Metaverse education platforms or virtual schools are already here
‘Metaverse’ – This term was popularised by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg when he explained to the world his vision for his company and rebranded the name of his company. From then everyone is speaking about its banes and boons. But then actually the term “metaverse” was coined in Neal Stephenson’s 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash, where humans interacted with each other in avatar form within a three-dimensional virtual world.
Since metaverse offers an amazing platform for virtually interacting with each other from all around the world, and it ensures an immersive, detailed, social, and impartial way of imparting education, it opens new opportunities in the way learning happens. Students and teachers from anywhere can put on a virtual reality headset or utilize their web browser to log in to a virtual space and communicate with others face-to-face.
The metaverse roadmap categorizes the metaverse into 4 types: augmented reality, lifelogging, mirror world, and virtual reality-based. Below given table summarizes the definitions, characteristics, application fields, and use cases of each type.
Lets’ review a few metaverse education platforms or virtual schools
Metaverse school asserts that customization of the virtual classroom and the simulation of presence through avatars grants an immersive and realistic learning experience to students. Schools or tuition centres looking to offer browser-based web platforms for advanced learning can collaborate with metaverse school and offer at an affordable price to take your tuition to the next level.
CLASSV provides fast education services with web XR technology that doesn’t require VR devices to create visualized virtual space so that it can be accessed easily in any kind of user environment. Teachers can manage students, class statistics, class alarms, resources drive, and class information through the web by installing the PC client. Students can participate in class with PC, mobile, and VR HMD. CLASSV offers two weeks of free trial so that users can understand its benefits and features.
Metaverse Learning is one of the leading providers of high-quality, interactive and immersive content using virtual and augmented reality solutions. They collaborate with educational institutions to develop e-practical digital solutions for different subjects and skills – engineering, healthcare, and construction design. They create Virtual Reality, Virtual Environments, and Augmented Reality learning solutions that can be used independently or as part of a blended learning approach in a set curriculum.
The Optima Classical Academy hopes to open in 2022 as a 100% virtual school. The school will be available tuition-free to Florida students in grades 3-8 but will accept students from anywhere. They plan to have virtual classrooms with a wide variety of themes, from underwater classrooms to Greek temples. Children will work from their own homes or other suitable locations and use VR headsets like the Oculus to participate. After the live portion of the instructional day, scholars will have asynchronous learning, including their assignments for that day that can be completed on their own schedule. Their goal is to combine the latest virtual technologies with a “classical tradition and sequence of education.”
MEEMZ is a pioneering metaverse-based education platform developed by MARVRUS, a metaverse company specializing in XR/VR content, for children that provide users with an emotion-based user experience. MEEMZ is all about learning together.
Metamedics are creating a 3D virtual world for medical training where doctors and nurses can train from anywhere without any limitation. Doctors or medical students can enter a virtual world of medical simulation training where they would be able to practice procedures in a comfortable, instructional, and safe environment. Metaverse creates an opportunity to participate in a surgery with the full breadth and experience one would have if they were physically present.
Are we ready to adopt metaverse schools?
The metaverse will change how education is imparted. Metaverse would allow to create customizable avatars. This will allow learners to interact with real objects and put theory into practice. Allowing learners to use avatars that are realistic depictions of themselves and not vague cartoons adds an extra sense of realism to the virtual classroom, keeping learners more engaged in the learning process.
The metaverse is going to impact the way in which education is imparted in very many ways – we will have to wait and see.