Education in the metaverse: Developing virtual reality teaching materials for K–12 natural science

In the post-COVID-19 era, information education with highly interactive teaching methods has become increasingly common. In particular, the metaverse and virtual reality (VR) technology can be used in novel learning methods to leverage the intuitiveness, immersivity, and interactivity of VR. For example, students could use VR to simulate scientific experiments in chemistry, biology, or physics that would require handling dangerous chemicals or biological samples, mitigating real-world experimental risks. This study investigated the effective use of emerging technologies in K–12 education through the development of a VR teaching material “Escape from the Material Room” for junior high school students with the goals of cultivating students’ core competencies in self-directed learning and enhance the learning experience. The development process involved two stages: first, 45 university students participated in a preliminary usability assessment, providing feedback that led to minor interface adjustments. Subsequently, 25 junior high school students engaged with the optimized VR material as a supplementary course. Through detailed analysis of system usability, user satisfaction, and learning behavior, the study found that the key factors enhancing the effectiveness of VR teaching materials include interaction design, the intuitiveness of the user interfaces, and the integration of teaching content with learning objectives. The findings highlight the potential of VR to promote educational innovation and enhance the learning experience. By incorporating VR’s unique features, such as immersion and interactivity, into teaching and learning, educators can create more engaging and effective learning environments