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Is the Metaverse Finally Emerging - Essay

Last updated Aug 15, 2023

# Information

# Highlights

Frey notes that there are technological challenges that must be overcome to facilitate growth. “For example, there are the challenging issues of the ==internet infrastructure==, the feasibility of having ==large numbers of participants interacting with each other in real-time==, ==language barriers==, and ==latency issues==.” And, yet the rapidly expanding 5G wireless networks are quickly spreading coast to coast with extremely low latency and high bandwidth characteristics that can handle seamless virtual reality and augmented reality. According to reports by Campus Technology, “the augmented and virtual reality market will grow to more than eight times its current size over the next five years, making it the fastest-growing category among emerging devices, which include wearables and smart home devices.”

What, then, are the deeper challenges of creating a metaverse that would serve both education and, more broadly, society? Tom Wheeler of the Brookings Institution writes:

Issues such as ==personal privacy, marketplace competition, and misinformation== only become greater challenges in the metaverse due to the ==interconnectedness== of that phenomenon. Rather than being distracted by the shiny new bauble, policymakers need to focus on the ==underlying problems of the digital revolution==, which won’t go away with new technological developments.

Where will higher education be located in the emerging metaverse? Will colleges and universities host their own “islands” of campuses? Will virtual megamalls of storefronts offer certificates and certifications hosted by a plethora of institutions? Will your institution be represented – welcoming virtual students from around the real word to engage in 3-D learning around the clock?

Ideas