"Virtual reality can transport students to the jungle or ancient cities, but an instructor’s presence is key to making sure they’re actually learning. That’s the supposed promise the metaverse — a blended in-person and digital environment — holds for education, according to a Brookings Institution report published Monday."—Source: EdScoop
WHY THIS MATTERS:
As institutions explore leveraging the metaverse, a Brookings Institution report makes a case for virtual reality as a learning tool that can foster deeper engagement. "What I’d like to do is change the conception [of virtual reality] from individuals entering individual worlds, where we have pretend people," notes Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, author of the report, adding that VR means individuals "can be in the same room, working together, talking together under the guidance of an expert, and can actually be communicating with each other about what we’re seeing."