The Educational Use of Metaverse Platforms: Perspectives from Educators and Learners

In the age of accelerated digital transformation, our lives are surrounded by computer-mediated technology, and this is not too surprising in the field of education. The digital thrust has developed remote education as a practically feasible approach. Given that the educational applications of the metaverse platform may compensate for the shortcomings of traditional video learning, such as elevated fatigue and decreased attention, there is a critical need to perform in-depth research on learning experiences in the metaverse. In this respect, this study aims to improve the understanding of the educational applications of the metaverse platform from educators’ and learners’ perspectives by employing the social representation theory. This research attempts to uncover the common sense of students and professors with experience in taking courses using the metaverse platform. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 university students and 3 professors who have taken courses on the Gather.Town platform. We identified the underlying structure of the educational experiences in the metaverse by using a core-periphery approach of social representations, also visualizing it based on the maximum tree. The results demonstrated that students attributed their immersion to the presence of avatars on the metaverse platform, which alleviated the burdens experienced in traditional real-time video systems. Furthermore, students felt a sense of connectedness through avatar-based activities and communication. From the perspective of educators, the realism provided by avatars contributed to a stable and engaging teaching environment. By identifying core elements and their relationships, this research offers insights into how holistic educational activities including learning, communication, and group work can be effectively conducted in a metaverse environment. These findings provide valuable implications for the design of future e-learning programs, contributing to the ongoing discourse on the educational potential of metaverse platforms.