Impact of Metaverse Technology on Student Engagement and Academic Performance: The Mediating Role of Learning Motivation

Abstract

Metaverse technology, encompassing virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), offers immersive and interactive learning environments that can enhance student engagement. The personalized and adaptive nature of metaverse experiences has the potential to spark students' intrinsic motivation and promote active involvement in their learning. In order to evaluate the impact of metaverse technology on academic performance and level of engagement this research was aimed to assess the academic performance with mediating effect of learning motivation. We conducted an empirical research through an online survey that initially utilized to measure the collected data. Data collected from 33 educational institution located in Dubai UAE. A total of 251 respondent’s data were utilized and assessed through structured equation modelling. SmartPLS 4 was used to check the model convergent validity, discriminant validity and hypothesis testing. The findings revealed student involvement can be positively impacted by the employment of metaverse technology, which in turn improves academic performance. However, it's critical to take into account potential access restrictions and the necessity for a well-rounded educational strategy that combines metaverse experiences with other teaching strategies. Future studies should focus on the precise mechanisms by which metaverse technology influences learning motivation, engagement, and performance, as this will give researchers important information for developing efficient metaverse-based educational interventions.