Digital Twin Universities in the Metaverse - Is It the Future of Learning?

While we may not be able to witness the convenience of teleportation anytime soon, 2022 may have something that’s akin to it. The techs refer to it as the ‘digital twin’. 

Well, this isn’t a new concept in the technical world, but it has definitely progressed with the evolving society to a point where every sector of human existence is dipping its toes in it. Entertainment, retail, manufacturing, healthcare, you name it. And now, education is joining the digital twin estate too. 

At the moment, the concept of building a digital twin of a university campus developed in the metaverse is taking prominence. In fact, there are several metaversities that are already up and running. Now, what does it mean for the world? 

Well, for starters, lectures will become remote and more interactive. But you may argue that it’s already happening with remote learning. So, what’s different with the entire concept of digital twin university on metaverse? That’s what we’ll discuss today. 

Digital Twin University on Metaverse - What Does It Mean?

It’s not difficult to decipher that a digital twin university is a replica of a university, only virtual.  Its digital aspect makes it accessible through the Web 3 space and enhances interactions between people. 

A digital twin replicates the physical world with the help of data that is collected from the real object or system in the physical world and relayed into the processing system to create a digital replica. 

It may sound like technical jargon of the present, but digital twins have been around for a long time. 

The concept was first put into use by NASA to simulate the conditions on board Apollo 13 and assess the same. This was back in the 1960s. And it was a historical success. This is why, in 2022, the concept of digital twin combined with the emerging technologies of metaverse, web3 and blockchain has created a disruption in the tech world. 

An example of this technology in action would be the digital twin of Shanghai. The smart cities using digital twin technologies to assess, manage and solve day-to-day problems is gaining momentum. And it has slowly seeped into the education sector as well. 

With universities, a virtual replica of the campus is created where students can attend lectures, perform experiments and have seminars, among other things. In the case of high ed learning, digital twin universities may also be powered by real-time 3D technology that creates interactive visualizations to make e-learning more immersive than conventional learning. 

That’s futuristic. Isn’t it?

Digital Twin University vs Conventional Campus - How Are They Different?

Let’s start with the most obvious differentiating factor between an on-site campus and a digital twin campus - location. 

While the former is at a physical location somewhere in the world, the latter exists in a virtual space or more precisely a Web3 space. 

Now, since a digital twin utilizes the next-gen technologies of the metaverse, the creation of one involves a high-end tech stack. Here’s an insight into what generally entails the creation of a digital twin university. 

• Augmented Reality (AR)
• Virtual Reality (VR)
• Machine Learning
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Blockchain
• Augmented Reality

By integration of augmented reality (AR), universities create a highly interactive 3D world in virtual space. It is enhanced with visual elements, sounds and other elements to present a real-life experience but in the metaverse. 

So far, the use of AR in education has proven to be an effective strategy. There are stats showing that AR improves attention and confidence in students by a considerable amount. 

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality in education has proven to be extremely handy. The technology allows students to enter the virtual world and not only practice their soft skills but also access their progress. 

VR in education leads to better training and tangible feedback but without real-life consequences. So, the process becomes a better option than traditional methods of learning.  

Machine Learning

Today, every student is looking for a learning experience personalized for them; machine learning helps in this case. This technology detects patterns in the data and adapts to the changes using its algorithms and statistical models. 

So, along with personalized learning, ML in education provides the advantages of better adaptive learning, predictive analytics, high efficiency and more. 

Internet of Things

IoT is what connects all the dots together to create the real-life experience we wish to achieve using digital twin universities. IoT includes the devices that help achieve an interactive e-learning experience. It enhances communication, management and security. Students, teachers, instructors, and others involved in the teaching and learning process can utilize IoT for better learning. For example, interconnected digital pens, interactive screens, scannable textbooks, electronic bracelets for attendance and more are all considered ‘things’ in IoT.

Blockchain

In addition to using technologies we’ve discussed already, digital twin universities are built on blockchain for a more advanced platform. With blockchain amalgamation, the entire platform becomes more secure, credible and efficient. All the information shared or stored in the metaversity will be stored in a distributed ledger. This way, digital twin universities utilize the blockchain for retaining information. 

Advantages of Digital Twin University Development on the Metaverse

Besides the intriguing idea of never leaving your home or even your comfy bed, a digital twin campus can offer many other benefits compared to a conventional brick-and-mortar university campus. 

Believe it or not, a digital twin campus holds power to strengthen the education system with its futuristic features. By combining learning with next-gen technologies, the scope of virtual education increases massively. Let’s take a look at a few perks of digital twin universities. 

3D Simulations 

Emerging technologies allow the integration of highly advanced 3D simulations in digital twin universities. Real-time 3D technology helps build a precise representation of the real-world campus and activities and enhances the learning experience. 

3D simulations make human interactions faster and more lifelike. It makes training or learning more effective by allowing multiple manipulations and duplications of real-life experiences.  Simulations can create the conditions for highly complex learning scenarios and duplicate them as many times as needed for training.

For example, students can not only perform organ dissections while sitting at home, but they can also go back in time to understand the history of human evolution. 

Virtual Real-Time Interactions

In the metaverse, people interact through their digital avatars. These avatars represent you in the virtual world. Every interaction between you, the digital twin campus and the other avatars happens in real-time, making the concept of digital twin universities futuristic. 

Students and teachers will be able to interact with each other and attend lectures without compromising social interactions.

Saves Time and Resources

Digital twin universities give you all the experience of a physical university but in the virtual world.

Virtual learning is a time saver. Students can learn at their own pace, access information offline and even attend classes as per their schedule.  This saves up a lot of time that would generally be spent on travelling or discussions. 

In addition to saving time, a digital twin university development on the metaverse eliminates the finances and budgeting involved in learning in the real world.

For instance, students can hone their understanding of anatomy with experiments on virtual subjects. Art lessons can become interactive with a visit to the biggest museum built in the metaverse. Molecular biology can be made more interactive with 3D visualizations. 

Scope of Quick Learning

Creating a campus with new-age technologies makes learning more effective than traditional methods. As already discussed, 3D simulations, AR/VR and other tech integrations improve digital twin universities. Teachers can discuss topics more in-depth, take virtual tours to remote places, travel in time and space and even provide practical education without spending many resources. Every aspect together creates a holistic learning experience that fosters an environment of quick learning and quality education. 

Accessible for Disabled Students

Educational institutions that are otherwise inaccessible to disabled students can be more within reach with the help of digital twin universities. Disabled students can have a life-like experience virtually and not compromise on receiving education because of their disability. All they need is the necessary equipment, and they can enter the metaverse. 

Digital Twin Universities in 2022

Digital twin universities are taking pace slowly but gradually. 

As of now, Meta has partnered with many big names like VictorXR, The Meridian Tree-house, Felix & Paul Studios and more to launch a $150 million immersive learning project. The project aims at transforming the way of learning through technology. 

One of the many objectives of the Immersive Learning Project is to create digital twin campuses where students can attend courses. The announcement said that 10 universities are set to launch their metaversities with the help of the project. The universities in the first list include-

1. Morehouse College
2. University of Kansas School of Nursing
3. New Mexico State University
4. South Dakota State University
5. Florida A&M University
6. West Virginia University
7. Southwestern Oregon Community College
8. California State University
9. Alabama A&M University
10. University of Maryland Global Campus

Along with helping the universities enter the metaverse ecosystem, the project will help create an immersive experience remotely. 

And this is just the beginning.

Final Thoughts

No one can be certain about the future of the metaverse in education or any other field. That’s because technology is still emerging and evolving with every passing day. 

But, if we look at the data and the current trend, the future does seem bright. With the amalgamation of blockchain with digital twin universities, the vision of creating a secure and efficient virtual university does not seem like a pipe dream. And when students get to travel in time, step inside an organ, and closely evaluate the Mona Lisa without visiting Paris, the education system will become advanced and deliver better learning opportunities. 

So, is digital twin university on metaverse or metaversity the future of learning that we are looking for? Well, it’s for you to decide.