Trial reportBMC medical education2026
Effects of metaverse-based education on motivation and academic achievement in undergraduate physiotherapy students: a randomized three-arm study.
Trial report in BMC medical education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The trial behind it
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundConventional synchronous online education may be less engaging than face-to-face instruction in physiotherapy education, particularly for practice-oriented content. Metaverse-based environments may offer a more interactive alternative, but comparative evidence in undergraduate physiotherapy students remains limited. This study compared metaverse-based, synchronous online, and face-to-face education for the theoretical component of palpation-related content.
methodsThis randomized three-arm controlled trial used a pre-test/post-test design. Ninety undergraduate physiotherapy students were randomized to metaverse-based, synchronous online, or face-to-face education; 83 completed the study (metaverse n = 28, online n = 26, face-to-face n = 29). All groups received the same theoretical palpation content, differing only in delivery mode. Motivation was assessed using the Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS), including its Attention-Relevance and Confidence-Satisfaction subscales, and academic achievement was assessed using a 15-item multiple-choice quiz after the intervention.
resultsMotivation increased in all groups after instruction. Significant group-by-time interactions were found for IMMS total (p = 0.001) and Attention-Relevance (p < 0.001), with greater improvement in the metaverse group than in the online group for IMMS total, and greater improvement than both the online and face-to-face groups for Attention-Relevance. Quiz scores also differed across groups (p = 0.048), with significantly higher post-test quiz scores in the metaverse group than in the online group. No significant group-by-time interaction was observed for Confidence-Satisfaction (p > 0.05).
conclusionsMetaverse-based education may provide motivational advantages and higher post-test quiz performance over conventional synchronous online education in undergraduate physiotherapy students. Its clearest benefit was observed in the Attention-Relevance dimension of motivation toward the instructional materials. These findings suggest that more interactive virtual learning environments may enrich online physiotherapy education when theoretical content is delivered remotely.
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