FROM PASSIVE TO IMMERSIVE: METAVERSE AS A PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH IN HISTORY CLASS - PRESENTING A CONSTANT REMINDER OF HISTORICAL REMNANTS AND A CUSTOMIZABLE REALITY FOR FUTURE PREFERENCES; BEIRUT AS A CASE STUDY

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that passive, non-immersive strategies of teaching adopted in history classes in Lebanon do not offer the right platform for knowledge retention in students. With that said, virtual reality and the use of Metaverse as a pedagogical approach is prophesied as the most apt to invoke a positive attitude from children towards the topic being studied, and thus, in this case, it increases their awareness of the existing built heritage they live amidst. This research sets out from a recent project implemented by Beirut Arab University, together with three UN agencies. The latter aimed for “developing children emotional attachment to the territory of Beirut Blast through activating their participation in the construction of cognitive maps by playing with spatial maps strategically designed in a game environment”. A thorough assessment of the outcomes of the activities implemented throughout the project, including the executed physical models and game boards that simulate myriad neighborhoods in Beirut, is carried out, followed by an analytical comparison of these outcomes with those from using the proposed innovative digital tools. A pilot study is conducted on Martyr’s square to assess how virtual tools can enhance the sensory experience and perception of the built space, making youth active learners rather than passive. It illustrates how introducing children to educating architecture from a young age not only nurtures their awareness of their local neighborhoods, but also generates responsible citizens. The outcome of this study can be divided over a timeline of past, present, and future. The virtual recreation of old Beirut aims to enhance the virtual learning experience as opposed to that from books and chalkboards. Children are expected to formulate a better understanding of their heritage, become more attached to the remnants of the latter, and set out to customize the reality to their preferences or vision of how a better, sustainable Beirut looks like.