Effects of metaverse-based career mentoring for nursing students: a mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Virtual reality applications in education
• Higher education and career development
• Nursing student professional growth

Background:

• Limited research exists on metaverse-based career mentoring for college students.
• This study addresses the gap by examining its impact on nursing students.
• It also explores the experiences of both mentors and mentees.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effect of a metaverse-based career mentoring program on nursing students.
• To explore the qualitative experiences of mentors and mentees within this program.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods design combining surveys and focus group interviews.
• 8 mentors and 43 mentees participated in the 6-day, 8-session metaverse program.
• Quantitative data analyzed using t-tests and Mann-Whitney U; qualitative data via thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Mentees showed a significant increase in career decision-making self-efficacy post-program.
• Key themes from interviews included frank communication and satisfaction with program realism.
• Participants expressed a desire for further program optimization.

Conclusions:

• Metaverse-based career mentoring positively impacts nursing students' career decision-making self-efficacy.
• The metaverse serves as an effective non-face-to-face educational medium with a sense of reality.
• Future applications can benefit from incorporating diverse content for enhanced educational outcomes.