Manuscript received April 17, 2024; revised May 6, 2024; accepted May 14, 2024; published September 12, 2024
Abstract—The outbreak of COVID-19 has accelerated the
adoption of virtual teaching and learning in education.
Metaverse, an immersive platform that merges physical and
digital realms, has become the center of attraction. The
opportunities and challenges of Metaverse for teaching and
learning have been widely discussed. Existing literature
suggests that Metaverse can enhance students’ engagement and
provide an immersive learning experience in a classroom
situation. However, there is limited research focusing on the
application of Metaverse in a teacher-centered learning
environment. In this study, we organized a real-time conference
and showcase exhibition in the Metaverse platform powered by
Mozilla Hubs. The session was broadcasted simultaneously via
Zoom. A survey was conducted after the conference to collect
participants’ feedback. By comparing the users’ experience on
Metaverse with Zoom and assessing the organizers’ insights,
this study sheds light on the importance of having a tailor-made
setup to accommodate teacher-centered learning needs in the
Metaverse. Second, participants might feel disconnected from
each other with the use of cartoon-shaped avatars. It is
noteworthy that facial expressions and body movements are
essential for developing social presence. Third, it is vital to
provide adequate user training to get users familiar with the
Metaverse platform.
Keywords—immersive technology, Metaverse, education,
virtual teaching and learning, virtual world
Cite: Paul Lam and Vanessa Kiu, "Exploring the Potential of Immersive Technology for Virtual Teaching and Learning: A Metaverse Conference Experience," International Journal of Information and Education Technology vol. 14, no. 9, pp. 1185-1191, 2024.