MIXED REALITY TOOLS FOR EDUCATION IN THE METAVERSE

Abstract

"Education needs to adapt to the constant changes of society and integrate modern technologies to enhance the process of teaching and learning. The recent Covid 19 pandemic has generated a shift towards digital education, as most educational institutions were forced to temporarily suspend all physical activities. The transfer and absorption of knowledge suffered greatly from this, especially in the underdeveloped countries where the infrastructure is limited. Nevertheless, the current crisis has paved the way for digital campuses, online classrooms and digital teaching platforms. In this article we briefly present several free tools that educators can adapt and use to create a virtual classroom based on mixed reality (XR) technologies, along with the main XR hardware (such as Oculus Quest, Hololens 2). We also share insights on how a virtual classroom can increase student participation and engagement, and how we envision the future of digital classrooms and their potential in the Metaverse."