Enhancing English Language Learning Skills by Using Metaverse Technology: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Technology has been developing in ways that can help students learn better, including how they learn languages such as English. The purpose of this study was to analyze prior research on the use of Metaverse Technology (MvT) in educational settings, focusing on studies centered on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, for the purpose of enhancing English Language Learning (ELL) skills and formulating guidelines for instructors in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The potential of MvT in EFL is that students can practice the English language inside digital spaces that feel real, such as talking, solving problems, or working on group projects together. They can talk, move, and solve problems inside those spaces instead of only reading or listening in a traditional class. This study utilized an integrative literature review (ILR) approach related to how instructors use MvT to enhance EFL skills among students. Further, the study identified how the integration of MvT could address challenges in engaging students and improving their English Language skill proficiencies. The objective of the study was to identify practical, evidence-based ideas that instructors could use to improve student learning. The process involved completing an integrative literature review, which was screened, compared, and grouped by shared themes. The results of this study contribute to instructional design (ID) research, suggesting practical ways that universities and instructors may incorporate MtVs into EFL in Higher Education.