Comparative analysis of traditional and metaverse-based education: impacts on students’ all-round development

Background: All-round development, including intellectual, social, physical, ethical, and aesthetic skills, is essential for student growth. Traditional classrooms, using textbooks and direct interaction, often lack immersive experiences. The Metaverse offers interactive virtual environments to enhance these skills, but comparative studies are limited. Purpose: To compare traditional and metaverse-based education impacts on students’ all-round development and provide insights for educators. Methods: A comparative study involved 200 university students randomly assigned to traditional or metaverse-based courses (Chinese, Ethics, Art, Physical Education). Outcomes were assessed via short tests and a 45-item Likert-scale questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SmartPLS 4, IBM SPSS Amos 28, Mann-Whitney U tests, and partial least squares regression. Results: Metaverse-based education was associated with significantly higher scores than traditional methods in intellectual, ethical, and aesthetic skills (p < 0.05), due to immersive simulations. Traditional education was associated with significantly higher scores for social and physical skills (p < 0.05), driven by direct interaction and hands-on practice. The model explained 61.4%–76.8% of skill variance. Conclusion: Metaverse education excels in intellectual, ethical, and aesthetic skills, while traditional methods enhance social and physical skills. A hybrid approach is recommended to optimize all-round development.