For the first time in Turkey, a metaverse platform was established by Yıldız Technical University (YTU) to serve in the field of education. The first lesson of the platform is the Rector of the University, Prof. Dr. It was given by Tamer Yılmaz through digital avatars.
Metaverse technology, which means 3D virtual universes, in which millions of dollars have been invested, has started to be used in the field of education for the first time in Turkey. Developed by academics and students, the metaverse platform named 'YTU Starverse' was designed entirely by using servers and infrastructure within the university. The project was carried out by Assoc. Dr. Scientific research projects were carried out by the research team under the coordination of Ertan Toy with the support of the coordination unit. At YTU Starverse, where it is aimed to increase the quality of education through new technologies; In addition to classrooms where students can take lessons, there are structures such as a museum, art gallery and library where cultural activities will be held. In the Metaverse environment, where the first course on 'Innovation and Entrepreneurship' was given, students took the first lesson with the Rector of the university, Prof. Dr. He bought it from Tamer Yılmaz. Lesson with digital avatars chosen by the rector and students YouTubeIt was broadcast live from.
“The team of 20 people worked day and night”
Opening the YTU Starverse platform, YTU Rector Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz underlined that innovation determines the difference between leaders and followers and that it is imperative to innovate in order to be a leader person or institution. Yılmaz said, “Our job is to innovate in education and R&D. Universities should be able to produce their own products. There is another area where today's world and youth go. We are talking about another technology. This is blockchain systems, NFTs, metaverse planes. In this field where technology is going, of course, universities should take the lead. In this sense, YTU has modeled its own metaverse university, its world, its campus on a virtual plane. We called this world the 'Starverse' realm by emulating the star, referring to the star. Today we will do the first trial lesson. Behind this, there is a team of 20 people who work on the models day and night and finalize the system. As a university, we broke new ground in blockchain-based businesses and NFT before. The university still has its own NFT collection. Again, at the graduation ceremony, we presented NFTs to our students who ranked high. While people were giving plaques, we now gave valuable, salable NFTs to our students. Today, we are talking about a ring that completes this but is not the end, which is the starverse plane.” said.
“The relationship between student and educator has now evolved into companionship”
Stating that the use of technology in education has now become mandatory and the key to becoming competitive at world standards, Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz continued as follows; “How technology is used in every field, it should primarily be used more in education. It is applauded when it is used in other fields, while it is used in education, "we deal with technology a lot to our children, will our teachers adapt to it?" We don't have the luxury of thinking. Just as it is necessary to use technology in the aircraft and space sector, we have to use it in education. I believe we can adapt very quickly. Because students are our supporters. We are the mentors of the students we work with and we set out with them. It is not right to think as before. In other words, it is not correct to say that “there are students on the other side and we need to know more than them”. Because our students know more than us. Our advantage is that we are in the age of traveling together by learning from them. It evolves a bit in education. With the use of technology, the relationship between the trainer and the trainee has turned into companionship. For example, if we are talking about agricultural society, not from a book, then we can say, let's come and enter this world and teach that lesson in that atmosphere. You cannot do these in the physical environment.”
On the other hand, the platform can be accessed from both desktop and laptop computers and virtual reality glasses. The system, which will be open only to the faculty members and students of the university, is planned to be opened to external use in the near future.
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