Foundations of the Metaverse

This unit introduces core concepts, terminology, and economic structures that underpin metaverse environments, including virtual currency and NFTs. Students will examine business challenges and demographic factors while practicing focused research using chapter references to prepare for applied design and technical exploration in subsequent units.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze key metaverse terminology and concepts (e.g., avatar, persistence, interoperability, virtual environment) and accurately explain their roles in written or oral summaries.
• Analyze how virtual currencies and blockchain-based assets, including NFTs, function within metaverse economies by tracing transaction flows, ownership models, and value-transfer mechanisms in a created diagram or flowchart.
• Evaluate business challenges and demographic considerations for designing metaverse experiences by interpreting case examples and proposing at least two strategic adaptations for specific target populations.
• Demonstrate effective research and source-evaluation skills by organizing and citing unit chapter references to produce a 2–3 page discovery report on a selected metaverse topic.