Paper Type
Complete
Description
This study investigates digital inequalities through the novel lens of "meta-privilege" - the privilege to participate in immersive technologies and the metaverse. Using a case study approach at a minority-serving university, meta-privilege is assessed among residential and immigrant students via a new student technology readiness framework influenced by Van Dijk's access model. The framework measures preparedness for digital classroom activities beyond basic access. Access is evaluated through prior exposure and experience with VR devices, while usability testing captures user satisfaction. Results reveal exposure/experience gaps between residential and immigrant students. However, usability did not significantly differ across device tiers, suggesting introducing any VR device initially allows equitable participation. A taxonomy classifying students' meta-privilege/marginalization based on the access-usability intersection is proposed. Findings highlight digital equity considerations as immersive technologies expand in education, demonstrating the importance of holistic assessments identifying student preparedness for emerging technologies like the metaverse.
Paper Number
1465
Recommended Citation
Hemmings-Jarrett, Kimberley; Jarrett, Julian J.; and Jayakanthan, Jayani, "A Case Study: Assessing Meta-Privilege in University Classrooms (Immigrant Student Perspective)" (2024). AMCIS 2024 Proceedings. 2.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2024/soc_inclusion/social_inclusion/2
A Case Study: Assessing Meta-Privilege in University Classrooms (Immigrant Student Perspective)
This study investigates digital inequalities through the novel lens of "meta-privilege" - the privilege to participate in immersive technologies and the metaverse. Using a case study approach at a minority-serving university, meta-privilege is assessed among residential and immigrant students via a new student technology readiness framework influenced by Van Dijk's access model. The framework measures preparedness for digital classroom activities beyond basic access. Access is evaluated through prior exposure and experience with VR devices, while usability testing captures user satisfaction. Results reveal exposure/experience gaps between residential and immigrant students. However, usability did not significantly differ across device tiers, suggesting introducing any VR device initially allows equitable participation. A taxonomy classifying students' meta-privilege/marginalization based on the access-usability intersection is proposed. Findings highlight digital equity considerations as immersive technologies expand in education, demonstrating the importance of holistic assessments identifying student preparedness for emerging technologies like the metaverse.
Comments
SIGSI