Metaverse: The Future Avatar of Language Learning

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Summary

Humanity has had to reconsider how we educate and learn as a result of COVID-19 making it essential to use modern technology when teaching English, owing to extraordinary advancements made in a variety of professions and disciplines. It is crucial for the education sector to keep up with the global technology transformation by implementing cutting-edge technical tools like computerization, multi-media devices, mobile phones, audio/visual effects programs, and social media to maximize English language instruction by providing teachers with the tools needed for connecting with students who are learning languages in the classroom in a structured and sophisticated way. Software, apps, a variety of supplementary platforms, and resources that can accelerate the instruction/ acquisition of English are all easily, instantly, and practically available on the Internet.

The Next-generation digital technologies have made the virtual world a reality, which in turn heralded in the metaverse, a 3D digital arena that combines the actual and virtual worlds, that has been hailed as a promising future educational trend. Thus, the disruption caused by the pandemic demonstrated the importance of digital transformation for now and in the years to come, wherein language learning will also be transformed into an immersive process by embracing the metaverse. But the current research hardly ever explored the metaverse from the standpoint of education/learning. This paper explores the implications of virtual reality (VR) for ELT as there are convincing reasons to believe that language teachers should not dismiss the metaverse so quickly, considering the potential of immersive virtual environments for language acquisition. Furthermore, this paper also explores the possible uses of the metaverse for language learning, blended learning, competency-based instruction, and inclusive education. Finally, this paper concludes with some of the challenges entailed in using the metaverse and how teachers can prepare for its effective use in their language classrooms.

About the presenter

The presenter, Vyomakesisri T is a Ph.D. Research Scholar (English, Osmania University) and an Assistant Prof (English, St. Joseph’s Degree and PG College, Hyderabad). She has won Best Paper/ Presenter awards at various National/International conferences and received citations for my papers. Vyomakesisri holds a Master’s degree in English and Business Administration (MBA, HR). A Certified TEFL/TESOL and BEC(Vantage) professional with a teaching experience of 10 yrs. Her research interests include post-colonial, Gender, Feminist and Queer studies. Currently researching Children’s and Young Adult fiction and will be submitting my thesis soon.