Is the Metaverse really the future of Online Learning?

The Metaverse, in its current phase, is a relatively new and emerging technology. A more complete and developed version could be something we see in 5 to 10 years. The technology has not yet been adopted or developed enough to have a significant impact on large-scale learning. In addition, the efficacy of using the Metaverse for learning is still in the experimental stage. We can predict its benefits, but we cannot yet fully measure them.

However, we can say that the Metaverse has great potential to transform the way people experience online learning. Learners no longer need to be physically present in a location to experience a site up close, let alone simulate extreme situations to learn how to handle them.

With this immersive and realistic technology, any situation, no matter how dangerous, can be replicated to learn how to react and cope.

But apart from those situations where the benefits of the Metaverse are more obvious, what are the benefits that the Metaverse can bring us when designing learning experiences and when learning? What are the challenges related to the use and adoption of such technology and how long will it take to see large-scale adoption, outside the corporate and professional world?

What is the Metaverse?

To better understand the effect the Metaverse will have on online learning, let's start by answering the question: What is the Metaverse? 

Currently, it has many definitions as it is not something static and existing in its final version. The term was originally coined by science fiction author Neal Stephenson in his 1992 novel "Snow Crash" as "a decentralized network of computer-generated worlds where users feel a genuine sense of being in these spaces for work, leisures, and learning". He goes on to describe the Metaverse "as a virtual world composed of unique environments, each with a specific purpose: to entertain, socialize, educate, and more”.

Basically, in the Metaverse you can create digital copies of reality, whether it’s a current, a past, a future or even an alternative reality. Making the possibility basically endless when it comes to creating immersive learning experiences.

The Metaverse is currently many things and it is expected to be a combination of different parts stitched together, rather than a specific, single space where everyone and everything converges to interact. With a clearer idea of what the Metaverse is and is not, the next question we need to answer is regarding the impact it will have on online learning.

How will the Metaverse impact the way we learn?

Benefits

The positive effect that the Metaverse can have on online learning will always be closely related to the context in which learning happens, the objectives and goals. In some circumstances, the immersive nature and interactivity of the Metaverse can provide a highly engaging vehicle for discovering and exploring new and complex ideas. The Metaverse is the ideal technology for creating digital experiential learning environments, such as role-playing games or simulations.

Some of the benefits are:

1. Encourages experiential learning: Through the use of virtual simulations and role-playing scenarios, the Metaverse can be used to give learners the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in a safe environment. It provides safe space to have hands-on experiences necessary to solidify concepts and skills, which with other technologies or the absence of, would be virtually impossible.

2. Facilitates cooperative learning: The Metaverse can be used to bring together people from different regions and locations to learn and collaborate in a virtual environment. Enabling conversations, collaborations and experiments where everyone learns from common experience, works together in new and creative ways, and develops their interpersonal skills. 

3. Increases the accessibility of learning: When it is impossible or difficult to be present in a space or environment, the use of the Metaverse will be essential. Whether due to location problems or the need to replicate an unusual situation, the use of the Metaverse will make it possible. Creating learning opportunities from anywhere in the world with an unlimited number of contexts. 

4. Creates higher levels of engagement: The Metaverse enables learners to experience and explore virtual worlds in a more individualized and realistic way. If learners gain some level of ownership in their learning experience, they tend to be more engaged and interested. Aiding with information retention and motivation.

Technology has enormous potential to enhance learning and, as it advances, it could become a more vital tool for both learners and teachers.

Challenges

As with any new technology, the effectiveness of the Metaverse for learning will depend on how it is used and its adoption.

Some of the challenges are:

1. Limited adoption and development: as a relatively new and emerging technology, the Metaverse has not yet been widely adopted or developed. The technology and virtual environments need to be sufficiently developed first, with designers experienced in creating these environments, as well as trained and experienced instructors to facilitate these learning experiences.

2. Limited resources and knowledge: The Metaverse requires, on the part of the user, an adequate technological infrastructure and basic knowledge of the technology. Some users find it difficult to access and use this technology due to lack of understanding, resources, Internet access, or simply because they do not feel comfortable learning in a virtual environment. On the other hand, some technical issues, such as latency and connectivity problems, can affect the user experience and hinder the effectiveness of learning.

3. Realistic environments and cognitive load: the Metaverse will need to create realistic and believable environments in order for immersive learning to be effective. If learners do not feel like they are in a real or believable environment, they may become quickly disengaged with the learning experience. On the other hand cognitive load is another aspect to take into account. Some learners might be easily overwhelmed by the experience after a short time.

4. Privacy and security: The Metaverse involves collecting and sharing personal data, which raises privacy and security concerns. Before it is widely deployed and vulnerable users begin to adopt it, it needs to be clear how the data is used and how it can be prevented from being used for the wrong reasons.

Overall, the challenges facing the Metaverse in its current phase are significant, and overcoming them will be essential before it is considered an effective tool for learning.

When should you refrain from using the Metaverse as a learning environment?

1. When learners are uncomfortable or unable to use the technology: this could hinder the effectiveness of the Metaverse in a learning context. Making the experience frustrating or distracting for both instructors and learners, creating an obstacle to engaging with the content and retaining the information.

2. When the Metaverse is not well suited for the learning objectives: If the use of the technology does not provide any benefit to the learning objectives it may not be an effective tool for learning. For example, if a learning experience requires a more structured and linear approach, the immersive and interactive nature of the Metaverse may not be the most appropriate. In these cases, other learning methods that allow for a more guided and controlled environment will be better.

3. When learning experiences are not well designed & only seek to replicate a "common classroom": The effectiveness of the Metaverse will depend on the context and experiences that are designed around the learning. If the Metaverse is used simply as a platform for passive viewing of pre-recorded content, or static presentations, the use of the technology will be in vain, and will ultimately be a misuse of the technology and its real benefits.

What will drive the adoption of the Metaverse?

The adoption of the Metaverse in learning will be driven by a combination of factors, such as the development of the technology, the availability of funding and resources, and the demand from learners and educators.

1. The growing popularity of virtual and immersive learning experiences. Learners are more engaged and some types of training have initially been shown to be more effective (Makransky and Mayer 2022) when presented in a more immersive and realistic setting that can replicate or simulate different scenarios and contexts.

2. Rise in hybrid and remote learning and working. The Metaverse can offer participants a more flexible and accessible way to engage in learning activities regardless of where they are located. This is especially important going forward as education and organizations have become increasingly globalized, and accessibility and inclusiveness continue to play an important role in education.

3. Financial support for the development of the Metaverse for learning purposes. To fund the creation of the environments and the training of designers and instructors, as well as users and learners. For the moment, most of the initiatives in this space have been exclusively for commercial purposes.

4. The willingness of designers and instructors to create and facilitate learning experiences in the Metaverse. And for users to access and learn in this context. As eLearning professionals it is our responsibility to adopt technologies and methodologies that facilitate and enhance the learning experience.

Where can you go from here?

If you‘re interested in building your own experiences in the Metaverse, it is critical to remember that you are designing a learning "environment" and not an eLearning module, course or microlearning piece (Karl Kapp - Design points for creating learning experiences in the metaverse) Creating a learning experience in the Metaverse might be of great benefit if you require an immersive, collaborative experience where context is critical to the learning outcome.

But it might be unnecessary work and technology for simpler topics and learning dynamics Before starting to create learning experiences in the metaverse, there are several important aspects to consider, including:

1. The learning goals and objectives: The first and most important aspect to consider is how will the use of the Metaverse enhance the way learners achieve their learning goals and objectives. This will help determine if the immersive environment is appropriate or not for your learners to achieve their goals. As well as give you further clarity on the activities and the environment you will need to create.

2. The level of immersiveness: The next aspect to consider is how immersive the learning experience should be. Depending on the complexity of the idea and the topic you are teaching, you can choose between augmented reality, virtual reality or a mix of both. Each option comes with its own features and capabilities, as well as benefits and limitations.

3. The learning content: The learning content that will be used is another key aspect to consider. The best strategy is to start with existing content that you can curate and repurpose, and start experimenting with it. Use existing content to get a feel of how it looks and works inside the metaverse. This will guide you in understanding the type and format of content you need and what works best in virtual environments before you start creating new content.

4. Interactions and learning moments: Finally, we need to understand that the way we learn in the Metaverse must vary from the way we currently use physical learning. The use of PowerPoint presentations or lectures will be very ineffective and counterproductive. We have to learn to design contexts where students can simulate real situations and learn from them.

Summary

The most important suggestion is that you start small and that you have full clarity on WHY you are hosting part or all of your course in the Metaverse. You can pilot the use of the Metaverse in one or two courses. Giving you a chance to test out the technology and see how it can be used to improve the learning experience. It will also allow you to get feedback from learners and make any necessary adjustments before rolling it out more widely.

Another strategy is to partner with another organization that is already using the Metaverse for eLearning. This can provide you with access to their resources and expertise, and help you get started more quickly.

Just remember that in the metaverse you can only create the conditions under which the learning will occur. You can create the environment, the context and provide the feedback where the learner will ultimately learn by doing.

Yeira is a cutting-edge cloud-based LMS and Authoring Tool that is ready to use and scale your online training business. Discover innovative tools for creating Mixed Contents with Learning Analytics that will help you offer differentiated online learning experiences and achieve better results for your business. Learn more