Metaverse - pros and cons

 Continuing on from last week's posting, I had a look through various posts on the pros and cons of the metaverse. What are its implications??

Firstly, EdSurge provides an overview with a focus the Facebook announcement  (the link takes you to the main EdSurge page and a search for metaverse will get you to the page). There is a brief 'bright and ugly' side of the metaverse on medium.com. 

Profulus provides a more indepth discussion. The post begins with a generalised overview and history including difference between cyberspace and Web 2.0. The main advantages are the expansion of social media beyond Web 2.0; innovative communications for work and education; new opportunities for business and marketers; complementing of the applications of blockchain technology; and the creation and promotion of a virtual economy. The main disadvantages relate to the digital divide; erosion of human relationships and society as we know it; and privacy and security issues. These are reiterated by Konsyse.

Techrepublic puts on the black hat and provides reasons for why jumping on to the metaverse is a bad idea.

For education, there are many challenges to bringing learners into the metaverse. Costs and the digital divide are the main barriers. Mixed reality is still the most cost effective approach but requires resourcing for learning design and programme development. Throw in the aspects of privacy, security and ethics, and the whole enterprise becomes even more challenging. So, as always, the hype provides a glimpse into future possibilties. The current pandemic may accelerate the shift to online and metaverse -based education. However, there is still some way to go before it is mainstream to have all learning in virtual environments.