Bridging the Educational Gap with Virtual Reality (VR): Virtual Labs for the Next Generation

This research addresses the systemic educational inequality in Thailand, where a severe shortage of physical science laboratories in rural areas hinders the development of 21st-century scientific literacy. Using the ADDIE model, the study developed a virtual world technology innovation, the AR SciLab platform, to serve as a high-quality, risk-free learning infrastructure. The innovation comprises a database of eight career-oriented experiments (e.g., biodiesel production and essential oil extraction), 3D immersive VR environments built on Unreal Engine 5, and bilingual instructional media. Tested with 500 primary and secondary students and 10 teachers across diverse regions, the results showed significant academic improvement, with 70.8% of students achieving a relative gain score of at least 50%. Qualitative data revealed that the metaverse environment effectively bypassed geographical resource gaps and increased student motivation through “learning by doing.” Despite technical challenges such as “VR sickness,” the study demonstrates that virtual labs provide a scalable, equitable solution for marginalized schools, supporting the “Thailand Zero Dropout” initiative by ensuring that a student’s location no longer dictates the quality of their scientific education.