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Metaverse: What does it actually mean?
Ever since Facebook decided to rename its platform Meta, the Metaverse has been gaining prominence and so you’ve probably already heard of it. But, what’s behind the word?
The Metaverse is a contraction of the words ‘meta’ and ‘universe’ and simply means ‘virtual universe’. Often confused with the world of video games, the Metaverse offers many more possibilities. It is a shared, immersive, three-dimensional virtual place in which people can interact, discuss, play, and even learn, using digital tools.
Seen by some as the successor to the internet, the Metaverse uses existing technologies such as augmented reality, virtual reality, video games, and artificial intelligence. This world therefore makes it possible to combine immersion and collaborative work. This is why some users today consider the virtual world as an extension of their real life.
Increasingly used by young people, the Metaverse is a network of interconnected experiences, applications, digital tools, and infrastructures that offer users three main features: the feeling of immersion, real-time interactivity and infinite use.
Key fact: by 2026, young people will spend at least 1 hour a day in the Metaverse.
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What are the origins of the Metaverse ?
In fact, the Metaverse is not a new thing. Virtual worlds have been around longer than you might think. In 1992, the American novelist, Neal Stephenson, coined the term Metaverse when he published his book The Virtual Samurai. In it, he describes a parallel world, accessible through a headset where it is possible to move around virtually and interact with objects.
In 2003, the game Second Life featured this virtual universe. Then, the films The Matrix and Wreck-It Ralph introduced the concept of a virtual world to a wider audience. Today, it is Facebook that has changed its name and called its platform Meta.
The concept of the Metaverse has therefore been around for more than 30 years and it’s worth comparing this new technology to the arrival of the Internet in the 1980s. At the time, the Internet seemed like science fiction and we didn’t know what the future would bring. With the Metaverse, society is reacting in the same way. And also just like the internet, this world is constantly changing, as it evolves with experimentation and technological change.
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What are the main features that make up the Metaverse ?
To have a more detailed understanding of the Metaverse, here is what Matthew Ball, a specialist in the subject, tells us in his book entitled ‘The Metaverse’. He lists 5 fundamental elements that define the Metaverse.
#2 The Metaverse is also a collective 3D universe. It enables simultaneous interaction with thousands of people around the world so that all users have the same experience at the same time.
#3 The Metaverse has no limit or maximum size. Anyone can participate.
#4 The Metaverse is a computer-generated universe.
#5 The Metaverse is an economy like any other. You can own goods, buy, sell, invest.
However, to date, there is no single Metaverse that is the property of Meta/Facebook. It is up to each individual and each company to imagine their own Metaverse, to appropriate it, and create their own experiences.
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Synchronous and asynchronous... two different versions or uses of the Metaverse at Excelia
1 – Synchronous Metaverse
2 – Asynchronous Metaverse
The asynchronous virtual world allows students to revisit and relive an experience alone or with others, like a replay, interacting with avatars, using artificial intelligence. The benefit for pedagogy is that it allows students to revise and practice until they reach their educational objectives.
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How is the Metaverse accessed ?
The Metaverse is not simply a platform, which can be accessed by opening a web page or an application via the Internet. As it is a 3D universe, you enter the Metaverse by way of digital tools and applications or games: wireless virtual reality headsets, 3D glasses, augmented reality headsets.
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So what opportunities does the Metaverse offer the world of education ?
“The Metaverse has real potential, as it offers ‘phygital’ experiences… a seamless combination of physical and digital.It’s like the next evolution of the Internet, which will naturally combine physical and digital experiences. It could involve a multitude of environments such as a virtual point of sale, a digital classroom, a training tool or even a gateway to entirely new immersive experiences."
Education could be one of the first areas in which the Metaverse is used. At Excelia, we believe that the way in which we will teach in the years to come will be affected by the emergence of the new technologies that make up the Metaverse. Knowing that the Metaverse makes virtual worlds accessible to the greatest number of people will help contribute to creating experiences that are impossible to achieve in conventional lessons, or even within companies.
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At Excelia, we foresee 7 main opportunities :
- To live a unique, shared educational experience
- To promote learning through interaction and autonomy
- To move towards active learning rather than passive learning: learners who enter this virtual world will experiment for themselves and make their own discoveries
- To live every possible dimension of the educational experiences offered
- To ‘learn how to learn’ so as to never feel overwhelmed
- To develop students’ curiosity
- To meet educational objectives in a very distinct way
