How the Metaverse will Fundamentally Change Education in the Future
English poet John Keats said, “Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.” This is not just true for life experiences but also for education. We have known this forever but never had the opportunity or resources to implement it. However, over time, advancement in technology has made it possible to bring learning into perspective through experience with Metaverse! It is a term coined by fiction writer Neal Stephenson in 1992. It is a concept that makes everything experiential. Let’s see how it can transform the experience of students and teachers.
A Shift to Practical Learning and Better Grades
To teach students, for example, about an automobile, a teacher will no longer just read from a book, show an image or a video. Metaverse makes it possible for them to show students how it is built, the speed it can be driven at and the temperature the tires can withstand. The experience is so real that it stays in their memories for longer. This is proven at UK’s Bradfield College. They created virtual reality learning for History, Science and Geography. As a result, the students who usually got a C grade outperformed the A graders.
Integrated Learning Made Possible
Learning will be transformational for students when they can logically connect one subject with another. Through Metaverse, teachers can combine two or more subjects, for example, science, and math, to provide learners with a holistic experience. Interdisciplinary learning helps students understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of things. As a result, it gets easier for students to apply their knowledge in practical life.
Upgrading Syllabus Made Easy
Metaverse will solve the problem of an outdated syllabus permanently. It will arrange experts’ advice from all over the world, making relevant information accessible to students anytime, anywhere. As the syllabus upgrades, so should the approach to impart knowledge. As you know, written exams alone aren’t enough to measure a student’s ability and help them work towards their goal. Therefore, Metaverse aims to replace written exams with vocational skill training to give students the right skills and hands-on experience required to make their careers.
Calls for Responsible Usage
Like Uncle Ben tells Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Metaverse that gives the power of bringing concepts to life, must also be used with responsibility. Just as the Internet comes with parent control, Metaverse may have its own ways of restricting unauthorised usage. The only way to find out what they are is to start exploring Metaverse. In fact, today’s generation is already using a primitive form of Metaverse through games like Minecraft where players connect with their opponents across the world. So, we must all be ready to embrace it further.
Learning Through Gamification
One may forget what is said or done but no one ever forgets how they are made to feel. Gamification brings this feel to learning and what’s a better way to gamify learning than metaverse. It will facilitate collaborative learning and ensure that all the essential information is etched into a learner’s memory forever. Like Fortnite, there are many games that are bringing the metaverse into play in a small yet impactful way.
