Predictive analysis of Metaverse usage intention in the Spanish University

Abstract

In technologically advanced societies, the Metaverse has become a three-dimensional digital space that merges the real and virtual worlds, creating new scenarios and possibilities for social interaction. Considering the early stage of its development, the goal of this research is to provide knowledge on the will and intention of university students to use the “Metaverse” for educational purposes, identifying the relevant influential factors on the matter. This would contribute to the assessment and possible action of higher education institutions regarding the integration of this technology in the design of teaching–learning activities. For this purpose, an ex post facto research methodology with a prospective design has been used, relying on a survey conducted with a specially designed questionnaire based on the extended version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, covering a sample of 480 university students. Descriptive analysis and structural equation modeling were performed using SPSS and SmartPLS. The influence intention to use the Metaverse were reduced to three dimensions: performance behavior, social influence, and perceived value. The obtained results consolidate, on a theoretical level, the robustness of the Technology Acceptance Model (UTAUT-2). From a practical point of view, they serve to inform tool developers about the aspects to be prioritized and strengthened for implementation of such technological instruments in a teaching–learning context. Therefore, the study provides relevant information about the integration of the Metaverse in educational institutions, especially at the university level, focusing attention on universities as necessary active protagonists of such process.