Effectiveness of virtual spaces in Metaverse to empower disabled media students to learn by using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Mohamed Nashaat, Nahla; Ismael Abdel Razek, Amal

doi:10.21608/jkom.2024.395285

Effectiveness of virtual spaces in Metaverse to empower disabled media students to learn by using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Authors

School Of Mass Communication, Canadian International College (CIC)

10.21608/jkom.2024.395285

Abstract

The study aimed to measure the effectiveness of using virtual classroom spaces in the metaverse to support the learning of students with disabilities through the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). It focused on the relationship between perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, behavioral intentions to use, and actual use of technology. Additionally, it examined the impact of external variables such as type of disability, mobile operating system, and gender on the elements of the TAM, while gathering insights from educational support providers like parents and shadow teachers on the effectiveness and challenges of the metaverse educational environment experienced by the study's sample students.
The results indicated that parents and shadow teachers felt completely safe in the virtual educational space of the metaverse, consistent with the field study findings. All students expressed their intention to continue using this technology, reflecting a sense of safety and the absence of real-world risks like bullying.
The focus group study confirmed that immersive learning in the metaverse represents a significant step towards distance learning. This technology enables students to keep up with the latest global educational trends and removes educational barriers, promoting social integration and empowerment. Positive feedback from field study participants and the focus group highlighted satisfaction with the design of the virtual classrooms and avatars, which enhanced the overall satisfaction with educational applications, demonstrating ease of use and compatibility with various mobile devices.
Participants also showed a keen interest in exploring more virtual spaces like global museums, amusement parks, and cultural and religious sites, reflecting the vast potential of the metaverse in meeting students' educational, recreational, and cultural needs. However, the field study and focus group also revealed technical issues such as power outages and poor internet connectivity. Parents pointed out that virtual learning applications consume significant internet data and require an additional budget. Some parents and shadow teachers also expressed concerns about the seriousness of students in virtual lectures compared to traditional education.
Overall, the results confirmed that virtual educational spaces in the metaverse are effective in supporting the learning of students with disabilities. They highlighted the ease of use, perceived usefulness, and engaging interaction of these technologies, offering a distinct virtual learning experience compared to conventional distance learning. The attractive features of the technology contribute to the continuous development and implementation of virtual educational tools.

Keywords

References

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Dr. Etemad Khalaf Ma’bad: Professor in the Department of Media and Child Culture, Faculty of Graduate Studies for Childhood, Ain Shams University.
Assistant Professor Dr. Maha Fathy: Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Radio and Television at the Faculty of Mass Communication, Nile University.
Assistant Professor Dr. Manal Wagdy: Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Relations and Advertising and Director of the 'Able Differently' Unit at the Canadian Higher Institute of Modern Media Technology (CIC).
Assistant Professor Dr. Marwa Shamis: Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Relations and Advertising at the Canadian Higher Institute of Modern Media Technology (CIC).
Assistant Professor Dr. Raga’a El-Gomrawy: Assistant Professor in the Department of Radio and Television at the Faculty of Mass Communication, Pharos University.
Mahmoud Mohanna: Lecturer in the Department of Public Relations and Advertising at the Canadian Higher Institute of Modern Media Technology (CIC).
Professor Dr. Magy El-Halwani: Professor in the Department of Radio and Television at the Faculty of Mass Communication, Cairo University, and Chair of the Board of Directors at the Canadian Higher Institute of Modern Media Technology (CIC).