IJIET 2026 Vol.16(2): 475-488
doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.2.2520
doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.2.2520
From Awareness to Competency: The Impact of a Structured Intervention on IT Students’ Understanding of the Metaverse
Manar A. Mizher1,*, Manal A. Mizher2, Ayman M. Abdalla3, Moeen S. Alnasraween4,
Ahmad A. Mazhar5, and
Aman S. Altamimi6
1. Cyber Security Department, Amman Arab University, Jordan
2. Department of Cybersecurity and Cloud Computing, Applied Science Private University, Jordan
3. Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Information Technology, Al-Zaytoonah University, Jordan
4. Educational Faculty Sciences, Yarmouk University, Jordan
5. Mass Communication Department, College of Communication, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirate
6. BTEC IT Program, Ayla International Schools, Jordan
Email: mmizher@aau.edu.jo (M.A.M.); m_mizher@asu.edu.jo (M.A.M); ayman@zuj.edu.jo (A.M.A.); moen.na@yu.edu.jo (M.S.A.); ahmad.mazhar@sharjah.ac.ae (A.A.M.); amaan.altamimi@aya.edu.jo (A.S.A.)
*Corresponding author
2. Department of Cybersecurity and Cloud Computing, Applied Science Private University, Jordan
3. Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Information Technology, Al-Zaytoonah University, Jordan
4. Educational Faculty Sciences, Yarmouk University, Jordan
5. Mass Communication Department, College of Communication, University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirate
6. BTEC IT Program, Ayla International Schools, Jordan
Email: mmizher@aau.edu.jo (M.A.M.); m_mizher@asu.edu.jo (M.A.M); ayman@zuj.edu.jo (A.M.A.); moen.na@yu.edu.jo (M.S.A.); ahmad.mazhar@sharjah.ac.ae (A.A.M.); amaan.altamimi@aya.edu.jo (A.S.A.)
*Corresponding author
Manuscript received August 1, 2025; revised August 22, 2025; accepted October 9, 2025; published February 12, 2026
Abstract—This study examines a structured intervention at a Middle Eastern university. It aims to enhance undergraduate Information Technology (IT) students’ comprehension and competency with the Metaverse. With immersive technologies still emerging in the region, the study targeted five core dimensions: conceptual understanding, tool familiarity, perceived academic benefits, ethical awareness, and reduction of usage-related challenges. Using a pre- and post-test design with 60 participants, the intervention yielded statistically significant improvements across all dimensions (p < 0.001). The greatest gains were observed in tool familiarity (M = 1.41, t = 28.05) and ethical awareness (M = 1.07, t = 21.29), highlighting the intervention’s impact on both technical and critical thinking competencies. This study contributes to the growing body of empirical evidence on Metaverse integration in undergraduate IT education. It was implemented at a Middle Eastern university by presenting a model that may be adapted and tested elsewhere for competency development. It also identifies pedagogical strategies that, in this cohort, facilitate meaningful engagement with immersive environments. The findings may be relevant to similar institutions in early adoption phases, offering preliminary, context-specific insights for curriculum design and digital transformation in IT education. By addressing this gap, the study provides evidence on how Metaverse adoption can be integrated into IT higher education, and offers context-specific insights from a Middle Eastern setting.
Keywords—Metaverse, immersive learning, virtual reality, education
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
Keywords—Metaverse, immersive learning, virtual reality, education
Cite: Manar A. Mizher, Manal A. Mizher, Ayman M. Abdalla, Moeen S. Alnasraween, Ahmad A. Mazhar, and Aman S. Altamimi, "From Awareness to Competency: The Impact of a Structured Intervention on IT Students’ Understanding of the Metaverse," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 475-488, 2026.
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).