I must admit that, despite my professional enthusiasm for the metaverse and immersiveness, I have sometimes wondered if the great passion shown by the educational world for these technologies is shared by the users
At Didacta 2024, the education fair held in Florence last March, immersive environments and headsets were one of the main trends, with many offering visitors a nice multimedia headset to experience an “unforgettable journey.” But how many were considering making it a stable educational tool?
Don’t get me wrong, I am certainly not a skeptic of the metaverse, but it seems that (at least for now) between a competent and engaging teacher in the flesh and an equally competent teacher in the metaverse, the “here and now” still wins. Of course, this isn’t always the case, and it is precisely in the context of training on topics that are “too distant, too dangerous, or too small/large” where the metaverse wins hands down: for a beginner, it is much safer to practice open-heart surgery in the metaverse rather than in reality. And it’s also safer for the patient!
However, when it comes to online training, I wonder if the metaverse isn’t the ace up the sleeve that manages to overcome the distance from the teacher—or from the subjects to be studied—inherent in the study method. The IUL Telematic University has considered this and created three different spaces dedicated to degree courses, master’s programs, and research activities. For example, in the conference room, it is possible to access a library of asynchronous content but also to participate in group public sessions through one’s avatar. If you want to try the experience firsthand, hurry because IUL’s spaces will be open to everyone, including the general public, at least until the next academic year.
