It is no surprise that the education sector has undergone significant transformation with the recent advancements in technology. From engaging learning environments to interactive communication, technology has brought innovation to education. Metaverse has rapidly emerged as one of the technological innovations revolutionizing the industry.
From 2021 onwards, the metaverse has evolved from Mark Zuckerberg’s eccentric ideas to a possibly practical proposal for industry and academia. Today, this has become a future technology creating an engaging and immersive environment where educators can teach and students can learn concepts better.
When we look at the market size, the global Metaverse market is projected to reach US$ 3,409.29 billion by 2027 from US$416.02 billion in 2023. The market is growing at a CAGR of 69.2% during the forecast period, according to Fortune Business Insight.
Before diving deeper into the topic, let us first understand what the Metaverse is.
The term metaverse refers to a 3D virtual environment where users can engage digitally by fusing elements of social media, virtual reality (VR), online gaming, and augmented reality (AR). It creates a 3D universe that simulates the real world, allowing for interactions, transactions, and experiences beyond the limitations of the physical realm.
Also Read: Virtual Reality in Marketing Revolutionizing Consumer Experience
Metaverse in Education
We all know learning is social and it transmits from one to another to generations. With time, technology enters the field and introduces immersive learning experiences like virtual classrooms, simulations and practical training.
The use of metaverse in education offers several benefits.
| Personalised Learning | Virtual 3D Classrooms |
| Digital Learning | Global Collaboration |
| Digital Libraries | Cross-Cultural Interactions |
| Virtual Tours | Virtual Campus Activities |
| Gamification | Language Learning |
How Will Metaverse Benefit Educators?
Metaverse holds transformative potential for educators. Its immersive and interactive features transform how educators connect with students, develop curricula, and support learning. Here are some of the key benefits that the metaverse can offer to teachers:
Interactive Content: Educators can make use of 3D models, simulations, and virtual labs to develop more dynamic and interesting classes. For instance, a science teacher can use a virtual lab to show online students complex chemical reactions or a history teacher can take them on a virtual tour of historical civilizations.
Customizable Environments: Teachers can design virtual classrooms to meet the unique requirements of their lectures. They can design an immersive environment that corresponds with the subject matter. They can even develop immersive experiences that imitate real-world surroundings.
Adaptive Learning: Personalized learning experiences have become possible nowadays thanks to AI-driven metaverse systems. It can adjust to the unique learning preferences and pace of each student. Instructors can easily monitor students’ progress and pinpoint areas where they need additional help.
Virtual Training: Education can take part in workshops and training sessions within the metaverse for professional development. Such sessions can be more interactive and practical than traditional methods, providing students with hands-on experience and new teaching practices and techniques.
Real-Time Assessment: With interactive quizzes and simulations, the metaverse can provide real-time feedback on the academic achievement of students. This makes it easier for educators to identify learning gaps and address them promptly.
Other advantages of metaverse in education for teachers include facilitating global collaboration, automated administrative tasks, multimedia integration, and detailed analytics.
How Can Metaverse be Used by Different Subjects?
Science: Metaverse facilitates virtual labs where students can manipulate chemicals and equipment without safety concerns. They can even explore 3D models of the human body, dissect virtual organisms, and understand biological processes through interactive simulations. In Astronomy, the metaverse can let learners travel through the solar system, explore planets, and observe celestial events in real-time.
History: Through immersive reenactments, the metaverse allows students to visit ancient civilizations and witness significant historical events. They can explore virtual museums and historical places with interactive exhibits and artifacts from various eras and civilizations. Furthermore, learners can engage in historical role-playing exercises to get insight into the viewpoints and difficulties of various historical periods.
Geography: Students can take virtual field trips to explore various ecosystems, see historical sites, and get an understanding of geographical phenomena through immersive encounters. They can also study physical and human geography, including climatic patterns and urban development, by using 3D maps and virtual environments. To learn about the origins and impacts of natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes, simulate them.
Mathematics: Metaverse helps in comprehending spatial relationships and qualities, visualize and work with 3D geometric shapes. By utilizing interactive resources, students can investigate algebra, calculus, and fractions in a virtual environment. They can even take part in math-based activities and games that promote applying mathematical concepts and critical thinking.
Also Read: How AI in Education is Transforming The Future of Learning
Metaversities: Reinventing The Future of Education
Representing the next evolution beyond the immersive learning opportunities, metaversities are campuses built within the metaverse that currently exist for students at many colleges and universities.
VictoryXR (victoryxr.com) has been leading the development of VR, AR and XR opportunities for higher education. According to CEO Steve Grubbs, “Immersive tools offer ‘low consequences for mistakes’ in areas such as chemistry, biology and other potentially dangerous fields”.
In a metaversity setting, students participate as avatars. On a “digital twin” campus, avatars can study together in the library or just walk across the quad and strike up a conversation with their peers. However, Maya Georgieva, senior director of the Innovation Center at The New School (newschool.edu) believes that replicating the on-campus college experience in a virtual space is only a limited application of the metaverse.
“Most universities trying to create a metaverse environment see it as a single, overarching environment that would incorporate a large range of experiences,” she says. “But today, most of the metaversities are still rather primitive, and they often re-create what we know rather than what’s possible in the metaverse.”
Top Metaverse Apps for Educational Purposes
The use of the metaverse in education to create immersive, dynamic learning environments is growing. Here are some of the best metaverse applications that can be used in the classroom:
- ClassVR
- Engage
- VirBELA
- Spatial
- Immerse
- Neos
- zSpace
- Metaverse Learning
- Edverse
- Antier Solutions
Also Read: How Can Virtual AI Tutors Transform Teaching and Learning?
The Future Ahead
Incorporating the metaverse into education has the potential to revolutionize the field by increasing accessibility, personalization, and interaction in the learning process. Entry barriers should decrease as technology develops and becomes more widely used, allowing for wider adoption.
So, the answer to the metaverse possible in education is yes. The technology opens up new and exciting possibilities for global, individualized, and immersive learning experiences in education.
Stay tuned to The Future Talk for more such interesting topics. Comment your thoughts and join the conversation.