Meta Unlocks the Potential of Metaverse Education Initiatives with US Universities

What is Meta looking for?

Meta is looking to generate more interest in its metaverse vision by collaborating with 15 U.S. universities to facilitate classes in virtual reality.

Meta will examine how immersive technologies, including VR and AR, can contribute to the future of education. The new program will facilitate a range of unique learning opportunities, with a view to broader adoption in the future.

What Meta is trying to explain?

Meta further explains that the metaverse is the next evolution of the internet. It spans a range of technologies. It includes VR headsets that transport you to whole new environments.

Explain what the AR glasses are going to project

The AR glasses will project computer-generated images onto the world around you one day, and you will see mixed reality (MR) experiences that blend physical and virtual environments.

Who will benefit from Meta’s Metaverse?

We want more and more teachers and students to benefit from these technologies.

It is why all those students returning for the new academic year can make good use of a new partnership program. It will help college students in the U.S. who want to learn using VR.

There are several participating universities. It includes Stanford University, Morehouse College, and the University of Iowa, with most VR courses currently focusing on.

All these colleges and universities are focusing on VR courses like soft skills and dealing with situations that simulate real-life environments.

However, there are also some looking at nursing and surgical applications. It is another area that has gained attention recently.

It all started when a surgeon in China conducted complex surgery from thousands of miles away via a remote-controlled, robotic system.

That process did not utilize VR, but it is one of the several areas where VR technology could facilitate new opportunities.

What more does Meta say about the metaverse here?

Meta says that a range of education-related apps is already available for Meta Quest. It includes experiences related to science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM), history, language, and more.

This new push will expand on this while further integrating VR into more areas and making it a more mainstream consideration.

Meta is also saying that schools have also started incorporating VR learning elements. It is seriously showcasing some excellent results.

What does the recent report by PwC say about VR learners?  

A recent report by PwC found that 40% of VR learners are more confident in applying what they have been taught and 150% more engaged during classes.

Moreover, in a randomized control study of the VR mathematics program “Prisms,” all students learning in VR had test scores 11% higher than those in the control group.

The study also found increased students’ confidence, engagement, and ability to describe mathematical concepts more clearly and confidently.

There is undoubtedly some educational benefit within these new and more immersive digital environments. It offers the capacity to experience things rather than simply reading about them or viewing them in video clips.

What do VR and AR have in store for the future?

VR and AR can provide expanded opportunities in this respect. As technology evolves, it will logically offer huge learning potential to the masses worldwide.

This new initiative is the first step towards that future. It will also help Meta in normalizing the usage of VR headsets. It could further expand the adoption of its metaverse vision.

What more is Meta doing with its metaverse?

Meta is also leaning into gaming communities for the same. Last week, Meta gave all 2023 Roblox Developer Conference attendees accessible Quest Pro units. It was done to encourage them to engage in its new virtual worlds.

Roblox, of course, is one of many gaming brands that is already working with Meta on its VR worlds. Now, millions of youngsters are already engaging in the metaverse-like Roblox world.

It will be a crucial opportunity to tap into the next generation of consumers and build towards its metaverse vision.

It is really where Meta is looking. Youngsters already conduct most social interactions in gaming worlds like Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite.

It is this generation that has grown up communicating through digital avatars. It is more likely to be open to Meta’s next-level VR experience.

Is leaning into education and gaming an intelligent strategy for Meta?

Leaning into education and gaming is an intelligent strategy here, and it will be interesting to see how Meta continues to look to these and other avenues as it builds an audience for its virtual environment.

What more educational initiatives is Meta working on?

Meta also notes that it works on similar educational initiatives with selected European universities. It also makes educational content easier to find in the Quest store.

Do you want to know more?

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