Education in the Metaverse.

Metaverses are online environments that can either replicate a real place — such as a classroom, lecture hall, or laboratory — or a place no-one would be able to visit, like the surface of the sun.

Metaverse learning is highly effective at stimulating active engagement with the subject, resulting in a proven increase in retention of taught material. They are accessible any time of the day or night, regardless of a student’s or tutor's geographical location. They are infinitely customizable; there is no limit to what can be created in a virtual environment. They can be used either alone as an asynchronous assignment or in a taught group. Avatars allow students, TAs, and professors to communicate naturally, reflecting real-life interaction. There is also a marked decrease in learning anxiety.

"My journey began in a simulation of a real-life bench lab. There, a daring researcher from the Biology department explained their newest creation to me: a shrinking chamber and suit powered by a device worn like a backpack, known as my Portable Abso

"My journey began in a simulation of a real-life bench lab. There, a daring researcher from the Biology department explained their newest creation to me: a shrinking chamber and suit powered by a device worn like a backpack, known as my Portable Absorption and Combination Kit, or P.A.C.K. for short! Together, these high-tech devices allowed me to shrink down to the size of a protein. From there, I was free to explore and interact with the inside of the animal cell the researcher had ready for me." (How Virtual Environments are Revolutionizing Learning.)

The room is designed to accommodate several student avatars at one time. Should the room become full, a copy of the room is created for the next group to work in, and so on. This is known as “instancing.” We’ve ensured there is space for large groups

The room is designed to accommodate several student avatars at one time. Should the room become full, a copy of the room is created for the next group to work in, and so on. This is known as “instancing.” We’ve ensured there is space for large groups of students to work, allowing them to collaborate with each other and receive live guidance within the virtual space. If every student has their own lab or works with NPCs, they’re isolated from their peers and instructors. (Instancing in UniVirtual's Mitosis lab.)

The learning objective of this course was to familiarize students with compound and dissecting microscopes. Building accurate 3D models was paramount. Our virtualized microscopes had similar functionality to their real-life counterparts. We also cre

The learning objective of this course was to familiarize students with compound and dissecting microscopes. Building accurate 3D models was paramount. Our virtualized microscopes had similar functionality to their real-life counterparts. We also created a large quantity of real-life slide sample images at several magnification levels, adapted for use within a virtual world. Allowing students to adjust the focus added to the realistic, hands-on experience. (Examining the Evidence: Benefits of Virtual Microscope Simulations.)

Our goal is to reinforce learning objectives while creating opportunities for surprise and fun. Play is a hugely important aspect of learning, so when possible, we gamify our environments with recognizable game mechanics like object interaction, character dialogue, and cohesive narratives to support learning goals.

To maintain the Socratic dialogue that we believe is at the heart of education, an instructor is present to promote social interaction in a virtual environment. UniVirtual enhances an instructor’s capability to teach. It is a space where students can continue to flourish under the guidance of their instructor.

“As an educator, [UniVirtual’s metaverse] is fantastic. In the Environmental Science lab, we have them SCUBA diving on the Great Barrier Reef — we could never do that — and I do it too! I’m in the environment with the students, and our TAs are in there too, interacting.”

— William M. Landing,
Professor of Oceanography, Department of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science, Florida State University

Further Reading.

Case Study: Biology - University of Central Florida
How virtualizing materials relieved the resource burden of running a large undergraduate course in biology.

Case Study: Chemistry - Florida State University
How the novel experience of solving a virtual murder increased enrolment by nearly 250% in the first year.

Case Study: Economics - Stavros Center for Economic Education
How everyone in a large class could participate in practical experiments together.

Case Study: Environmental Science - Florida State University
How the student experience was enhanced without significantly increasing the resource burden on students and the department.