From Lecture Hall to Metaverse Hall: Evaluating Smart Ethics Learning through Immersive Mixed-Reality in a Malaysian IT Class

Integrating immersive technologies in higher education has raised important questions about how Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) can improve ethical reasoning, especially within culturally diverse classrooms. This study investigates the effectiveness of metaverse-enabled learning environments in teaching Computer Ethics and Cyber Law to a class of 48 undergraduate students at a Malaysian institution. Specifically, two modules—Data Privacy and Social Media Ethics—were deployed using free, browser-based VR platforms (Gather.Town) and accessible mobile devices. The research used a quasi-experimental design, dividing students into control and immersive groups. Pre- and post-assessments measured ethical reasoning, scenario decision-making accuracy, and student engagement. The immersive group demonstrated a 20% increase in ethical reasoning scores, 25% improvement in scenario-based decisions, and 35% higher engagement levels, compared to the traditional group. The findings support that immersive metaverse learning environments, when thoughtfully localized, offer a low-cost, scalable solution to improve ethical decision-making in digital contexts.