Transforming Education Through the Metaverse: Unlocking Innovation Beyond Traditional Boundaries

Moderator: Yu-Ju LAN, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Panelists:

  • Gwo-Dong CHEN, National Central University, Taiwan
  • Jon-Chao HONG, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
  • Yun WEN, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

As we stand at the cusp of a digital revolution, the integration of the metaverse into education heralds a transformative era for teaching and learning. The metaverse, a collective of immersive technologies, expands the reality continuum and has the potential to reshape educational paradigms by creating interactive learning environments that transcend traditional classroom boundaries. This panel explores the transformative potential of the metaverse in education, highlighting its ability to unlock innovative learning experiences and move beyond conventional educational limitations by simulating real-life scenarios, enhancing presence, and providing hands-on learning experiences that enhance comprehension and retention.

Our expert panelists will delve into the multifaceted impact of the metaverse on education, examining its potential to foster creativity, collaboration, and engagement among students. We will also address the challenges associated with implementing the metaverse in education and propose potential solutions to these issues.

Panelist 1: Gwo-Dong CHEN

Personas and Spatial Intelligence of Digital Reality for Learning

Panelist 2: Jon-Chao HONG

Training Escaping Skills with Immersive Virtual Reality

From the perspective of brain science, when learners perform virtual actions, individual mirror neurons will be activated, and transfer those skills to real environment. Moreover, embodied cognition can make activate prefrontal cortex of the brain, thereby improving learning effects. In line with these, immersive virtual reality (IVR) can simulated virtual environment for learners to practice procedural skill and declarative knowledge. For example, the "Earthquake Escaping", “Fire Escaping” and “Sense of Danger” are developed with IVR, users can learn procedural knowledge and develop “Conditional Response” to cope disaster. In these three IVR, the content includes (1) "Unit training": in different situations for mastery learning. (2) "Situated training": string several units for learners to cope serious dangerous matters. The training system includes (1) Practice module: training on-the-spot reactions and anchoring correct escape knowledge to long-term memory, and scaffolding in mis-steps to reduce the damage that may be caused by misconceptions. (2) Assessment module: learners are allowed to conduct situated assessments, the real responses in cope disaster are recorded through the learners' embodied operations. Expectedly, through the design mechanism in IVR, learners can practice repeatedly to develop disaster response skills to save life from earthquake, fire disaster.

Panelist 3: Yun WEN

Sustainable Use of AR: Cases of Integrating AR in Singapore Primary School Science Classes

The use of AR in classrooms to promote collaborative learning and inquiry is not a new topic. However, how to sustainably and on a large scale implement AR-based learning activities in schools remains a challenge. In this talk, Dr. Wen will share her ongoing project about designing, implementing, and scaling up the integration of AR in Singapore primary school science classes. The sharing seeks to provide insights into how to synergize teachers, researchers, and developers to promote pedagogical innovations using emerging technologies like AR.