A Conceptual Framework for Educational Metaverse

Education is a crucial foundation for the development and progress of any society. It is a process that involves not only the transmission of knowledge but also the cultivation of values, skills, and attitudes that contribute to the fulfillment of the individual and the harmonious coexistence of citizens. The metaverse is a form of Web 2.0 evolution that aims to immerse people in digital environments. Introducing the metaverse in education can become a valuable tool to create a more innovative, interactive, and egalitarian educational reality that provides new learning experiences, personalized learning, and enhanced collaboration. In this work, we first present and discuss the main components of an educational metaverse with particular emphasis on the cutting-edge technologies used, such as VR/AR, AI, and blockchain. Then, we present a theoretical framework for the educational metaverse as a means of enhancing the learning experience through immersive, interactive, and personalized virtual environments. The proposed framework is structured into five layers: (1) Infrastructure, (2) Credential and Identity Management, (3) Knowledge Delivery, (4) Platform, and (5) Engaged Interaction. Each layer addresses specific functions essential for the seamless operation of the metaverse, from robust hardware infrastructure and security protocols to advanced user management and credential verification systems. Additionally, it provides a theoretical structure for designing education metaverse applications. Accordingly, we invite the educational community to engage with this framework, to challenge its assumptions, to test its boundaries, and ultimately, to use it as a catalyst for creating the new generation of immersive learning environments.