Metaverses as teaching tool in higher education instructors training

Abstract

For years, universities have been making great efforts to introduce improvements and innovations in teaching. To this end, different tools are being incorporated to support teaching methodologies. This article analyzes the application of metaverses in a training session for a group of 47 university professors in a business school using the AltspaceVR tool on a traditional screen. The results obtained in a subsequent survey are analyzed statistically, showing specific differences in the willingness to use them, which is higher among the youngest in the study because they are considered more digital natives; among men; among teachers with a Ph.D. degree; and among those with more teaching experience. The conclusions suggest that teachers consider metaverses can be an excellent tool for multiplying the options for remote teaching, both fully online and hybrid, and consider it as a complement, rather than a substitute, in the case of traditional education. However, it is appreciated that implementing this tool requires more technical training..