We are pleased to highlight the publication of the chapter “New Dimensions: The Impact of the Metaverse and AI Avatars on Social Science Education” by Paulina Pui Yun Wong, Jaemin Lee, Wilkinson Daniel Wong Gonzales, Hee Sun (Sunny) Choi, Haerim Hwang, and Daniel Jiandong Shen.

This peer-reviewed study appears in the volume Blended Learning: Intelligent Computing in Education (Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 14797, Springer, 2024), which collects proceedings from the 17th International Conference on Blended Learning (ICBL 2024), University of Macau.

The chapter investigates how immersive environments in the metaverse, enhanced by artificial intelligence avatars, shape student engagement and perceptions in social science education. Findings show that while metaverse platforms can deepen experiential learning and foster critical global citizenship, students encountered challenges when interacting with AI-driven avatars compared to non-avatar immersive settings. These insights highlight both the promise and the current limitations of applying metaverse technologies to higher education, calling for further research into long-term impacts and broader disciplinary applications.

This work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education and was supported by multiple grants, including Lingnan University’s Teaching Development Grant, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Teaching Development Grant, the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Teaching Development and Language Enhancement Grant, and the University Grants Committee’s Fund for Innovative Technology-in-Education (FITE).

Full reference:
Wong, P. P. Y., Lee, J., Gonzales, W. D. W., Choi, H. S., Hwang, H., & Shen, D. J. (2024). New Dimensions: The Impact of the Metaverse and AI Avatars on Social Science Education. In W. W. K. Ma, C. Li, C. W. Fan, L. H. U, & A. Lu (Eds.), Blended Learning. Intelligent Computing in Education – 17th International Conference on Blended Learning, ICBL 2024, Proceedings (pp. 90–101). Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 14797. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-4442-8_7