Investigating students’ attitudes towards metaverse technology and students' adoption intention

Abstract

The growing adoption of metaverse technology has created new opportunities for immersive and interactive learning in higher education, especially in Indonesia. Although the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) identifies attitude as a key determinant of behavioural intention, the moderating role of privacy concerns in educational metaverse adoption remains underexplored. This study investigates the effect of students’ attitudes towards the use of metaverse technology for academic activities on their intention to adopt the technology. Additionally, it examines the moderating role of privacy concerns in the relationship between students’ attitude and adopt intention. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 426 higher education students in Indonesia using purposive sampling, and the proposed model was analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal that students’ attitudes toward metaverse technology significantly and positively influence their adoption intention, representing the most influential predictor of adoption. Unfortunately, privacy concerns do not significantly moderate the relationship between attitude and behavioural intention. These findings contribute to the educational metaverse literature by demonstrating that privacy concerns do not constitute a significant boundary condition in the attitude–intention relationship. The study highlights the importance of cultivating positive attitudes through meaningful learning experiences, perceived educational value, and engaging virtual learning environments in order to promote metaverse adoption in higher learning institutions.