The Science Coaster: A Virtual Reality Journey in Science Education

This study was designed to examine how the science teaching process was conducted using Science Coaster, a virtual reality application developed for fourth-grade primary school students, and to identify the effects of this process on students’ academic achievement, motivation, and experiences. The research was structured as a case study, and the participants consisted of 33 fourth-grade students and their classroom teachers. Data collection tools included an observation form, researcher diary, student diary, interview form, academic achievement test, and a motivation scale for science learning. The Science Coaster virtual reality software was specifically developed by the researchers for the unit “Earth’s Crust and Movements of Our Planet” in the science curriculum. The implementation process was conducted individually, and students interacted with the content using a virtual reality headset and controller. The findings revealed that the Science Coaster-based instructional process could be successfully implemented in three main phases: lesson preparation, implementation, and assessment-evaluation. Quantitative results indicated a statistically significant increase in students’ academic achievement in science and improvements in all sub-dimensions of their motivation. Qualitative data supported these findings, showing that students perceived the virtual reality experience as enjoyable, instructive, immersive, realistic, and motivating. During the research process, specific technical-physical issues and student-experience-based limitations were encountered; however, various solutions were implemented to address these challenges. The findings suggest that virtual reality technology holds pedagogical potential in science education and can be used as an effective instructional tool, particularly at the primary school level.