Virtuall Brilliant: Soqqle Metaverse Experience

At Soqqle, we are addressing the challenge of providing quality education on social responsibility and sustainable development to learners in higher education. This is a significant challenge globally, and is particularly relevant to the 50% of our users who are in sustainability or ESG related fields.

In many countries, education on social responsibility and sustainable development is not a mandatory subject in higher education, and even where it is offered, traditional learning experiences can be passive and fail to provide personalized learning paths that cater to individual learning needs. Additionally, many learners struggle with staying engaged and motivated while learning about social responsibility and sustainable development, which can hinder their academic performance and reduce their overall enjoyment of the learning process.

Soqqle's solution addresses the factors contributing to this problem by providing learners with personalized and engaging virtual stories that promote social responsibility and sustainable development. Our virtual stories are designed to be interactive, immersive, and gamified, allowing learners to engage with subject matter in a way that is both entertaining and educational. By incorporating learning analytics, Soqqle enables educators to track and measure student engagement and progress, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of the virtual stories and the areas where students may need additional support.

Soqqle is a unique metaverse platform that allows educators to create immersive virtual stories on social responsibility and sustainable development. Our solution enables educators to transform traditional slide presentations into interactive, gamified experiences that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills among learners of all ages and backgrounds. This is particularly relevant to the S of ESG, as it helps learners develop a deeper understanding of social responsibility and sustainable development. In fact, 50% of our users are in sustainability or related fields, which underscores the relevance and impact of our solution.

Figure 1. A fishing village where students can learn about overfishing and circular economy

Figure 2. A great depression scene where students can better relate classroom content to real life experiences

One of Soqqle's exciting upcoming features is its use of generative AI to create a generative metaverse. The platform is in development with AI technology that will enable the creation of procedurally generated virtual scenes, providing a limitless supply of unique and engaging learning experiences on social responsibility and sustainable development. By incorporating sustainability into our virtual stories, we can bring learners closer to the problems we face today, such as waste management, overfishing, and climate change. Through our solution, learners can see firsthand how these problems affect communities and the environment, which helps them develop a deeper appreciation of the issues and a greater sense of urgency to address them.

To create a virtual story on Soqqle, educators can populate a spreadsheet with data that corresponds to each element of the virtual scene, such as character names, dialogues, and actions. The platform's mapping feature then enables the spreadsheet data to be rendered as a 3D virtual scene, allowing learners to interact with NPCs and engage in learning activities that are designed to reinforce their understanding of social responsibility and sustainable development. By incorporating circular economy into our virtual stories, learners can see how resources can be conserved and reused, which is essential to achieving sustainable development goals.

Soqqle also features learning analytics that enable educators to track and measure student engagement and progress on social responsibility and sustainable development. This includes data on student interactions with NPCs and the selection of learning activities, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of the virtual stories and the areas where students may need additional support.

The platform leverages cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality and is in development with AI technology to enhance the learning experience on social responsibility and sustainable development. The platform also features social networking elements that allow learners to connect with each other and with their mentors, fostering a sense of community and collaboration on social responsibility and sustainable development.

Overall, sustainability is a key focus for us at Soqqle. By providing learners with engaging and effective learning experiences on social responsibility and sustainable development, we aim to empower them to become responsible global citizens who can contribute to a more sustainable world.

Soqqle targets students in higher education who are seeking to improve their academic performance and gain a deeper understanding of civic education. Our solution aims to address the needs of these learners by providing them with personalized, engaging, and effective learning experiences that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and active citizenship.

In our civic education virtual stories, learners engage in activities that promote social responsibility and active citizenship. These stories aim to foster a sense of civic engagement and to empower learners to become active and responsible members of their communities.

For example, in one of our virtual stories, learners are taken to a virtual town hall meeting where they can engage in activities such as voting simulations and policy debates. Through these activities, learners gain a deeper understanding of the importance of civic engagement and the role that they can play in shaping their communities.

Another virtual story takes learners to a virtual community where they engage in service projects such as community cleanups and volunteering at local nonprofits. Through these activities, learners gain a deeper understanding of the importance of social responsibility and the impact that they can have on their communities.

Soqqle also offers virtual stories in other subjects, such as finance, sustainability, and other fields. These stories aim to provide learners with engaging and immersive learning experiences that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.

Overall, Soqqle is designed to provide learners with personalized and engaging learning experiences that promote critical thinking, problem-solving, and active citizenship. By leveraging the power of virtual reality and gamification, Soqqle transforms traditional learning experiences into immersive and interactive journeys that allow learners to engage with subject matter in a way that is both entertaining and educational.

At Soqqle, our team is comprised of individuals who are passionate about education and technology, and who have a deep understanding of the needs and challenges facing learners in higher education. Our team has worked closely with educators and students to develop a platform that is tailored to their needs and that provides engaging and effective learning experiences.

Our Team Lead and other team members are representative of the communities we serve. We come from diverse backgrounds and have a range of educational and professional experiences, which allows us to bring a broad range of perspectives and insights to our work.

To understand the needs of the communities we serve, we engage in ongoing dialogue and feedback with educators and students. We conduct user research and usability testing to ensure that our platform meets the needs and expectations of our users. We also actively seek out feedback and suggestions from our users through surveys and feedback forms.

Throughout the design and implementation process, we are guided by the input, ideas, and agendas of the communities we serve. We involve our users in every stage of the design process, from ideation to implementation, and we actively seek out feedback and suggestions from our users to ensure that our platform meets their needs and expectations.

Joining Solve would provide Soqqle with several benefits that can help us overcome the barriers we face and scale our platform to reach more learners around the world.

One benefit is access to a network of impact-minded leaders across industries and sectors. This network can provide valuable guidance and inspiration, and we can also take advantage of dedicated spaces to meet year-round and during Solve's flagship events such as Solve at MIT.

Another benefit is access to leadership coaching and strategic advice from experts in the Solve and MIT networks. This can help us refine our strategy, identify new opportunities, and overcome any challenges we face.

Solve also offers monitoring and evaluation support to build an impact measurement practice. This can help us measure the effectiveness of our platform and make data-driven decisions to optimize our impact.

In addition, joining Solve can provide us with exposure in the media and at conferences, which can help us attract new users and partners, and raise awareness about our platform.

Finally, Solve offers access to relevant in-kind resources such as software licenses and legal services from Solve supporters. This can help us overcome technical and legal barriers as we continue to develop and scale our platform.

Soqqle's metaverse platform is innovative in several ways. First, we make it easy for educators to create content using our authoring tools, which sets us apart from other education platforms. Our platform enables educators to create immersive virtual stories that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills among learners, making learning a more engaging and effective experience. Our platform also leverages game-based learning, which has been shown to improve engagement and retention among learners.

Second, our platform is unique in its focus on metaverse, which is an interactive and immersive virtual world that allows learners to engage with the content in a way that goes beyond video conferencing. Unlike other platforms that only focus on how content looks, we emphasize storytelling and the emotional connection it creates between the learner and the content (Refer to figure below which describes a student in an office environment solving workplace crises). This approach is particularly relevant in topics like ESG, which can be difficult to relate to and understand. By using storytelling, we can bring sustainability to life and inspire learners to take action on this critical issue. Our platform also emphasizes social learning, which allows learners to collaborate with each other and with their mentors to reinforce their understanding of the material.

Third, we work closely with professors in a research-backed approach and have been published in Q1 and Q2 journals, as well as multiple conference papers. This collaboration with experts in education ensures that our platform is tailored to the needs of educators and learners. We regularly solicit feedback from our users to understand their needs and pain points, and incorporate this feedback into our product development roadmap. This approach allows us to continuously improve our platform and ensure that it remains relevant and effective in the rapidly-evolving field of education technology.

Finally, we are currently working on leveraging new technologies such as generative AI to enhance the learning experience on our platform. This will allow us to create even more engaging and immersive virtual stories that provide learners with a virtually endless supply of learning opportunities. By combining our game-based, social learning, and metaverse features with the power of generative AI, we believe that our platform can revolutionize the way people learn and inspire them to become responsible global citizens who can contribute to a more sustainable world.

Overall, our innovative approach to education, focus on metaverse, storytelling, game-based learning, social learning, collaboration with experts in education, and commitment to leveraging new technologies set us apart from other education platforms. By providing a unique and effective learning experience that is grounded in research and tailored to the needs of our users, we believe that our platform can inspire learners to become passionate about learning and become agents of positive change in the world.

Figure 1. Screenshot of Soqqle in office environment

Economic:

• 3 year goal: Partner with 3 socially responsible corporations to incorporate our platform into their employee training programs, demonstrating the effectiveness of our solution in fostering a more socially and environmentally conscious workforce.
• 5 year goal: Develop partnerships with government agencies to incorporate our platform into their citizen education initiatives, promoting civic engagement and responsibility among their constituents.
• 10 year goal: Expand our platform's reach to underprivileged communities by partnering with non-profit organizations and providing free access to our platform

Environment:

• 3 year goal: Partner with 5 environmentally focused NGOs to incorporate our platform into their education programs, increasing awareness and knowledge about environmental issues and promoting sustainable behaviors.
• 5 year goal: Launch a dedicated "Green Learning" module on our platform that offers a comprehensive range of learning experiences focused on environmental topics, such as renewable energy, conservation, and circular economy.
• 10 year goal: Launch a "Green Campus" initiative to encourage universities to incorporate our platform into their sustainability initiatives, promoting sustainable behaviors

Academic:

• 3 year goal: Partner with 5 universities to incorporate our platform into their curriculums, enhancing their students' learning experiences and promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• 5 year goal: Develop partnerships with academic institutions to promote the use of our platform in distance learning, making education more accessible and convenient for learners of all ages.
• 10 year goal: Launch a dedicated "Academic Excellence" module on our platform that offers a comprehensive range of learning experiences focused on academic topics, such as STEM.

Ethical (with AI):

• 3 year goal: Partner with AI experts to develop ethical guidelines for the use of AI in education, ensuring that our platform's use of AI is responsible and transparent.
• 5 year goal: Develop partnerships with academic institutions to promote the use of our platform in AI education programs, promoting responsible and ethical AI development and use.
• 10 year goal: Launch a dedicated "AI & Ethics" module on our platform that offers a comprehensive range of learning experiences focused on AI ethics.

Technological:

• 3 year goal: Develop partnerships with universities to enhance the immersive learning experience on our platform, promoting the use of emerging technologies such as VR/AR to increase engagement and knowledge retention among learners.
• 5 year goal: Launch a dedicated "Emerging Technologies" module on our platform that offers a comprehensive range of learning experiences focused on emerging technologies, such as blockchain, IoT, and AI, to prepare learners for the technological advancements of the future.
• 10 year goal: Expand our platform's reach to emerging markets by partnering with telecommunications companies to provide affordable and reliable access to our platform, promoting equitable access to education and technology.

• Increase in user engagement: We track user engagement metrics such as time spent on the platform, completion rates of virtual stories, and the number of activities completed within the platform. We aim to increase these metrics as an indicator of increased user engagement with our platform.

• Student performance improvement: We measure student performance through pre- and post-assessments of learning outcomes. By comparing the assessment results, we aim to measure the improvement in student performance as an indicator of the effectiveness of our solution.

• Feedback from educators: We collect feedback from educators who use our platform to improve our solution and measure the impact of our platform on their teaching practice.

• Partnerships and collaborations: We track the number of partnerships and collaborations with universities, NGOs, and other organizations to expand the reach of our platform and measure our progress towards achieving our impact goals.
  

Activities:

• Educators use our platform to create immersive virtual stories by populating a spreadsheet that is mapped to NPCs in the virtual scene.
• We leverage emerging technologies, such as VR/AR, to enhance the immersive learning experience.
• We continuously improve and refine our platform based on feedback from educators and learners.

Outputs:

• Learners engage with immersive virtual stories that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Learners have access to personalized and adaptive learning experiences, tailored to their individual needs and skill levels.
• Educators have access to learning analytics to track and measure student engagement and progress.
• The platform fosters a sense of community and collaboration among learners and educators.

Outcomes:

• Learners develop a deeper understanding of complex topics, such as sustainability and ESG, through engaging and interactive virtual stories.
• Learners improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, which can be applied to real-world situations.
• Learners are better prepared for the technological advancements of the future.
• Educators are better equipped to provide personalized and adaptive learning experiences.
• Increased engagement with and understanding of sustainability and ESG topics leads to increased adoption of sustainable practices.
• Improved access to education and technology leads to increased equity in education and opportunity.

Our solution is powered by several core technologies that enable us to provide immersive and engaging learning experiences. These technologies include:

1. Virtual reality and augmented reality: We use VR/AR technologies to create immersive virtual scenes that learners can explore and interact with. This allows learners to engage with content in a way that is more engaging and memorable than traditional methods.

2. Authoring tools: We have developed a user-friendly authoring tool that allows educators to easily create content for the platform. This tool streamlines the process of creating immersive virtual stories, enabling educators to focus on the content rather than the technology.

3. Learning analytics: We use learning analytics to track and measure student engagement and progress. This data provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of the virtual stories and the areas where students may need additional support.

4. Generative AI: We are currently developing generative AI technology that will allow us to create procedurally generated virtual scenes, providing a limitless supply of unique and engaging learning experiences. This will enhance the platform's ability to provide personalized and adaptive learning experiences to learners of all backgrounds and skill levels.

At Soqqle, we are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ensuring that all team members are treated with respect and that everyone's ideas and perspectives are valued is essential for creating an inclusive and diverse team culture. This can be reflected in various aspects of project management and task delivery, such as clear communication and expectations, open channels for feedback and discussion, and a commitment to equity and fairness in decision-making processes. Additionally, actively seeking out diverse perspectives and experiences can help ensure that the team is able to effectively address the needs and concerns of a wide range of stakeholders, including those in underserved and marginalized communities.

One of our core values is promoting sustainability, as we believe it is crucial to creating a better future for all. To achieve our impact goals, we focus on the "S" of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and prioritize personalized learning experiences that enable learners to connect with real-world problems and solutions. We also work on various projects that promote social good, such as sustainability, safety, and human resources.

We ensure that all details of our solution are designed and delivered with respect and sensitivity to different cultures and backgrounds. In project management and task delivery, we strive to promote diversity and inclusivity in our hiring and partnership practices to ensure that all voices are heard and represented. Our goal is to create an environment where all team members feel welcomed, supported, and valued.

At Soqqle, we provide value to the populations we serve by creating immersive and engaging learning experiences that promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We do this by converting traditional and potentially boring content into interactive and gamified virtual stories, populated with 3D models and scenes that are mapped to non-player characters (NPCs). Our approach enables educators to create personalized and adaptive learning experiences that can be accessed by learners of all backgrounds and skill levels.

In addition to our subscription-based revenue model, we also generate revenue by providing 3D models and scenes, as well as producing metaverse cities for universities and institutions that can be plugged into our underlying metaverse. By doing so, we are able to offer a unique value proposition to universities and institutions that are seeking to enhance their learning environments and provide their students with more engaging and impactful learning experiences.

We also collaborate with universities and institutions on research projects to develop new and innovative approaches to teaching and learning, and to promote diversity and inclusion in education. By bringing together different regions and institutions, we are able to create a network of impact-minded leaders who are working together to address some of the most pressing challenges facing our communities today.

At Soqqle, our revenue model is based on a combination of subscription fees, project-based work, and product sales. We offer subscription packages for educators to access our platform and create their own immersive virtual stories. Additionally, we generate revenue by producing 3D models and scenes and creating metaverse cities for universities that can be plugged into our underlying metaverse. We also provide services for research projects and collaborations across regions and institutions.

Soqqle generates revenue through various means, including providing universities with 3D models and metaverse cities, as well as offering teaching development research projects. In addition to these core revenue streams, Soqqle is exploring other opportunities such as human resource management and AI generation. So far, Soqqle has been successful in securing a number of university grants, including several $30,000 teaching development research grants. These grants, along with other revenue streams, have enabled Soqqle to continue developing its platform and pursuing its mission of promoting sustainable education through gamification and immersive virtual experiences.