Exploring the Potential of Metaverse Adoption in Higher Education: A Diffusion of Innovation Model Approach to Enhancing Student Engagement

In the virtual realm, also referred to as the metaverse, users generally communicate using avatars. This metaverse is viewed as a prospective tool in different industry types, and in this regard, researchers have examined its significance in education owing to its increasing reach. In fact, it has been widely accepted that Information System (IS) model assessments in light of user’s reactions and their use of the metaverse systems is a worthwhile research branch. This is because metaverse adoption can open several avenues of enhanced student engagement in terms of collaboration, accessibility, new opportunities, personalization, creativity, and future preparedness of students. Therefore, in this study, the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) model is employed to explain the successful adoption of the metaverse. The study tested the model using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) on data obtained from 1,700 students, respondents from Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Libya, through an online survey questionnaire. Based on the findings, all the extended variables positively affected trust, relative advantage, and behavioral intention toward metaverse adoption. The study revealed that adopting metaverse technologies positively enhances students’ engagement by providing immersive, interactive, and personalized learning experiences. This positive impact underscores the potential of metaverse technologies to transform educational environments, making learning more engaging and effective. The findings highlighted the contribution of the study to practice and theory, particularly to developers, designers, and decision-makers in promoting metaverse use. More importantly, the study enables institutions of higher learning to adopt metaverse by integrating it into other tools like mobile learning in blended learning technologies.