From Consumers to Creators: Transforming Teaching and Learning through Metaverse-Based Instruction for 21st-Century Competency Development
Keywords:
Metaverse-Based Instruction; Design-Based Research; Learner Agency; 21st-Century Competencies; Teacher Professional DevelopmentAbstract
The rapid advancement of immersive technologies has intensified interest in the educational potential of the metaverse. However, existing research remains largely descriptive and provides limited empirical explanation of how metaverse-based instruction transforms teaching practices and learner roles. This study develops and empirically validates a Metaverse-Based Instruction (MBI) framework that explains how immersive instructional design facilitates the transition from learners as consumers to creators. Using a Design-Based Research approach, 11 secondary school teachers participated in a design-oriented professional development program and implemented metaverse-based lessons in authentic classroom settings. A mixed-methods analysis integrated quantitative assessments of teacher competencies with qualitative data from observations, artifacts, and focus groups. Findings indicate significant improvements in teachers’ instructional design competencies, particularly in assessment integration and learner-centered design. Four levels of metaverse integration were identified: presentation, interaction, simulation, and transformative co-creation, with higher levels associated with increased learner agency, collaboration, and knowledge creation. Importantly, teacher perceptual shift emerged as a key mediating mechanism linking instructional design and learner transformation. The study contributes a mechanism-based, empirically grounded framework that advances immersive education toward pedagogically driven transformation.https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.5.4
References
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Brown, A. L. (1992). Design experiments: Theoretical and methodological challenges in creating complex interventions in classroom settings. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 2(2), 141–178. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327809jls0202_2
Collins, A., Joseph, D., & Bielaczyc, K. (2004). Design research: Theoretical and methodological issues. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 13(1), 15–42. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327809jls1301_2
Dede, C. (2009). Immersive interfaces for engagement and learning. Science, 323(5910), 66–69. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1167311
Design-Based Research Collective. (2003). Design-based research: An emerging paradigm for educational inquiry. Educational Researcher, 32(1), 5–8. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X032001005
Dionisio, J. D., Burns, W. G., III, & Gilbert, R. (2013). 3D virtual worlds and the metaverse: Current status and future possibilities. ACM Computing Surveys, 45(3), 1–38. https://doi.org/10.1145/2480741.2480751
Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Baabdullah, A. M., Ribeiro-Navarrete, S., Giannakis, M., Al-Debei, M. M., Dennehy, D., Metri, B., Buhalis, D., Cheung, C. M. K., Conboy, K., Doyle, R., Dubey, R., Dutot, V., Felix, R., Goyal, D. P., Gustafsson, A., Hinsch, C., Jebabli, I., … Fosso Wamba, S. (2022). Metaverse beyond the hype: Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 66, 102542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2022.102542
Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 43–71. https://doi.org/10.1002/piq.21143
Ertmer, P. A., & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, A. T. (2010). Teacher technology changes: How knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and culture intersect. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 42(3), 255–284. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2010.10782551
Hernández Cárdenas, L. S., Carrillo Arriaga, J. G., & Rivera Prieto, R. A. (2024). The metaverse—A space for learning assessment. In Technological advancements and innovations in the future of education (pp. 281–288). Springer.
Jonassen, D. H. (1999). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. II, pp. 215–239). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK)? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60–70.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.
Kuratko, D. F. (2016). Entrepreneurship: Theory, process, and practice (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Kye, B., Han, N., Kim, D., Park, Y., & Jo, S. (2021). Educational applications of metaverse: Possibilities and limitations. Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 18, 32. https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2021.18.32
Lee, L.-H., Braud, T., Zhou, P., Wang, L., Xu, D., Lin, Z., & Hui, P. (2021).
All one needs to know about metaverse : A complete survey on technological singularity, virtual ecosystem, and research agenda. arXiv preprint arXiv:2110.05352. https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.05352
Makransky, G., & Petersen, G. B. (2021). Immersive virtual reality and learning: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 33, 937–958. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09586-2
Makransky, G., Terkildsen, T. S., & Mayer, R. E. (2019). Adding immersive virtual reality to a science lab simulation causes more presence but less learning. Learning and Instruction, 60, 225–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2017.12.007
Mikropoulos, T. A., & Natsis, A. (2011). Educational virtual environments: A ten?year review of empirical research (1999–2009). Computers & Education, 56(3), 769–780. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.10.020
Mystakidis, S. (2022). Metaverse. Encyclopedia, 2(1), 486–497. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia2010031
Nabi, G., Liñán, F., Fayolle, A., Krueger, N., & Walmsley, A. (2017). The impact of entrepreneurship education in higher education: A systematic review and research agenda. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 16(2), 277–299. https://doi.org/10.5465/amle.2015.0026
Neck, H. M., & Greene, P. G. (2011). Entrepreneurship education: Known worlds and new frontiers. Journal of Small Business Management, 49(1), 55–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-627X.2010.00314.x
OECD. (2018). The future of education and skills: Education 2030. OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/
Park, S. M., & Kim, Y. G. (2022). A metaverse: Taxonomy, components, applications, and open challenges. IEEE Access, 10, 4209–4251. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3140175
Philipsen, B., Tondeur, J., Pareja Roblin, N., Vanslambrouck, S., & Zhu, C. (2019). Improving teacher professional development for online and blended learning: A systematic meta-aggregative review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 67, 1145–1174. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-019-09645-8
Piaget, J. (1972). The psychology of the child. Basic Books.
Priestley, M., Biesta, G., & Robinson, S. (2015). Teacher agency: An ecological approach. Bloomsbury.
Radianti, J., Majchrzak, T. A., Fromm, J., & Wohlgenannt, I. (2020). A systematic review of immersive virtual reality applications for higher education. Computers & Education, 147, 103778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103778
Reiser, R. A., & Dempsey, J. V. (Eds.). (2017). Trends and issues in instructional design and technology (4th ed.). Pearson.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2020). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. Springer.
Sawyer, R. K. (2014). The Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Sripan, T., & Jeerapattanatorn, P. (2025). Metaverse-based learning: A comprehensive review of current trends, challenges, and future implications. Contemporary Educational Technology, 17(3), ep584. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/16434
Stephenson, N. (1992). Snow crash. Bantam Books.
Taufikin, M. S. I., Supa’At, S., Azifah, N., Nikmah, F., Kuanr, J., & Parminder. (2024). The impact of AI on teacher roles and pedagogy in the 21st century classroom. Proceedings of the 2024 International Conference on Knowledge Engineering and Communication Systems (ICKECS), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICKECS61492.2024.10617236
Taufikin, & Nurhayati, S. (2026). Talent-based education in Indonesian primary schools: Integrating Ki Hadjar Dewantara’s philosophy for inclusive learning. Jurnal Visi Ilmu Pendidikan, 18(1), 296–317. https://doi.org/10.26418/jvip.v18i1.91512
Tlili, A., Huang, R., Shehata, B., Liu, D., Zhao, J., Metwally, A. H. S., & Burgos, D. (2023).
Metaverse in education: A systematic review and research agenda.
Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 4, 100074.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2023.100074
Tondeur, J., Scherer, R., Siddiq, F., & Baran, E. (2020). A comprehensive framework for teacher digital competence. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68, 2395–2414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09767-4
Voogt, J., Laferrière, T., Breuleux, A., Itow, R. C., Hickey, D. T., & McKenney, S. (2022). Collaborative design as a form of professional development. Instructional Science, 50, 139–172. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-021-09566-6
World Economic Forum. (2020). The future of jobs report 2020. https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2020
Zhang, X., Chen, Y., Hu, L., & Wang, Y. (2022). The metaverse in education: Definition, framework, features, potential applications, challenges, and future research topics. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1016300. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1016300
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Pattarawat Jeerapattanatorn, Thanapat Sripan, Nutwichida Lertpongrujikorn
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
All articles published by IJLTER are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivatives 4.0 International License (CCBY-NC-ND4.0).
