A Study on Teacher Perception of Korean Language Classes Using Metaverse: Focusing on the Change in Perception of Teachers Before and After Metaverse Education

Abstract

his study investigated the potential of metaverse-based Korean language education by examining teachers’ perceptions and willingness to adopt metaverse technologies in their teaching. Additionally, the study proposes directions for teacher training to facilitate the implementation and sustainability of metaverse-based Korean language education. To achieve the aims of this study, a teacher training program on metaverse-based Korean language education for Korean language teachers was conducted. Pre- and post-training surveys were administered to assess changes in the teachers’ understanding, perceived necessities, challenges, willingness to adopt the technology, and desire to support future metaverse-based classes. The results showed that while teachers currently do not utilize metaverse technologies in their classrooms due to factors such as their limited understanding of the technology, inadequate technical skills, and institutional system issues, they expressed ahigh degree of willingness to incorporate metaverse technologies in their future teaching. Additionally, there was a strong demand for follow-up training when it comes to the metaverse. The study also found that a single teacher training session significantly reduced teachers’ perceived burden regarding the understanding and use of metaverse functionalities. Therefore, this study suggests that continuous and coherent teacher training programs can enhance Korean language teachers’ digital literacy and promote the adoption of metaverse technologies in Korean language education.