METAVERSE AND MORAL DEVELOPMENT: A NEW FRONTIER FOR PERSONALITY FORMATION IN THE AGE OF IMMERSIVE EDUCATION

This study examines the impact of Metaverse and immersive technologies on moral development and personality formation within educational contexts, through the combined lens of psychological theories and Islamic ethical thought. Drawing on frameworks such as Piaget and Kohlberg’s developmental models alongside key Islamic concepts—nafs refinement, uswa al-ḥasanah (prophetic exemplarity), and maslahah (public interest)—the study analyzes emerging challenges including identity confusion, algorithmic moral conditioning, and “moral isolation” in digital environments. It argues that VR and AR-enhanced educational settings can foster empathy, spiritual awareness, and ethical responsibility when grounded in sound pedagogical design. The paper introduces a holistic “eye–heart–mind” model, emphasizing that immersive environments can support not only cognitive but also emotional and moral growth. Ultimately, the study proposes an integrative Moral Metaverse Curriculum that unites Islamic virtue ethics with contemporary digital pedagogy. Thus, the Metaverse is repositioned not merely as a technological medium, but as a transformative ethical space for cultivating virtuous individuals in the digital age.