Development of a Metaverse Online Learning System for Undergraduate Nursing Students

Background:An active online learning environment enables 2-way communication wherein students can engage in problem-based learning and projects, unlike fragmented lecture-style classes.Purpose:This pilot study aimed to develop a metaverse-based online learning system and evaluate its usability.Methods:A rapid prototyping model and Gather.town was used to design and develop a metaverse classroom. Participants were 10 nursing students from a college in South Korea. To evaluate usability, 10 tasks were configured and 2 pilot tests were conducted. The degree of difficulty, time required to perform tasks, and students' experience were investigated.Results:The Metaverse for Education of Nursing Students was successfully completed, incorporating student feedback and addressing identified areas for improvement.Conclusion:This study reflects a learner-centered educational environment through the direct participation in the development process of the instructors who conducted the lectures. The metaverse space can be widely applied in creative nursing education in the future.