Contents
- What is metaverse?
- How does the metaverse have a place in education?
- What are the advantages of VR and AR learning experiences?
- GoStudent and the metaverse
Since Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook’s new corporate name as Meta in October, the internet has gone abuzz with how the so-called metaverse is going to change the world of technology as we know it. Read on to discover how the metaverse is set to revolutionise the educational system and what it means for your children.
What is metaverse?
If your child has asked (maybe begged?) you for a virtual reality (VR) headset in the past few years, you may already be aware of how VR is pushing its way onto the forefront of our radars. But the metaverse is more than that…
Used by tech companies to describe what comes after the internet, the metaverse is a sophisticated union of VR, augmented reality (AR) and video where users “exist” in a digital space. Already piquing the interests of Facebook and Microsoft, it’s only a matter of time before the metaverse is ushered into leading companies the world over.
The term “metaverse” was originally coined by author Neal Stephenson in his 1992 science fiction book, Snow Crash, where people use digital avatars of themselves to navigate an online world.
Now a hot topic among the technology hungry, advocates of the metaverse imagine users working, playing, and staying connected to friends and colleagues via concerts, meetings, international (and virtual, of course) trips and, more importantly, classes.
How does the metaverse have a place in education?
We’ve already had a small taste of how education’s form is changing thanks to Covid-19 and what seems like a lifetime of online classes. So, it comes as no surprise that online learning and the metaverse are being discussed in the same conversations.
Immersive learning experiences are certainly seen as the new way forward. In a video released alongside Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta announcement, a young child and mother can be seen studying a digitally-rendered solar system while Marne Levine, Meta’s Chief Business Officer, narrates: “What if you could learn about anything in the world just by bringing it closer to you? If you were taking astrophysics, you could study in the metaverse.”
And as a student’s avatar is transported to a virtual Ancient Rome, Levine says: “In the metaverse, you’ll be able to teleport not just to any place, but any time as well. Ancient Rome: imagine standing on the streets, hearing the sounds, visiting the markets to get a sense of the rhythm of life over 2000 years ago.”
In the same video, the company also announced that its Facebook Reality Labs will invest $150 million in VR learning experiences. The funds will be used to assist with tech development and to educate and train people to use VR and AR tools.
What are the advantages of VR and AR learning experiences?
While no one knows exactly what the metaverse is going to look like or how it’s going to impact children, it’s possible that the educational lives of students could be transformed by hopping into a different world and exploring the wonders of the universe. So, what are the advantages of VR and AR learning experiences?
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High levels of engagement
If there was ever a way to heighten the interest of children in a bid to engage them in their studies, the metaverse has potentially nailed it. The idea of book-based lessons seems like a far-flung reverie when the possibility of digitally walking with hologram dinosaurs is on the horizon.
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Distance learning revolutionised
If 2020 and 2021 (and probably 2022) have taught us anything, it’s that we can do far more at home than we thought. Work from home? Yes. Zoom call? Sure. Online classes? Most definitely. While it was thought that this new era of digital learning came at a cost – no teacher-student interaction, boredom and a lack of classroom environment – if educational methods were overhauled metaverse-style, those issues would be addressed in a snap.
GoStudent and the metaverse
At GoStudent, we're excited by the prospect of the metaverse being internationally adopted by school curriculums. This would enhance students' learning and immerse them in a whole new world. The metaverse encourages students to gallop forwards into the miraculous imaginings of VR and AR.
Both GoStudent and the metaverse can be seen as great pioneers in the world of education. We want to embrace this exciting new technology to make the Metaverse a great learning environment for every student. We're all about making learning fun and exciting, and the metaverse provides an opportunity to do just that. If you'd like to see how we encourage interactive learning in a digital environment, why not book a free trial session? There are a ton of benefits to online learning, which we'd love for your child to experience. You can schedule your first session here.
We're excited to see what the future of digital learning involves and we'll continue to embrace new technology to create the ideal learning experience. It's time to get ready for what is, as Zuckerberg says, “the next chapter for the internet.”
