Academic Augmentation: Analyzing Avatar Design in Educational Metaverse

Abstract

The emergence of Metaverse from the realms of science fiction into a tangible reality marks a transformative epoch in the digital landscape. Avatars, serving as digital embodiments of users, wield significant influence over educational interactions within this burgeoning virtual realm. This qualitative study embarks on an exploration of how avatar design shapes the landscape of virtual education within the nascent Metaverse. Structured interviews were conducted with a diverse cohort of 20 participants, comprising equal representation of 10 males and 10 females from varied educational backgrounds. Through these interviews, the research utilized qualitative analysis methods (namely as thematic coding) and delved into the nuanced perspectives of participants regarding the impact of avatar design on their learning experiences. Findings unveil the multifaceted role of avatars in online interactions, with attributes such as gender, facial features, and attire emerging as pivotal design elements. Participants' individual personalities and external influences wielded significant sway over their avatar choices, while varying emotional connections translated into preferences for either professional demeanor or self-expression within the virtual educational landscape. Amidst mixed opinions surrounding the educational efficacy of avatar design, some participants foresee heightened engagement, while others express skepticism. Despite acknowledging the socialization benefits, lingering uncertainties persist regarding the Metaverse's efficacy as an educational tool. Preferences regarding avatar promotion and customization exhibit variance, with prevalent concerns revolving around privacy and data security. Furthermore, the comprehensive data analysis of participants' demographics revealed a diverse cohort, encompassing individuals from various countries, academic disciplines, and scholastic years. This multifaceted approach facilitated a comprehensive exploration of avatar preferences and user experiences, enriching the study's findings and enhancing its applicability across diverse educational contexts.

Keywords

• Metaverse
• avatar
• virtual education
• digital persona
• avatar customization

References

1. Aldiabat, K., & Le Navenec, C.-L. (2018). Data saturation: The mysterious step in grounded theory method. The Qualitative Report. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2018.2994
2. Bailenson, J. N., & Yee, N. (2008). Virtual interpersonal touch: A review. PsychNology Journal, 6(2), 69-86. https://doi.org/10.5817/PSYCTECH.2008.2.7.
3. Baltar, F., & Brunet, I. (2012). Social research 2.0: Virtual snowball sampling method using Facebook. Internet Research, 22(1), 57–74. https://doi.org/10.1108/10662241211199960
4. Belk, R. W. (2013). Extended self in a digital world. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(3), 477-500. https://doi.org/10.1086/671052
5. Blascovich, J., & Bailenson, J. (2011). Infinite reality: Avatars, eternal life, new worlds, and the dawn of the virtual revolution. Harper Collins. https://books.google.co.kr/books/about/Infinite_Reality.html?id=QcNDxzsbMPkC&redir_esc=y
6. Blascovich, J., Loomis, J., Beall, A. C., & Swinth, K. R. (2002). Immersive virtual environment technology as a methodological tool for social psychology. Psychological Inquiry, 13(2), 103-124. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1302_01
7. Bower, M., Lee, M. J. W., & Dalgarno, B. (2020). Collaborative virtual environments for education and training: An insight into users' experiences. Educational Technology & Society, 23(3), 99-114. https://doi.org/ 10.1109/ACCESS.2017.2789329
8. Braguez, J., Braguez, M., Moreira, S., & Filipe, C. (2023). The possibilities of changes in learning experiences with Metaverse. Procedia Computer Science, 219, 504-511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2022.11.048

9. Castronova, E. (2005). Synthetic worlds: The business and culture of online games. University of Chicago Press. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo3620704.html
10. Cheong, B. C. (2022). Avatars in the metaverse: Potential legal issues and remedies. International Cybersecurity Law Review, 1-28. https://doi.org/10.1365/s43439-022-00056-9
11. Dalgarno, B., & Lee, M. J. (2010). What are the learning affordances of 3-D virtual environments? British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(1), 10-32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.01038.x
12. Denscombe, M. (2010). The Good Research Guide for Small-Scale Social Research Projects (4th ed.). Open University Press. McGraw-Hill House, Shoppe hangers Road, Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, SL6 2QL: McGraw-Hill Education.
13. Ducheneaut, N., Wen, M.-H., Yee, N., & Wadley, G. (2009). Body and mind: A study of avatar personalization in three virtual worlds. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI '09) (pp. 1151-1160). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/1518701.1518877
14. Hooi, R., & Cho, H. (2012). Being immersed: avatar similarity and self-awareness. In Proceedings of the 24th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference (OzCHI '12) (pp. 232-240). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/2414536.2414576
15. Hu, Y.-H., Yu, H.-Y., Tzeng, J.-W., & Zhong, K.-C. (2023). Using an avatar-based digital collaboration platform to foster ethical education for university students. Computers & Education, 196, 104728. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104728
16. Kanematsu, H., Kobayashi, T., Barry, D. M., Fukumura, Y., Dharmawansa, A., & Ogawa, N. (2014). Virtual STEM class for nuclear safety education in metaverse. Procedia computer science, 35, 1255-1261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2014.08.224
17. Kizilcec, R. F., Papadopoulos, K., & Kotov, A. (2017). Empirical assessment of active VR learning experiences. In Proceedings of the 2017 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 4177–4189). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3025453.3025877
18. Kumar, R. (2011). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners (3rd ed.). Sage Publications. https://www.scirp.org/(S(oyulxb452alnt1aej1nfow45))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=1971596
19. Lee, S. Y., & Nass, C. I. (2003). When attractive models don’t work: Lessons in assessing the effectiveness of embodied conversational agents. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 33(12), 2393-2417. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.2003.tb02750.x.
20. Liu, P., Liu, J., Fernandez, J., Zou, Q., & Lin, M. (2023). Positive affect and natural landscape in virtual reality: A systematic review comparing interventions, measures, and outcomes. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 88, 102011. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102011
21. Matsuda, K. (2020). The Physical and Mental Health Challenges of Extended Reality. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/experience-this/202007/the-physical-and-mental-health-challenges-extended-reality
22. Muhammad, K., Khan, N., Lee, M. Y., Imran, A. S., & Sajjad, M. (2021). School of the future: A comprehensive study on the effectiveness of augmented reality as a tool for primary school children’s education. Applied Sciences, 11(11), 5277. https://doi:10.3390/app11115277
23. Nor Rashidi, M., Ara Begum, R., Mokhtar, M., & Pereira, J. J. (2014). The conduct of structured interviews as research implementation method. Journal of Advanced Research Design, 1(1), 28-34. https://www.akademiabaru.com/doc/ARDV1_N1_P28_34.pdf
24. Nowak, K. L. (2015). Examining perception and identification in avatar mediated interaction. In S.S. Sundar (Ed.), The handbook of the psychology of communication technology (pp. 89-114). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118426456.ch5
25. Nowak, K. L., & Fox, J. (2018). Avatars and computer-mediated communication: A review of the definitions, uses, and effects of digital representations. Review of Communication Research, 6, 30-53. https://doi.org/10.12840/issn.2255-4165.2018.06.01.001
26. Pakanen, M., Alavesa, P., Arhippainen, L., & Ojala, T. (2020). Stepping out of the classroom: Anticipated user experiences of web-based mirror world like virtual campus. International Journal of Virtual and Personal Learning Environments (IJVPLE), 10(1), 1-23. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJVPLE.2020010101
27. Pakanen, M., Alavesa, P., van Berkel, N., Koskela, T., & Ojala, T. (2022). "Nice to see you virtually": Thoughtful design and evaluation of virtual avatar of the other user in AR and VR based telexistence systems. Entertainment Computing, 40, 100457. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1875952121000549
28. Park, S. M., & Kim, Y. G. (2022). A metaverse: Taxonomy, components, applications, and open challenges. IEEE Access, 10, 4209-4251. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3057828
29. Qamar, S., Anwar, Z., & Afzal, M. (2023). A systematic threat analysis and defense strategies for the metaverse and extended reality systems. Computers & Security, 103127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cose.2023.103127
30. Sadler, G. R., Lee, H.-C., Lim, R. S.-H., & Fullerton, J. (2010). Research article: Recruitment of hard-to-reach population subgroups via adaptations of the snowball sampling strategy. Nursing & Health Sciences, 12(3), 369–374. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-2018.2010.00541.x
31. Ünlü, H., Kennouche, D. E., Soylu, G. K., & Demirörs, O. (2024). Microservice-based projects in agile world: A structured interview. Information and Software Technology, 165, 107334. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2023.107334
32. Yee, N., & Bailenson, J. N. (2007). The Proteus effect: The effect of transformed self-representation on behavior. Human Communication Research, 33(3), 271-290. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2958.2007.00299.x.
33. Zahedi, F. M., Zhao, H., Sanvanson, P., Walia, N., Jain, H., & Shaker, R. (2022). My real avatar has a doctor appointment in the Wepital: A system for persistent, efficient, and ubiquitous medical care. Information & Management, 59(8), 103706. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9487169/