Examining the Effect of Virtual Reality‐Based Environmental Education on Creative Problem‐Solving Skills

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to examine the effect of participation in the virtual reality‐based environmental education (VRBEE) program on the creative problem‐solving (CPS) skills of middle school students in Turkey. The research was conducted with 125 students from a public middle school, and their CPS skills were assessed using a pre‐test–post‐test scale. In addition, students' environment‐themed compositions and virtual reality projects were analyzed. The findings showed a statistically significant increase in students' CPS scores after the VRBEE program. The average score for the compositions was 33.36 out of 50, whereas the average score for the virtual reality projects was 40.50 out of 60. Positive relationships were found between CPS skills and both types of student products; however, a significant relationship was identified only with the virtual reality project scores. Overall, the results indicate that the VRBEE program effectively enhanced middle school students' creative problem‐solving skills.