Virtual Frontiers: A Systematic Literature Review of Factors Shaping the Metaverse Readiness in Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.asci4613Keywords:
higher education, metaverse, PRISMA, Readiness Model, Systematic Literature Review, TOE FrameworkAbstract
The potential of the Metaverse to create immersive learning spaces in higher education is promising, but the implementation complexities pose an enormous challenge. There is little to no research concerning the Metaverse component readiness gap. Most of the studies that do exist are either too focused on the technological factors of the Metaverse (as in the simple extensions of VR/AR, the 3D graphical environments) or address the technological access, the user’s VR/AR attitudes, or the infrastructure in isolation, without merging the technological, organizational, and environmental dimensions of the issue into one framework. Following the guidelines of the PRISMA methodology, 32 documents, which were indexed in Scopus, were systematically identified, and thematic analysis was conducted to elaborate the factors influencing the readiness for the implementation of the Metaverse. The literature synthesis yielded ten themes or factor clusters influencing Metaverse readiness in higher education: Immersive Learning Experience (ILE), System & Service Quality (SQ), Perceived Performance Value (PPV), Ease, Simplicity & Learnability (ESL), Risk, Security & Concerns (RSC), Personal Readiness (PR), Affective & Motivational Factors (AMF), Pedagogical & Knowledge Competence (PKC), Social Influence & Norms (SIN), and Institutional Support & Facilitating Conditions (ISFC). These findings contribute to the body of relevant literature and useful frameworks to assess metaverse readiness in higher education.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
References
Abdulmuhsin, A. A., Owain, H. O., & Alkhwaldi, A. F. (2024). Understanding the academic use of KM-driven Metaverse technology: Insights from medical colleges. Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTPM-12-2023-0229
Aburayya, A., Salloum, S. A., Alderbashi, K. Y., Habes, M., & Alawadhi, H. (2022). SEM-machine learning-based model for perusing the adoption of metaverse in higher education in UAE. Education and Information Technologies, 27(5), 6533–6562. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10826-z
Aideed, H., Elbayoumi Salem, I., Magdy, A., & Hassan, M. (2024). Beyond reality: Harnessing the metaverse for transformative education through UTAUT-2 and task-technology synergy. Education and Information Technologies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12436-7
Akour, M. A., Alshurideh, M., Al Kurdi, B., Al Ali, A. K., & Salloum, S. A. (2022). Using machine learning algorithms to predict people's intention to use mobile learning platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. SAGE Open, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221092803
Al-Adwan, A. S. (2020). Towards an integrated model for the adoption of e-learning by higher education institutions in Palestine. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(2), 452–468. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12842
Al-Adwan, A. S., Al-Adwan, A., & Smedley, J. (2023). Extending the technology acceptance model to predict university students' intentions to use metaverse-based learning platforms. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 55(4), 597–619. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2023.2181635
Al-Adwan, A. S., & Al-Debei, M. M. (2023). The determinants of Gen Z's metaverse adoption decisions in higher education: Integrating UTAUT2 with personal innovativeness in IT. Education and Information Technologies, 1–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12080-1
Al-Adwan, A. S., Alsoud, M., Li, N., Majali, T., Smedley, J., & Habibi, A. (2024). Unlocking future learning: Exploring higher education students' intention to adopt meta-education. Heliyon, 10(9), e29544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29544
Alawadhi, M., Salloum, S. A., Al Marzouqi, A., Aburayya, M., & Alderbashi, K. (2022). Factors affecting medical students' acceptance of the metaverse system in medical training in the United Arab Emirates. Education and Information Technologies, 27(8), 10691–10716. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11065-2
Al-Kfairy, M., Sendaba, O., & Alfandi, O. (2025). Understanding trust in educational metaverse: The role of social cognitive theory constructs and perceived risks. Kybernetes. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-11-2024-3057
Ali, A., Salloum, S. A., & Maqableh, M. (2025). Continuance intention to use metaverse in higher education: An integration of TAM and flow theory. Smart Learning Environments, 12, e357. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-024-00357-y
Alkhwaldi, A. F. (2024). Investigating the social sustainability of immersive virtual technologies in higher educational institutions: Students’ perceptions toward metaverse technology. Sustainability, 16(2), 934. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020934
Almarzouqi, A. (2022). Prediction of users' intention to use metaverse system in medical education: A hybrid SEM-ML learning approach. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 60(8), 2033–2057. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331221092511
Almarzouqi, A., Bettayeb, A., Rahman, S. A., Salloum, S., & Al-Yateem, N. (2024). Exploring new horizons in dental education: Leveraging AI and the metaverse for innovative learning strategies. 2024 IEEE 48th Annual Computers, Software, and Applications Conference (COMPSAC), 1881–1886. https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC61105.2024.00298
Al-Maroof, R. S., Alsawafi, O., & Salloum, S. A. (2024). The effect of mediators in the adoption of metaverse as an innovative platform in Oman. In Studies in Big Data (Vol. 144, pp. 413–439). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52280-2_26
Alshammari, S. H., & Alshammari, M. H. (2024). Modelling the effects of perceived system quality and personal innovativeness on the intention to use metaverse: A structural equation modelling approach. PeerJ Computer Science, 10, e2331. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.2331
Baker, J. (2012). The technology–organization–environment framework. In Y. Dwivedi, M. Wade, & S. Schneberger (Eds.), Information systems theory: Integrated series in information systems (Vol. 28, pp. 231–245). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6108-2_12
Bedenel, A.-L., Jourdan, L., & Biernacki, C. (2019). Probability estimation by an adapted genetic algorithm in web insurance. In R. Battiti, M. Brunato, I. Kotsireas, & P. Pardalos (Eds.), Lecture notes in computer science: Vol. 11353. Learning and intelligent optimization (pp. 225–240). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05348-2_21
Buhalis, D., Leung, D., & Lin, M. (2023). Metaverse as a disruptive technology revolutionising tourism management and marketing. Tourism Management, 97, 104724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104724
Castro-Lopez, A., Cervero, A., & Alvarez-Blanco, L. (2025). Predictive analysis of metaverse usage intention in the Spanish university. Journal of Computing in Education, 12(4), 929–952. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-024-00335-w
Cerasa, A., Gaggioli, A., Marino, F., & Riva, G. (2022). The promise of the metaverse in mental health: The new era of MEDverse. Heliyon, 8(11), e11762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11762
Chanda, R. S., Pabalkar, V., & Sharma, S. (2024). Attitude and behavioral intention for using metaverse in education: Learner’s perspective. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 16(5), 2168–2184. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-07-2023-0307
Chatterjee, S., Giri, A., Tiwari, P., Sahay, K., Rajak, M. P., & Halder, S. R. (2024). A technology acceptance model perspective on the metaverse-fueled educational systems in the higher educational institutions of India. In T. Senjyu, C. So–In, & A. Joshi (Eds.), Smart trends in computing and communications (pp. 379–389). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-1320-2_33
Dang, T. Q., Tran, P. T., & Nguyen, L. T. (2023). Are you ready for tapping into the metaverse in higher education? Integrated by dual PLS-SEM and ANN approach. In M. A. Al-Sharafi, M. Al-Emran, G. W. H. Tan, & K. B. Ooi (Eds.), Current and future trends on intelligent technology adoption (Vol. 1128, pp. 63–82). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48397-4_4
de Brito, G., Scheltes, D., Durval, A., Aragão, J., Santos, S. E., Lima, C., Soussa, M., & Winkler, I. (2024). Developing an university immersive campus: Guidelines for beginner developers. In Proceedings of the 26th Symposium on Virtual and Augmented Reality (pp. 261–265). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3691573.3691612
Di Natale, A. F., Bartolotta, S., Gaggioli, A., Villani, C., & Riva, G. (2024). Exploring students' acceptance and continuance intention in using immersive virtual reality and metaverse integrated learning environments: The case of an Italian university course. Computers & Education, 208, 104929. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104929
Duckworth, A. L., Quirk, A., Gallop, R., Hoyle, R. H., Kelly, D. R., & Matthews, M. D. (2019). Cognitive and noncognitive predictors of success. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(47), 23499–23504. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910510116
Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Baabdullah, A. M., Ribeiro-Navarrete, S., Giannakis, M., Al-Debei, M. M., Dennehy, D., ... & Wamba, S. F. (2022). Metaverse beyond the hype: Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 66, 102542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2022.102542
Farhi, F. (2024). Examining the factors fostering metaverse experience browser acceptance under unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(3), 2594. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i3.2594
Galindo Manrique, A. F., Villarreal-Vera, V., Orozco-Bendímez, F. J., & García-Montoya, M. (2024). Adoption of the metaverse for higher education: Structural equation modeling approach in a business school context. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 15(2), 57–93.
Gioia, D. A., Corley, K. G., & Hamilton, A. L. (2013). Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive research: Notes on the Gioia methodology. Organizational Research Methods, 16(1), 15–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428112452151
Grady, J. S., Her, M., Moreno, G., Perez, C., & Yelinek, J. (2019). Emotions in storybooks: A comparison of storybooks that represent ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(3), 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000185
Han, I. (2020). Immersive virtual field trips in education: A mixed methods study on elementary students' presence and perceived learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(2), 420–435. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12842
Hwang, G. J., & Chien, S. Y. (2022). Definition, roles, and potential research issues of the metaverse in education: An artificial intelligence perspective. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100082
Kushilevitz, E., & Malkin, T. (Eds.). (2016). Lecture notes in computer science: Vol. 9562. Theory of cryptography. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49096-9
Lee, L.-H., Braud, T., Zhou, P., Wang, L., Xu, D., Lin, Z., Kumar, A., Bermejo, C., & Hui, P. (2021). All one needs to know about metaverse: A complete survey on technological singularity, virtual ecosystem, and research agenda. Journal of LaTeX Class Files, 14(8), 1–66. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2110.05352
López-Belmonte, J., Pozo-Sánchez, S., Moreno-Guerrero, A. J., & Lampropoulos, G. (2023). Metaverse in education: A systematic review. Revista de Educación a Distancia (RED), 23(73), 2. https://doi.org/10.6018/red.511421
Mayring, P. (2015). Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical background and procedures. In A. Bikner-Ahsbahs, C. Knipping, & N. Presmeg (Eds.), Approaches to qualitative research in mathematics education (pp. 365–380). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9181-6_13
Mehta, K., Nayak, K. M., Qureshi, R. A., N, A., & Parveen, S. (2025). Technology acceptance and SAMR in metaverse education: Professors’ willingness to engage in immersive classes in higher education. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-08-2024-0430
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9620.2006.00684.x
Oliveira, T., & Martins, M. F. (2011). Literature review of information technology adoption models at firm level. Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation, 14(1), 110–121.
Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71. doi: 10.1136/bmj.71.
Parasuraman, A. (2000). Technology Readiness Index (TRI): A multiple-item scale to measure readiness to embrace new technologies. Journal of Service Research, 2(4), 307–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/109467050024001
Prieto, J., Lacasa, P., & Martínez-Borda, R. (2022). Approaching metaverses: Mixed reality interfaces in youth media platforms. New Techno Humanities, 2(2), 136–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techum.2022.04.004
Ren, L., Yang, F., Gu, C., Sun, J., & Liu, Y. (2022). A study of factors influencing Chinese college students’ intention of using metaverse technology for basketball learning: Extending the technology acceptance model. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1049972. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1049972
Rojas, E., Hülsmann, X., Estriegana, R., Rückert, F., & Garcia-Esteban, S. (2023). Students’ perception of metaverses for online learning in higher education: Hype or hope? Electronics, 12(8), 1867. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12081867
Salloum, S., Al Marzouqi, A., Alderbashi, K. Y., Shwedeh, F., Aburayya, A., Al Saidat, M. R., & Al-Maroof, R. S. (2023). Sustainability model for the continuous intention to use metaverse technology in higher education: A case study from Oman. Sustainability, 15(6), 5257. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065257
Salloum, S. A., Bettayeb, A., Salloum, A., Aburayya, A., Khadragy, S., Hamoudi, R., & Alfaisal, R. (2023). Novel machine learning based approach for analysing the adoption of metaverse in medical training: A UAE case study. Informatics in Medicine Unlocked, 42, 101354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imu.2023.101354
Sediyaningsih, S., Ristiyono, M. P., Launggu, K., & Ochieng Juma, P. (2023). De-contextual communication: Factors influencing usage intentions of metaverse technology in digital library services. Heliyon, 9(10), e20388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20388
Shwedeh, F. (2024). Harnessing digital issue in adopting metaverse technology in higher education institutions: Evidence from the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 8(1), 489–504. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.9.007
Snyder-Halpern, R. (2001). Indicators of organizational readiness for clinical information technology/systems innovation: A Delphi study. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 63(3), 179–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1386-5056(01)00179-4
Soliman, M., Ali, R. A., Khalid, J., Shora, M. J., & Al-Qatamin, A. A. (2025). Modelling continuous intention to use generative artificial intelligence as an educational tool among university students: Findings from PLS-SEM and ANN. Journal of Computing in Education, 12(4), 897–928. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-024-00333-y
Thohir, M. A., Ahdhianto, E., Mas’ula, S., April Yanti, F., & Sukarelawan, M. I. (2023). The effects of TPACK and facility condition on preservice teachers’ acceptance of virtual reality in science education course. Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(2), ep407. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12918
Tlili, A., Huang, R., Shehata, B., Liu, D., Zhao, J., Melouah, A., & Bozkurt, A. (2022). Is metaverse in education a blessing or a curse: A combined content and bibliometric analysis. Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100082
Tornatzky, L. G., & Fleischer, M. (1990). The processes of technological innovation. Lexington Books.
Van der Merwe, A. P. (2021). Augmented reality and virtual reality in education. In Handbook of research on immersive digital games for educational and therapeutic applications (pp. 1–15). IGI Global.
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540
Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y., & Xu, X. (2012). Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), 157–178. https://doi.org/10.2307/41410412
Wang, Y., Chung, T., & Den Yeoh, E. (2023). A hybrid SEM-ANN approach for intention to adopt metaverse using C-TAM-TPB and IDT in China. In P. Lai (Ed.), Strategies and opportunities for technology in the metaverse world (pp. 263–293). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-5732-0.ch015
Wardat, S., & Akour, M. (2025). Investigating the adoption of metaverse-based immersive learning in TESOL. Emerging Science Journal, 8, 396–409. https://doi.org/10.28991/ESJ-2024-SIED1-023
Wei, D. (2022). Gemiverse: The blockchain-based professional certification and tourism platform with its own ecosystem in the metaverse. International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, 10(2), 322–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.05.004
Yang, F., Ren, L., & Gu, C. (2022). A study of college students' intention to use metaverse technology for basketball learning based on UTAUT2. Heliyon, 8(9), e10562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10562
Zhang, L., Anjum, M. A., & Wang, Y. (2024). The impact of trust-building mechanisms on purchase intention towards metaverse shopping: The moderating role of age. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 40(12), 3185–3203. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2023.2184594
Zhang, X., Chen, Y., Hu, L., & Wang, Y. (2022). The metaverse in education: Definition, framework, features, potential applications, challenges, and future research topics. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1016300. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1016300
Aburayya, A., Salloum, S. A., Alderbashi, K. Y., Habes, M., & Alawadhi, H. (2022). SEM-machine learning-based model for perusing the adoption of metaverse in higher education in UAE. Education and Information Technologies, 27(5), 6533–6562. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10826-z
Aideed, H., Elbayoumi Salem, I., Magdy, A., & Hassan, M. (2024). Beyond reality: Harnessing the metaverse for transformative education through UTAUT-2 and task-technology synergy. Education and Information Technologies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12436-7
Akour, M. A., Alshurideh, M., Al Kurdi, B., Al Ali, A. K., & Salloum, S. A. (2022). Using machine learning algorithms to predict people's intention to use mobile learning platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic. SAGE Open, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221092803
Al-Adwan, A. S. (2020). Towards an integrated model for the adoption of e-learning by higher education institutions in Palestine. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(2), 452–468. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12842
Al-Adwan, A. S., Al-Adwan, A., & Smedley, J. (2023). Extending the technology acceptance model to predict university students' intentions to use metaverse-based learning platforms. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 55(4), 597–619. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2023.2181635
Al-Adwan, A. S., & Al-Debei, M. M. (2023). The determinants of Gen Z's metaverse adoption decisions in higher education: Integrating UTAUT2 with personal innovativeness in IT. Education and Information Technologies, 1–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12080-1
Al-Adwan, A. S., Alsoud, M., Li, N., Majali, T., Smedley, J., & Habibi, A. (2024). Unlocking future learning: Exploring higher education students' intention to adopt meta-education. Heliyon, 10(9), e29544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29544
Alawadhi, M., Salloum, S. A., Al Marzouqi, A., Aburayya, M., & Alderbashi, K. (2022). Factors affecting medical students' acceptance of the metaverse system in medical training in the United Arab Emirates. Education and Information Technologies, 27(8), 10691–10716. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11065-2
Al-Kfairy, M., Sendaba, O., & Alfandi, O. (2025). Understanding trust in educational metaverse: The role of social cognitive theory constructs and perceived risks. Kybernetes. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-11-2024-3057
Ali, A., Salloum, S. A., & Maqableh, M. (2025). Continuance intention to use metaverse in higher education: An integration of TAM and flow theory. Smart Learning Environments, 12, e357. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-024-00357-y
Alkhwaldi, A. F. (2024). Investigating the social sustainability of immersive virtual technologies in higher educational institutions: Students’ perceptions toward metaverse technology. Sustainability, 16(2), 934. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020934
Almarzouqi, A. (2022). Prediction of users' intention to use metaverse system in medical education: A hybrid SEM-ML learning approach. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 60(8), 2033–2057. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331221092511
Almarzouqi, A., Bettayeb, A., Rahman, S. A., Salloum, S., & Al-Yateem, N. (2024). Exploring new horizons in dental education: Leveraging AI and the metaverse for innovative learning strategies. 2024 IEEE 48th Annual Computers, Software, and Applications Conference (COMPSAC), 1881–1886. https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC61105.2024.00298
Al-Maroof, R. S., Alsawafi, O., & Salloum, S. A. (2024). The effect of mediators in the adoption of metaverse as an innovative platform in Oman. In Studies in Big Data (Vol. 144, pp. 413–439). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52280-2_26
Alshammari, S. H., & Alshammari, M. H. (2024). Modelling the effects of perceived system quality and personal innovativeness on the intention to use metaverse: A structural equation modelling approach. PeerJ Computer Science, 10, e2331. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj-cs.2331
Baker, J. (2012). The technology–organization–environment framework. In Y. Dwivedi, M. Wade, & S. Schneberger (Eds.), Information systems theory: Integrated series in information systems (Vol. 28, pp. 231–245). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6108-2_12
Bedenel, A.-L., Jourdan, L., & Biernacki, C. (2019). Probability estimation by an adapted genetic algorithm in web insurance. In R. Battiti, M. Brunato, I. Kotsireas, & P. Pardalos (Eds.), Lecture notes in computer science: Vol. 11353. Learning and intelligent optimization (pp. 225–240). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-05348-2_21
Buhalis, D., Leung, D., & Lin, M. (2023). Metaverse as a disruptive technology revolutionising tourism management and marketing. Tourism Management, 97, 104724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104724
Castro-Lopez, A., Cervero, A., & Alvarez-Blanco, L. (2025). Predictive analysis of metaverse usage intention in the Spanish university. Journal of Computing in Education, 12(4), 929–952. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-024-00335-w
Cerasa, A., Gaggioli, A., Marino, F., & Riva, G. (2022). The promise of the metaverse in mental health: The new era of MEDverse. Heliyon, 8(11), e11762. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11762
Chanda, R. S., Pabalkar, V., & Sharma, S. (2024). Attitude and behavioral intention for using metaverse in education: Learner’s perspective. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, 16(5), 2168–2184. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-07-2023-0307
Chatterjee, S., Giri, A., Tiwari, P., Sahay, K., Rajak, M. P., & Halder, S. R. (2024). A technology acceptance model perspective on the metaverse-fueled educational systems in the higher educational institutions of India. In T. Senjyu, C. So–In, & A. Joshi (Eds.), Smart trends in computing and communications (pp. 379–389). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-1320-2_33
Dang, T. Q., Tran, P. T., & Nguyen, L. T. (2023). Are you ready for tapping into the metaverse in higher education? Integrated by dual PLS-SEM and ANN approach. In M. A. Al-Sharafi, M. Al-Emran, G. W. H. Tan, & K. B. Ooi (Eds.), Current and future trends on intelligent technology adoption (Vol. 1128, pp. 63–82). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-48397-4_4
de Brito, G., Scheltes, D., Durval, A., Aragão, J., Santos, S. E., Lima, C., Soussa, M., & Winkler, I. (2024). Developing an university immersive campus: Guidelines for beginner developers. In Proceedings of the 26th Symposium on Virtual and Augmented Reality (pp. 261–265). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3691573.3691612
Di Natale, A. F., Bartolotta, S., Gaggioli, A., Villani, C., & Riva, G. (2024). Exploring students' acceptance and continuance intention in using immersive virtual reality and metaverse integrated learning environments: The case of an Italian university course. Computers & Education, 208, 104929. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2023.104929
Duckworth, A. L., Quirk, A., Gallop, R., Hoyle, R. H., Kelly, D. R., & Matthews, M. D. (2019). Cognitive and noncognitive predictors of success. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(47), 23499–23504. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1910510116
Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Baabdullah, A. M., Ribeiro-Navarrete, S., Giannakis, M., Al-Debei, M. M., Dennehy, D., ... & Wamba, S. F. (2022). Metaverse beyond the hype: Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 66, 102542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2022.102542
Farhi, F. (2024). Examining the factors fostering metaverse experience browser acceptance under unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). Journal of Infrastructure, Policy and Development, 8(3), 2594. https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v8i3.2594
Galindo Manrique, A. F., Villarreal-Vera, V., Orozco-Bendímez, F. J., & García-Montoya, M. (2024). Adoption of the metaverse for higher education: Structural equation modeling approach in a business school context. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 15(2), 57–93.
Gioia, D. A., Corley, K. G., & Hamilton, A. L. (2013). Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive research: Notes on the Gioia methodology. Organizational Research Methods, 16(1), 15–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094428112452151
Grady, J. S., Her, M., Moreno, G., Perez, C., & Yelinek, J. (2019). Emotions in storybooks: A comparison of storybooks that represent ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8(3), 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000185
Han, I. (2020). Immersive virtual field trips in education: A mixed methods study on elementary students' presence and perceived learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(2), 420–435. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12842
Hwang, G. J., & Chien, S. Y. (2022). Definition, roles, and potential research issues of the metaverse in education: An artificial intelligence perspective. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100082
Kushilevitz, E., & Malkin, T. (Eds.). (2016). Lecture notes in computer science: Vol. 9562. Theory of cryptography. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-49096-9
Lee, L.-H., Braud, T., Zhou, P., Wang, L., Xu, D., Lin, Z., Kumar, A., Bermejo, C., & Hui, P. (2021). All one needs to know about metaverse: A complete survey on technological singularity, virtual ecosystem, and research agenda. Journal of LaTeX Class Files, 14(8), 1–66. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2110.05352
López-Belmonte, J., Pozo-Sánchez, S., Moreno-Guerrero, A. J., & Lampropoulos, G. (2023). Metaverse in education: A systematic review. Revista de Educación a Distancia (RED), 23(73), 2. https://doi.org/10.6018/red.511421
Mayring, P. (2015). Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical background and procedures. In A. Bikner-Ahsbahs, C. Knipping, & N. Presmeg (Eds.), Approaches to qualitative research in mathematics education (pp. 365–380). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9181-6_13
Mehta, K., Nayak, K. M., Qureshi, R. A., N, A., & Parveen, S. (2025). Technology acceptance and SAMR in metaverse education: Professors’ willingness to engage in immersive classes in higher education. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-08-2024-0430
Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9620.2006.00684.x
Oliveira, T., & Martins, M. F. (2011). Literature review of information technology adoption models at firm level. Electronic Journal of Information Systems Evaluation, 14(1), 110–121.
Page MJ, McKenzie JE, Bossuyt PM, Boutron I, Hoffmann TC, Mulrow CD, et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. BMJ 2021;372:n71. doi: 10.1136/bmj.71.
Parasuraman, A. (2000). Technology Readiness Index (TRI): A multiple-item scale to measure readiness to embrace new technologies. Journal of Service Research, 2(4), 307–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/109467050024001
Prieto, J., Lacasa, P., & Martínez-Borda, R. (2022). Approaching metaverses: Mixed reality interfaces in youth media platforms. New Techno Humanities, 2(2), 136–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techum.2022.04.004
Ren, L., Yang, F., Gu, C., Sun, J., & Liu, Y. (2022). A study of factors influencing Chinese college students’ intention of using metaverse technology for basketball learning: Extending the technology acceptance model. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1049972. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1049972
Rojas, E., Hülsmann, X., Estriegana, R., Rückert, F., & Garcia-Esteban, S. (2023). Students’ perception of metaverses for online learning in higher education: Hype or hope? Electronics, 12(8), 1867. https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics12081867
Salloum, S., Al Marzouqi, A., Alderbashi, K. Y., Shwedeh, F., Aburayya, A., Al Saidat, M. R., & Al-Maroof, R. S. (2023). Sustainability model for the continuous intention to use metaverse technology in higher education: A case study from Oman. Sustainability, 15(6), 5257. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065257
Salloum, S. A., Bettayeb, A., Salloum, A., Aburayya, A., Khadragy, S., Hamoudi, R., & Alfaisal, R. (2023). Novel machine learning based approach for analysing the adoption of metaverse in medical training: A UAE case study. Informatics in Medicine Unlocked, 42, 101354. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.imu.2023.101354
Sediyaningsih, S., Ristiyono, M. P., Launggu, K., & Ochieng Juma, P. (2023). De-contextual communication: Factors influencing usage intentions of metaverse technology in digital library services. Heliyon, 9(10), e20388. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20388
Shwedeh, F. (2024). Harnessing digital issue in adopting metaverse technology in higher education institutions: Evidence from the United Arab Emirates. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 8(1), 489–504. https://doi.org/10.5267/j.ijdns.2023.9.007
Snyder-Halpern, R. (2001). Indicators of organizational readiness for clinical information technology/systems innovation: A Delphi study. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 63(3), 179–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1386-5056(01)00179-4
Soliman, M., Ali, R. A., Khalid, J., Shora, M. J., & Al-Qatamin, A. A. (2025). Modelling continuous intention to use generative artificial intelligence as an educational tool among university students: Findings from PLS-SEM and ANN. Journal of Computing in Education, 12(4), 897–928. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-024-00333-y
Thohir, M. A., Ahdhianto, E., Mas’ula, S., April Yanti, F., & Sukarelawan, M. I. (2023). The effects of TPACK and facility condition on preservice teachers’ acceptance of virtual reality in science education course. Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(2), ep407. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12918
Tlili, A., Huang, R., Shehata, B., Liu, D., Zhao, J., Melouah, A., & Bozkurt, A. (2022). Is metaverse in education a blessing or a curse: A combined content and bibliometric analysis. Computers & Education: Artificial Intelligence, 3, 100082. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2022.100082
Tornatzky, L. G., & Fleischer, M. (1990). The processes of technological innovation. Lexington Books.
Van der Merwe, A. P. (2021). Augmented reality and virtual reality in education. In Handbook of research on immersive digital games for educational and therapeutic applications (pp. 1–15). IGI Global.
Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. https://doi.org/10.2307/30036540
Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y., & Xu, X. (2012). Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: Extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), 157–178. https://doi.org/10.2307/41410412
Wang, Y., Chung, T., & Den Yeoh, E. (2023). A hybrid SEM-ANN approach for intention to adopt metaverse using C-TAM-TPB and IDT in China. In P. Lai (Ed.), Strategies and opportunities for technology in the metaverse world (pp. 263–293). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-6684-5732-0.ch015
Wardat, S., & Akour, M. (2025). Investigating the adoption of metaverse-based immersive learning in TESOL. Emerging Science Journal, 8, 396–409. https://doi.org/10.28991/ESJ-2024-SIED1-023
Wei, D. (2022). Gemiverse: The blockchain-based professional certification and tourism platform with its own ecosystem in the metaverse. International Journal of Geoheritage and Parks, 10(2), 322–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgeop.2022.05.004
Yang, F., Ren, L., & Gu, C. (2022). A study of college students' intention to use metaverse technology for basketball learning based on UTAUT2. Heliyon, 8(9), e10562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10562
Zhang, L., Anjum, M. A., & Wang, Y. (2024). The impact of trust-building mechanisms on purchase intention towards metaverse shopping: The moderating role of age. International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 40(12), 3185–3203. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2023.2184594
Zhang, X., Chen, Y., Hu, L., & Wang, Y. (2022). The metaverse in education: Definition, framework, features, potential applications, challenges, and future research topics. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1016300. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1016300
Downloads
Published
2026-04-30
How to Cite
Erianda, A., Dalim, C. S. C., Hidayat, R., & Putra, P. O. H. (2026). Virtual Frontiers: A Systematic Literature Review of Factors Shaping the Metaverse Readiness in Higher Education. Journal of Applied Science, Engineering, Technology, and Education, 8(1), 223–245. https://doi.org/10.35877/454RI.asci4613
Issue
Section
Articles
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Aldo Erianda, Che Samihah Che Dalim, Rahmat Hidayat, Panca Okta Hadi Putra (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
