Neerja Singh
The metaverse is a concept that we once saw and read of only in science fiction. Neal Stephenson’s science fiction novel Snow Crash, published in 1992 featured the Metaverse, a collective virtual space in a dystopian future inhabited by avatars of real people. It was a world where people could interact, conduct business, and navigate the digital realm, blurring the lines between the physical and virtual worlds. This once fictional space is rapidly becoming a tangible reality today. It is reshaping human interaction with digital environments.
With advancing technology, the metaverse holds great potential for revolutionizing education. There will be immersive and interactive experiences that are bound to transcend the limitations of traditional classrooms. The question to ask is: what would be the possibilities, challenges, and implications of integrating the metaverse into educational settings? What will the future look like when virtual worlds become dynamic extensions of the learning environment?
To begin with, what is the metaverse? It is a collective virtual shared space that combines aspects of social media, online gaming, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) to create an immersive and interconnected digital universe. Unlike traditional online spaces, the metaverse is not confined to a single platform; instead, it spans multiple interconnected virtual worlds, each offering unique experiences and opportunities for interaction. When applied in education, the metaverse will be able to create immersive learning environments. Imagine the students stepping right into historical events, exploring scientific concepts at a molecular level, or even travelling to distant planets – all within the virtual realm. An experiential learning of this degree will foster a much deeper understanding and engagement with the subject.
The metaverse brings huge advantages to the classroom. It breaks down geographical barriers, bringing together students from different parts of the world to collaborate seamlessly. Virtual classrooms become a melting pot of cultural exchange and diverse perspectives that make the learning experience that much richer. This global collaboration at the school level prepares the students for a connected and interdependent world.
The metaverse moreover, can be as personal as it is universal. Imagine the power of tailoring educational content to individual learning styles and preferences! The metaverse brings in adaptive technologies capable of tracking student progress while adjusting the difficulty of tasks and simultaneously providing real-time feedback. Students can then be free to master core concepts at their own pace.
One of essential challenges with the traditional system of education has been to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. Virtual simulations within the metaverse offers opportunities for career exploration and skill development. Students can avail of hands-on experiences in a multitude of professions, ranging from engineering to healthcare to the arts. They can explore potential careers, develop practical skills, and make informed decisions about their future paths. The metaverse can also be designed to make it accessible to students with disabilities and different learning styles.
The metaverse almost sounds too good to be true! And there are serious challenges involved in integrating it into the educational system. The primary issue is of ensuring equitable access. How do you provide every school with the necessary infrastructure, such as high-speed internet, VR/AR devices, and powerful computing resources? If left unaddressed, these disparities are certain to cause a digital divide in education. The metaverse also has as much potential for abuse as it does for use. To be able to navigate the space with responsibility, students will need to develop commensurate digital literacy skills. They need keen awareness of online safety, ethical considerations, and the potential risks associated with virtual interactions; in other words, an education on digital citizenship.
How about the teachers themselves? It will take them comprehensive training to effectively integrate the metaverse into education.They will need to not only learn navigation of the virtual platforms, but also how to create immersive educational content, including understanding the pedagogical principles that underpin virtual learning. Ongoing professional development to keep abreast of evolving technologies has never been more urgent.
Another challenge is to ensure privacy while collecting and storing data within the metaverse. Schools will have to prioritize data security and establish robust policies to protect the sensitive information of students and educators. It will become critical to strike a balance between the benefits of personalized learning and safeguarding privacy.
An extended use of virtual environments will raise concerns about screen time and its potential impact on students’ health and well-being. Striking a balance between virtual and physical activities, incorporating breaks, and promoting healthy technology use will become essential considerations in the metaverse-based education landscape.
Pilot programs, therefore, to assess feasibility and impact of metaverse integration before widespread adoption is a strategy being recommended. Other ways of informing effective implementation strategies would involve conducting research on best practices, pedagogical approaches, and student outcomes in virtual learning environments.
There are already reference points available for all this work. In July 2022, Chennai’s state school education department joined hands with a private AR and VR start-up to launch ‘The Meta Kalvi programme’ under which VR labs were created in two corporation and three government schools in the Triplicane constituency.
In all such initiatives, engaging parents, students, and the broader community in the metaverse integration process becomes essential. This fosters a sense of inclusivity and ensures that diverse perspectives are considered in shaping the virtual learning experience. Hosting virtual events, information sessions, and workshops are some ways to involve the community. This could include establishing professional learning communities where educators can share experiences, resources, and insights regarding metaverse integration. These communities would then provide a platform for ongoing support, collaboration, and the exchange of best practices.
This is the time for schools to collaborate with technology companies and developers to co-create educational content and platforms within the metaverse. This collaborative approach ensures that virtual learning environments align with educational objectives and leverage the expertise of both educators and industry professionals. What we don’t want is a sudden overhaul! It would serve everyone involved best to have schools gradually integrate the metaverse into existing curricula. A phased implementation would give educators and students time to adapt and provide opportunities for iterative improvement based on feedback.
The metaverse represents an exciting frontier in education. By embracing this digital frontier thoughtfully and addressing associated challenges, schools can harness the power of the metaverse to create dynamic, immersive, and inclusive learning environments that prepare students for the complexities of the 21st century. The integration of the metaverse in schools holds the promise of shaping a truly global and interconnected future.
The author is a generational diversity speaker, author of four generational books and a consultant on working with GenZ, leading with social impact and suicide prevention and destigmatisation. A millennial in spirit, with the benefit of hindsight, she uses her 37 years in media and education to help harness generational diversity at work and at home. She can be reached at https://www.linkedin.com/in/neerja-singh/.