The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on academic settings, disrupting normal routines and limiting social interactions among students. In response to this challenge, educational systems have implemented temporary measures to improve the quality of education and communication in online learning environments. While online learning communities have gained popularity, they often lack the immersive aspects provided by virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), resulting in decreased motivation and engagement compared to traditional classroom settings facilitated by web applications. This chapter aimed to explore how virtual academic environments, incorporating augmented reality elements, could improve educational outcomes by fostering social learning gains. By leveraging augmented reality features, virtual academic environments, including the Metaverse, have the potential to enhance academic productivity during situations like the coronavirus pandemic or future outbreaks by facilitating improved social interaction.
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The progress in state-of-the-art virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has given rise to a range of novel applications that aim to enhance our perception of reality and offer unique learning experiences. Augmented reality (AR), virtual reality, and metaverse platforms hold the capability to completely transform the settings where educational activities take place. (Lee, 2012). The accessibility of VR technology has unlocked a multitude of fresh and captivating prospects for delivering education with exceptional effectiveness (Carruth, 2017). However, students using AR may experience cognitive overwhelm due to the extensive volume of information they come across (Wu, Lee, Chang, & Liang, 2013). Overall, the book chapter highlights the transformative impact of VR and AI technologies on education and the promising prospects they offer in the context of pandemic situations such as Coronavirus epidemic. We will also discuss some of the disadvantages or limitations that come with the adoption of new technologies in education.
The utilization of Metaverses for human interaction, similar to the interactions in platforms like Second Life, is becoming a popular trend due to its ability to facilitate meaningful interactions among people. This technology is valuable as it enables individuals to engage and connect with each other in virtual environments (Vernaza, Armuelles, & Ruiz, 2012) following the announcement by the Facebook company to rebrand itself as Metaverse, driven by a renewed passion and vision, they aim to reshape Facebook into a virtual environment. This decision highlights their commitment to embracing the concept of the Metaverse and signifies their ambition to transform the way people experience and interact within online spaces.
As the popularity of VR continues to rise, it becomes crucial to evaluate the obstacles associated with transitioning traditional classrooms into virtual learning environments. It is essential to recognize the distinctions between the benefits and drawbacks of online learning and in-person instruction (Jefferson & Arnold, 2009). According to a study, a virtual community in the healthcare field refers to a collective of individuals utilizing telecommunication methods to deliver educational services (Demiris, 2006). Engaging in collaborative learning or working enables individuals to interact with others, leading to increased motivation levels (Phon, Ali, & Abd Halim, 2014).
Moreover, considering behavioral psychology perspectives, augmented reality can facilitate learning through the utilization of multi-sensory systems. However, there remains controversy regarding the extent to which this innovative medium can effectively fulfill educational objectives (Kabát, 2016). Additional research is required to gain a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of VR tools in educational settings, as psychological and cultural variations can introduce specific challenges. A study has indicated that community trust plays a paramount role in fostering collaboration among researchers. (Pang & Capek, 2020). Numerous applications have been developed to enhance interactivity through augmented reality (AR) applications. A research paper explores how museums and cultural institutions are transitioning to platforms like Second Life to expand their presence and engagement with audiences (Hazan, 2010). Furthermore, a virtual physics laboratory has been developed, providing students with the capability to manipulate and control various aspects of the laboratory environment. This immersive platform offers a hands-on learning experience for students in the field of physics (Loftin, Engleberg, & Benedetti, 1993). Also, VR applications can be used in the field of mathematics (Kaufmann, Schmalstieg, & Wagner, 2000) languages (Golonka, Bowles, Frank, Richardson, & Freynik, 2014; Khoshnevisan & Le, 2018; Sadler & Thrasher, 2021), engineering education (Cibulka & Giannoumis, 2017; Sulbaran & Baker, 2000) and geometry (Gargrish, Mantri, & Kaur, 2020; Kaufmann & Schmalstieg, 2002).