Reducing Barriers to the Use of the Metaverse in Higher Education

Abstract

Immersive metaverse environments have been consolidating as innovative pedagogical tools capable of promoting greater student engagement and participation in higher education. By enabling synchronous collaboration in three-dimensional digital spaces, these technologies reinforce active learning methodologies and the construction of contextualized learning experiences. This paper presents the development of instructional tutorials designed to train students and faculty in the use of the Spatial platform, produced by the General Coordination of Digital Education CGED. A PDF tutorial and two video tutorials were created, covering topics from basic navigation to the creation of immersive educational environments. The preliminary validation of the materials was conducted with the Course Structuring Faculty (NDE) of the Nutrition program, demonstrating effectiveness in overcoming initial technological barriers, even among users with no prior experience. The materials were made available in an open repository on Zenodo, ensuring public access and academic traceability. Structured instructional support constitutes an essential step in reducing cognitive load when using new tools and in expanding the adoption of emerging technologies in higher education.