Art education beyond the classroom: A narrative review of metaverse applications

Abstract

This narrative review explores the application of metaverse in art education outside classroom and studio settings. With the ongoing innovation of immersive digital technologies it is increasingly possible to learn about art and its production in a virtual, interactive, collaborative space; so much that the metaverse can be seen as an exciting new territory for creative education. To set the scene for this field, a bibliometric study using Scopus was performed to analyze trends and themes in publications. An attempt was also made to incorporate PRISMA guidelines in the review process for increased transparency. Literature were found through the systematic search of Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC and Google Scholar augmented by reference screening and consisted primarily of peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 were conducted from 2020 to 2026. A narrative synthesis was employed to explore themes, such as conceptions of the metaverse in art education pedagogic affordances, effects on creativity and student identity, and challenges regarding access, curriculum negotiation integration equity ethical implications. Results suggest that the literature remains largely theoretical and exploratory but with limited empirical research on learning outcomes or inclusive practice. In summary, this review adds clarity regarding the present status of metaverse-based art education, and underscores the call for future evidence-based, pedagogically centered and representative research.