engagement and motivation (attitude to learning) which is a game-changer. This is one of the major gaps that need to be filled after the immigration to online learning. Another interesting point you mentioned is “learning about career path”. My research shows that one of the major benefits that the metaverse will bring is the ability to have a closer, more hands-on, look at how the environment and work style of a certain career will be, allowing the professors to demonstrate the equipment and ways more efficiently and accurately. On a different note, I am a gamer myself, and I know how “full participation” in gaming communities unfolds many learning benefits that can be linked to academic goals. But what about the digital lifestyle balance? Do you think it will be difficult for learners to stay concentrated on their academic goals in a magical world where exploration is enticing?
This was a very in-depth OER Feras. I suspect that we will see more and more of this tech, but that it won’t go mainstream proper until a generation that grew up with an understanding of VR hit the mainstream consumer market (I suspect us in K-12 won’t see it for another decade after that, sadly).
That being said, I love VR and the possibilities. Your OER also channeled some major Magic School Bus vibes with the virtual organ field trip. I don’t teach Medical Studies anymore but would happily put a Ms. Frizzle wig on to run a class through that one.
Hi Mitchell. While I agree with you that the current generation of “digital natives” is going to most appreciate the potential of the metaverse, I argue that if the shift is happening on a large scale, everyone will be involved. This is mainly because many giant companies will not only invest and support the virtual world but also provide their twin services there. I like to think of it analogous to social media: not everyone was involved at first, but now even the seniors “digital immigrants” have their fair share of the digital spaces and profiles. The metaverse will be more than a tool; it will be a new marketplace where real valuable services take place in a virtual world.
Hi Feras,
I enjoyed your OER on this new buzzword I’ve been hearing about lately – metaverse. I now have a better understanding of what this vision is, especially from the Meta corporation. I can see all the ways Meta is going to embed consumerism into this world and Zuckerberg’s eyes lighting up with dollar signs. I think you did a great job showing how this new realm of XR could be used in education. I found it funny that some of the example images and videos from Meta showed using this incredible new technology to teach in old-fashioned ways (i.e., a teacher at the front of the class, teacher as sage). The learning scenarios you provided showed better ways of using this technology. VR seems to be quite hyped right now by our peers and the education field in general. We have to make sure that after the novelty of using this technology wears off, there are still legitimate and relevant uses for it in education. Seeing something in 3D space is cool but then what? There needs to be something more here. I am obviously skeptical of the application of this technology in all facets of education. VR is not really mobile so I also appreciate that you showed how some of the metaverse could be mobile, depending on the hardware used to access it. Great job on your OER Feras! It was nicely laid out, well thought out, and well researched.
Hi Olivia. Thank you for the reply and the nice words. I, like you, did not know about the metaverse until recently, but the notion was tempting enough to explore. I saw huge potential for the educational system in light of the metaverse, and I decided to link the new module to Kalantzis and Cope’s ideas on the transformative learning paradigm and the new teacher and learner. I can’t agree more on the idea that it is hard to imagine teaching in the metaverse, with all the new horizons available, in the old-fashioned setting and pedagogies. However, I am sure that new methods will rise naturally as educators venture into the digital universe. They will develop a sense of works and customize their lessons progressively. The VR is mainly used for gaming experiences now, but the next step is to improve the virtual presence to the level of realistic presence by developing technologies of accurate simulation and resolution. Take cryptocurrency as an example. Some people still don’t know its value while others never even heard about it really. Meanwhile, it is a huge industry now, and many people made millions through it. If succeeded, I think the metaverse is going to be the new version of the internet.
Hi Feras, thanks for your response. Do you think that the metaverse will succeed? If yes, what is the timeline? I mean when do you think people will be regularly engaging with and in the metaverse?
In my view, if the giant software companies acquiesce to the new virtual world, they will start not only supporting but also investing in the pertinent technologies, pushing it towards a mainstream status. Mark acknowledges the obstacles and long way by setting a 5-10 year timeframe to see the metaverse in its idea form. I guess nobody can deny how rapidly VR and AR technology is growing in popularity and quality. The main valid fears of the mixed reality rely in its mysterious side effects that nobody can accurately define for the time being. I think personalized learning, ubiquitous presence, Self-guided learning, remote learning, working from home, social media, sharability and other growing concepts are all pointing in the same direction where the metaverse is. If it does not succeed, something similar is bound to emerge.
Thank you Feras for presenting this informative and engaging OER! As a teacher, I am also drawn to the possibility of using a futuristic Metaverse and New Learning Spaces in schools. Especially with the future inclusion of AI’s, VRs, holograms, and any other mixed virtual reality gadgets that can make the learning experience more effective, efficient, and fun! I have always believed that the school weekly schedule should be designed in a way that students get regular class instruction and individualized instruction. This OER illustrates a potential concept that would help make my view of a perfect education schedule a reality. For example, students would receive regular class instruction mondays, wednesdays, and fridays (traditional environment), but on tuesdays and thursdays students would have individualized AI holographic instruction (still with the teacher there of course) but in small cubicles using any available technology to learn through games; especially during e-learning during crisis and schools are required to shut down. This individualized instruction would guide them through concepts of their interest or important life skills like knowing how to search through google, how to troubleshoot technology, how to fully use Microsoft programs, how to properly manage finances, or simply begin learning about the desired career path. This technology can introduce them to a whole new world of hands on activities and discovery. Competitive mobile education can develop individuals reasoning and logical skills, strategic thinking, and deeper challenging thinking. I personally wish their had been more time at school to learn these things and have an adult (more specifically a teacher) to take the time to guide me through these life skills using fun technology. I know they teach this through CareerEd but it is not effective at all with one instructor and boring lessons on computers. I personally have learned lots in my life through gaming. What a wonderful future this would be where we could incorporate more gaming into the education system as an effective form of learning. Of course not only gaming but any sort of engaging training. Your OER reminds me so much of the film READY PLAYER ONE, where basically everyone can immerse into “The Matrix” an alternate reality inside of the internet. I think the limitations and concerns will not stop this from happening in a very near future, technology is advancing faster than we could imagine.
Hi Miguel. I am pleased to hear your opinion on the subject matter. The school weekly schedule is already metamorphosing into a more personalized form in democratic schools that celebrate self-guided learning, but this is going to be radically changed in the digital world. I like your vision on the flipped learning module, which I think works perfectly in the metaverse. It is interesting how blended learning can take place in numerous ways and styles in the metaverse. I am also glad you mentioned game-based learning as it goes hand in hand with the following concepts: VR, self-paced learning, autonomy, adaptive AI, and serious play. We know that the immersive nature of the metaverse will definitely increase engagement and motivation (attitude to learning) which is a game-changer. This is one of the major gaps that need to be filled after the immigration to online learning. Another interesting point you mentioned is “learning about career path”. My research shows that one of the major benefits that the metaverse will bring is the ability to have a closer, more hands-on, look at how the environment and work style of a certain career will be, allowing the professors to demonstrate the equipment and ways more efficiently and accurately. On a different note, I am a gamer myself, and I know how “full participation” in gaming communities unfolds many learning benefits that can be linked to academic goals. But what about the digital lifestyle balance? Do you think it will be difficult for learners to stay concentrated on their academic goals in a magical world where exploration is enticing?