The Potential of eXtended Reality in Education: The Metaversity Project

Recent advances in eXtended Reality (XR) technologies offer potential for high-\r\ner education by creating interactive and experiential learning environments that\r\nenhance student engagement through critical thinking, problem-solving, and\r\ncollaboration. However, the adoption of XR within educational settings faces sig-\r\nnificant challenges, including high costs, and issues with accessibility and inclu-\r\nsivity. The Metaversity project addresses these challenges by: (i) understanding\r\nthe needs and expectations of educators and students; (ii) developing a scalable\r\nand sustainable framework for immersive learning experiences; and (iii) evalu-\r\nating this framework’s effectiveness in pilot courses. This chapter elucidates the\r\nrationale for employing XR in education, details the methodology of the Meta-\r\nversity project, and introduces the MetaLab Immersive Learning Design Model,\r\nan instructional design framework aimed at developing impactful XR education-\r\nal experiences in higher education.