Potential Abstract:
This study investigates the complex dynamics of online roles and positionality within the educational metaverse, adopting a Marxist lens to critically analyze power relations and social structures. The educational metaverse refers to the online environments where teaching and learning take place, encompassing virtual classrooms, digital learning platforms, and immersive virtual reality experiences. Drawing upon theories of positionality and Marxist analysis, this research aims to shed light on how power is distributed and negotiated within these virtual spaces.
The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative interviews with educators and students, as well as quantitative data collected from virtual learning platforms. Through a Marxist analysis, this research explores the ways in which online roles and positionality can reproduce or challenge existing social hierarchies, inequalities, and forms of exploitation. It examines the influence of factors such as socio-economic status, race, gender, and access to technology on individuals’ experiences of online learning.
The findings of this research contribute to our understanding of the implications of online roles in perpetuating or disrupting power dynamics in education. By adopting a Marxist perspective, this study seeks to reveal hidden structures and mechanisms within the educational metaverse that may reproduce or contest existing social inequities. The research aims to inform educational practitioners and policymakers about the potential impact of online learning environments on marginalized groups, providing insights and recommendations for fostering more inclusive and equitable educational practices.
Potential References:
- Cultures of Digital Architectures: Power and Positionalities in the Backend of Online Journalism Production
- (Re) discovering the physical body online: Strategies and challenges to approach non-cisgender identity in social Virtual Reality
- Self-identity in a virtual space: Consideration from an embodied perspective
- Virtual Allies: Why Allyship is Critical to Diversification of Virtual Reality Gaming?
- Behold the metaverse: Facebook’s Meta imaginary and the circulation of elite discourse
