The metaverse dedicated to pedagogy, a revolution in higher education

The great VIVATECH 2022 event just ended and the metaverse was everywhere. The unique metaverse such as the internet does not yet exist but what about its application to education?

After McKinsey announced during VivaTech its projection that metaverse-related spending will reach $5 trillion by 2030. Facebook, by renaming itself Meta, has put the spotlight on the emergence of virtual worlds open to the general public and the potential to expand into many areas. The unique metaverse such as the Internet does not yet exist but what about its application related to education?

The phygital potential of the metaverse

Imagine for a moment the next evolution of the Internet, which seamlessly combines physical and digital experiences. It is a multitude of environments: a virtual point of sale, an advertising channel, a digital classroom, a training tool or a gateway to entirely new immersive experiences. While the metaverse continues to be refined, its disruptive potential is no longer in doubt according to experts. The numbers are teetering, with over $120 billion invested in the development of metaverse technology and infrastructure in just one half year. Twice as much as in the previous year.

The metaverse for education

This is not a virtual campus! Indeed, to maximize its potential, it is necessary to provide learning experiences that are not reproducible on a campus or even during an internship! It is about offering learners unique immersive learning experiences (ILE - IMMERSIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE©) at the heart of a physical campus in a place to explore and experience exclusive and intense training situations. This innovative and immersive approach can rely on neuro-education and technology to create learning experiences that maximize the anchoring of knowledge for learners. We all receive a multitude of information through our senses. Our attention acts as a hyper-selective filter for what is worth remembering. These experiences can significantly improve attention and knowledge capture thanks to its phygital (physical+digital), sensory and immersive approach. An approach that must avoid the pitfall of neuro-myths, which are erroneous beliefs about how the human brain works. In the metaverse, it will also be a question of guaranteeing the quality of immersive pedagogical experiences, experiences that are complementary to face-to-face courses and online experiential platforms (Learning eXperience Platforms), which will not disappear by any means!

A physical place to be and its digital twin in the metaverse to explore new horizons

A digital twin is a virtual model designed to accurately reflect a real object or, for example, a physical place such as a "phygital factory" at the center of campuses for thinking, creating, exploring and experimenting around pedagogy. By definition, digital transformation is immaterial, which sometimes makes it difficult for professors or students to appropriate it. This is where the digital twin comes into its own in terms of complementarity and support! It can take the shape of a synchronous metaverse, the twin of the phygital factory, which can be used to explore new pedagogical approaches or to create new immersive situations for teaching purposes. It is then possible to create an immersion that simulates the most dangerous situations possible in order to train oneself to make the right managerial decisions in an emergency context and this in interaction with other learners. This is what we call active teaching, an approach that aims to make the learner the actor of his learning.

A digital twin as a catalyst for digital sustainability

According to a recent Cap Gemini study "Digital Twins: Adding Intelligence to the Real World", 60% of organizations in major industries rely on digital twins as a catalyst not only to improve operational performance, but also to achieve their sustainability agenda. By being able to simulate the physical world, digital twins can help organizations make better use of resources, reduce CO2 emissions as well as increase employee safety which is a requirement of corporate social responsibility (CSR). These virtual experiences on sustainable development also allow students to be immersed in new ways of working in co-construction to create circular economies, boost competitiveness and identify opportunities for responsible growth. This is another example of the usefulness of the metaverse in raising students' awareness of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as outlined by the UN in its Agenda 2030.

The metaverse at the service of people and pedagogy

The added value of the metaverse in education is created by the human being! Reinventing the learner's experience with immersive training can be imagined by remaining focused on the human being while not losing sight of the pedagogical objectives. Moreover, the necessary work of acculturation to digital technology and change management must be taken into account to support all employees, including teachers. However, it is human nature to treat the metaverse with skepticism; there will be technical obstacles and perhaps even mental pitfalls in relation to the idyllic vision that we may have today of the future single metaverse. However, higher education must embrace the pedagogical side of the metaverse and thus create quality educational content based on immersive learning experiences that are always at the service of student success.

French Source : JDN - June 2022 - Anthony Hié Chief Digital Officer @ Excelia