The world as we know it is changing. The COVID-19 pandemic was a difficult time for all of us, but it accelerated certain changes in the society that were bound to happen, one of which was the deeper knitting of the thread of technology in the fabric of our daily lives. Before we explore the role that Metaverse will play in the education sector, it is important to understand what it is.
What is Metaverse?
Metaverse is a concept that combines various virtual spaces in a 3D format. The best way to explain it is a video game with simulations of the real-world articulated digitally. Assassin’s Creed is a game that is famous for using historical figures as its characters. While the game version of the Assassins and the Templars is fictionalized within the game’s storyline, the organizations did exist in the Holy Land during the medieval times. At this stage, I would like to point out that education has already entered the scope of this article as we are looking at history lessons through gaming. The characteristics attributed to Metaverse by Dr Sirisilp Kongsilp in an article on the Education Technology website are as follows:
- It is a virtual space that would allow socialization of people from different disciplines, backgrounds and with separate objectives.
- The ultimate idea is to blend the different universes that the creators are designing right now..
The availability of space to everyone also creates the opportunity for a more democratic society.
Metaverse in Education
Imagine being able to live in the imaginary world that Harry Potter and Eragon has introduced to us. It will be possible to experience these once the Metaverse is fully functional and has a cohesive structure. Through technologies such as Virtual Reality headsets, Augmented Reality glasses and Mixed Reality devices, we can be members of this revolutionary world.
Education in this Third Space, as the sociologist Ray Oldenberg calls it, is going to be a thousand times more interactive and exciting. History will no longer be confined to documentation and textbooks talking of time past. We will be able to move from one time period to another, experiencing Victorian balls, Hitler’s speeches, various wars and even the Jurassic era. The possibilities and advantages that it brings are endless and here are a few of those that we have come across in our research:
- We know our teachers and professors are well qualified and great scholars. However, it is not humanly possible to remember everything. It is here that an AI (Artificial Intelligence) instructor can step in to answer our questions and give us better insights. An AI instructor would be conveniently available at all times, making learning easy for those of us who have long become nocturnal creatures due to the demands of rigorous academic curriculums.
- Although academia is in the process of digitizing all documentary scholarly sources, it is a task which has not been achieved completely yet. With the new virtual space, we imagine that it will also be possible to travel to virtual libraries all over the world to access these materials.
- Learning will become more personalized. As we have already stated, the older students will be able to access classes at any time of the day. This will also be an enormous relief for those students who work part-time.
- With videos available on various YouTube channels and EdTech applications, auditory and visual learners have options available. But what about the kinesthetic learners who find it difficult to study sitting in the same place? It is here that we feel that Metaverse will be truly helpful, as it would recreate such an environment where the user will be able to move around endlessly while also taking part in the lessons. An Australian teacher has recently created a Spatial Metaverse for high-school students to learn in, in which he included Da Vinci’s inventions. ( We visited it and found it cool!)
While education in Metaverse is full of education, it also comes with a set of its challenges. According to Brookings.edu, learning should be made interactive without distracting the students with unnecessary adverts or activities. Every student should be able to derive value from the lessons and be encouraged to socialize within safe virtual environments.
What would a Metaverse pedagogy mean for students aspiring to pursue education in foreign countries?
We have already mentioned the flexibility and avenues of personalization that Metaverse will bring to pedagogy. However, with the evolution of the digital world, there is a possibility that scholars will be able to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and doctorate degrees in reputed foreign universities without traveling to a new country. This would also make higher education more affordable as the cost of staying in a new country will be eliminated. Optima Classical Academy in Rome has already taken a step in this direction by announcing that they will offer tuition free virtual classes from August 2022. Optima has offered to provide Oculus headsets to about 1300 students so that they can access these classes.
What skills should you cultivate to become a Metaverse developer?
- Experience in programming using various languages such as JavaScript, Swift and Python.
- Metaverse is a world driven by human-machine interaction and therefore developing abilities in UI/UX interfaces is mandatory.
- This is a space where game designers and animators will find a platform to showcase their talents too. After all, the visual attractive representation is an integral part of the Metaverse.
- Virtual Storytelling.
The Metaverse will open up new career opportunities for software developers, graphic designers, cyber security experts and Blockchain engineers amongst others. So, get ready for an exciting ride into the future!
We hope this article was informative. Leave a comment and let us know what you think of the Third Space.
Sources:
- https://www.brookings.edu/research/a-whole-new-world-education-meets-the-metaverse/
- https://edtechnology.co.uk/e-learning/48961/
- https://news.curtin.edu.my/insight/2021-2/metaverse-and-education-a-leap-in-technology-or-a-dystopian-future/
- https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/01/14/educating-in-the-metaverse-are-virtual-reality-classrooms-the-future-of-education
