Learner Engagement in the Metaverse

Abstract

Learner engagement, or immersion, or participation, is an important indicator of school-related success and even self-achievement related actions. So, what precisely does “learner engagement” entail, one would wonder? This is a valid query that scholars in the field of education commonly discuss. Given that it is impacted by several circumstances, engagement is complicated and hard to describe. It is important to distinguish this from simple participation. Engagement entails active involvement. Despite the complexity to define it, three major kinds of engagement have been identified: behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, and cognitive engagement. Metaverse has repercussions for all three. In this chapter, the authors discuss the metaverse from the overall student engagement perspective, as a function of a number of factors including communities of inquiry. The authors also argue that engagement in the metaverse largely depends on self-regulation, which is another factor closely tied to academic engagement. The authors provide and synthesize current educational metaverse practices.