Document Type
Article
Source of Publication
Computers and Education Open
Publication Date
12-1-2025
Abstract
As immersive technologies like the Metaverse continue to reshape higher education, it becomes increasingly vital to examine the ethical dimensions shaping student engagement with these platforms. This study investigates how university students perceive privacy, digital identity, informed consent, and algorithmic fairness in Metaverse-based classrooms, and how these perceptions influence their trust and behavioral intention to adopt the technology. A quantitative survey was conducted with 310 university students, all of whom had prior exposure to virtual learning platforms. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.0, the study found that Metaverse Ethical Dimensions (MED) significantly influence both Trusting Intention (TRI) (β = 0.740, p < 0.001) and Intention to Use (IU) (β = 0.573, p < 0.001). Additionally, TRI partially mediates the relationship between MED and IU (β = 0.206, p = 0.001). These results highlight the central role of ethical design and user trust in promoting the adoption of Metaverse-based classrooms.
DOI Link
ISSN
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
9
Disciplines
Computer Sciences
Keywords
Educational Metaverse, Metaverse Adoption, Metaverse Ethics, Metaverse Trusting Intention, Technology Ethics
Scopus ID
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Al-kfairy, Mousa; Alalawi, Meera; Alrabaee, Saed; and Alfandi, Omar, "Privacy, identity, and fairness: Unpacking ethical influences on metaverse adoption in university learning" (2025). All Works. 7560.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/7560
Indexed in Scopus
yes
Open Access
yes
Open Access Type
Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series