An Introduction to the Metaverse for Education
Get Ready to Teach & Learn in the Metaverse
The Metaverse has potential to enhance all types of educational experiences. Whether you’re an educator, developer, or anyone in between who wants to learn about the opportunities that XR (extended reality) can bring to the classroom and beyond, you’ve come to the right place.
Download our free evidence-based guide for an in-depth overview of the essentials and check out our blog to stay up to date on the latest musings and developments from our team of experts.
A Crash Course — the Metaverse for Education. What’s Inside?
You’ve likely seen the word Metaverse in the media and on your social feeds. So what is this “next iteration of the internet” and what does it mean for education and learning?
In short, the Metaverse is a virtual playground that goes far beyond the realm of video games. Pokémon GO aside, XR (extended reality) has plenty of practical and impactful uses that could positively shape our future if tended to with care.
We’re a team of researchers, educators, and entrepreneurs who are fascinated by all the possibilities that these new technologies offer, especially when it comes to education. We created this evidence-based, introductory PDF guide to familiarize readers with the Metaverse and we hope it provides you with a useful overview of its components, its potential for education, and the positives and negatives of learning with these new technologies.
So, if you've ever had questions about...
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This guide provides an overview of the Metaverse, its definition, history, traits and trends, as well as an explanation of Extended Reality (XR) technologies including augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), and virtual reality (VR), and what the potential is for XR to contribute to formal and informal education.
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This guide provides a nuanced look at XR characteristics that align well with certain learning goals and an assessment of XR limitations, too, for some educational objectives.
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This guide shares research and insights on how to best use and design with XR for inclusive and impactful learning experiences, plus a series of questions, prompts and resources to help you think judiciously about embedding XR into educational environments.
…then this guide is for you! We'll take deep dives into all of the above and more, and by the time you finish reading, you should be able to think more comfortably and critically about the possibilities ahead.
If there’s one thing we want you to take away from this guide, it’s to:
Rigorously prioritize your learners
Importance of this Evidence-Based Guide for the Future of the Metaverse and Education
We're still in the early stages of using XR tools and platforms for education, and there are plenty of insights to learn and wrinkles to iron out as we go. That said, the more carefully we consider our students and their individual needs, the better we can ensure the Metaverse offers them the best possible entryway to virtual learning opportunities.
There are many factors to think about when designing for the experiences of diverse learners, educators, and other stakeholders. We need to understand the potential pitfalls of these technologies – as much as the benefits – and tap into varied perspectives and areas of expertise in order to make them really count.
Learning with XR is still in its infancy, and as the Metaverse continues to grow and evolve, so too will opportunities to create impactful, immersive educational moments both inside and outside of the classroom.
It is important that everyone who is eager to advance learning in the Metaverse embraces evidence-based strategies as we pave the way forward together.
Bridging the divides between designers of cutting-edge technologies and the educators who will use them is crucial, and we hope that this guide will serve as inspiration to create high-quality XR learning experiences, to experiment when and where possible, to build evidence, and to transparently share discoveries and insights with the community. In this way, we hope to fine-tune these avenues for learning so that they become mainstays within the educational system.
Meet the Team Behind the Metaverse for Education PDF Guide
We are a team of educators, scientists, and entrepreneurs who believe in the power of technology for personal, professional, and societal growth. Our work and this conversation is ongoing, and we hope that you’ll join us on this collaborative journey towards making the Metaverse a safe and effective space for learning. We invite you to join us in getting curious about the future of learning!
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Daniel Pimentel
As an XR creator and Assistant Professor of Immersive Media Psychology at the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon, Dr. Pimentel’s work explores how immersive storytelling can help address prosocial and pro-environmental issues.
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Géraldine Fauville
A marine biologist, ocean educator, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Education, Communication, and Learning at University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Dr. Géraldine Fauville studies how immersive technologies contribute to environmental science learning and ocean literacy.
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Kai Frazier
A historian, innovative educator, digital storyteller, and Ed Tech entrepreneur, Kai Frazier inclusively applies new technologies in formal and informal learning environments. She is passionate about using XR to provide educational opportunities for underestimated communities.
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Eileen McGivney
A researcher, instructor, and PhD candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Eileen McGivney’s work looks at how people learn with immersive technology like VR, and how these experiences impact young people with diverse identities and cultural backgrounds.
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Sergio Rosas
A first-generation immigrant, Stanford University graduate, human-centered designer, teacher, social entrepreneur, and founder of Next Shift Learning, Sergio Rosas is committed to economic mobility for historically excluded and underinvested communities of color through workforce training and upskilling.
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Erika Woolsey
A marine biologist, National Geographic Explorer, XR creator, Visiting Scholar at the Stanford University Virtual Human Interaction Lab, and leader of 501c3 non-profit The Hydrous, Dr. Erika Woolsey is dedicated to inquiry-based learning and public engagement of science.
This independent work was supported by Meta Education and Immersive Learning through a partnership with Meridian Treehouse and The Hydrous. The research team is committed to quality, transparency, and positive impact for learners and educators. The recommendations and viewpoints in this guide are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the partners, reviewers, or funding organizations.
Join us in building the future of learning together.
