SHOULD I USE METAVERSE OR NOT? AN INVESTIGATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' BEHAVIORAL INTENTION TO USE METAEDUCATION TECHNOLOGY

Metaverse, a burgeoning technological trend that combines virtual and augmented reality, provides users with a fully digital environment where they can assume a virtual identity through a digital avatar and interact with others as they were in the real world. Its applications span diverse domains such as economy (with its entry into the cryptocurrency field), finance, social life, working environment, healthcare, real estate, and education. During the COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 era, universities have rapidly adopted e-learning technologies to provide students with online access to learning content and platforms, rendering previous considerations on integrating such technologies or preparing institutional infrastructures virtually obsolete. In light of this context, the present study proposes a framework for analyzing university students' acceptance and intention to use metaverse technologies in education, drawing upon the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Specifically, the study aims to investigate the relationship between students' intention to use metaverse technologies in education, hereafter referred to as MetaEducation, and selected TAM constructs, including Attitude (ATT), Perceived Usefulness (PU), Perceived Ease of Use (PE), Self-efficacy (SE) of metaverse technologies in education, and Subjective Norm (SN). Through the development of a structural model of MetaEducation acceptance, the study aims to provide insights to university managers, policymakers, and professors for effectively incorporating this emerging technology into educational settings. Preliminary findings reveal a hesitance among university students to adopt MetaEducation technologies. Notably, Self-efficacy and Subjective Norm have a positive influence on Attitude and Perceived Usefulness, whereas Perceived Ease of Use does not exhibit a strong correlation with Attitude or Perceived Usefulness. The authors postulate that the weak associations between the study's constructs may be attributed to limited knowledge regarding MetaEducation and its potential benefits. Further investigation and analysis of the study's proposed model are warranted to comprehensively understand the complex dynamics involved in the acceptance and utilization of MetaEducation technologies in the realm of higher education.