The Metaverse — an immersive, interconnected virtual environment — has emerged as a transformative force across multiple sectors, including education. Over the past several years, a growing body of literature has documented its benefits for teaching and learning, including enhanced student engagement, experiential learning opportunities, and personalized instructional experiences (Chen, 2022; Liang et al., 2023; Onu et al., 2024; Ak et al., 2025). Despite this momentum, findings remain frequently inconsistent, and the specific conditions under which the Metaverse yields optimal educational outcomes are poorly understood (Barjesteh et al., 2025; Bedard et al., 2026). Challenges related to accessibility, pedagogy, and infrastructure further complicate a coherent understanding of its educational value. Given the now-substantial body of evidence, it is now time to synthesize and unify existing findings, reconcile contradictions, and collectively identify actionable solutions. Equally critical is examining how the integration of emerging technologies — particularly artificial intelligence (AI) — may further amplify the Metaverse's educational impact (Almeman et al., 2025; Rawas et al., 2026). This special session therefore serves as a unifying platform, bringing scholars together consolidate current knowledge, address persistent challenges, and chart a forward-looking agenda for the Metaverse — and its synergies with AI — in education.
Call for Topics
Miss Carman CHU is an instructor in the Department of Applied Social Science at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), where she teaches Tomorrow's Leaders and a service-learning course focused on Service Leadership and Positive Youth Development. Prior to joining PolyU, she served as an Associate Lecturer at a local self-financing institution, where she taught Psychology, and as a Research Associate specializing in youth well-being and development. Her research interest lies in exploring the use of technology to enhance students' learning experiences.
Co-chair
Dr Fiona Chen is Senior Lecturer in the Division of Science, Engineering and Health Studies at the College of Professional and Continuing Education, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). Prior to joining SEHS, she was assistant professor at the Department of Health Technology and Informatics, PolyU. Dr Chen's research focuses on cerebrovascular diseases, stroke, vascular dementia. Her expertise lies in advanced neuroimaging, including MRI, CT and transcranial ultrasound. Beyond her research in brain disease, Dr Chen is interested in the application of novel technologies in education, particularly in developing innovative pedagogical methods and enhancing teaching and learning effectiveness.
Submission Link: AETS 2026: Special Session 2 Submission