Identifying Dimensions and Components of the Metaverse in Middle School Science Education

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify the key dimensions and components of the metaverse in middle school science education. The research explored the role of the metaverse as an innovative technology in improving the quality of education and enhancing student engagement in learning scientific concepts.   Methodology: This study employed a qualitative approach utilizing content analysis methods. The research population included two sections: scientific documents and educational experts. The scientific documents consisted of articles, journals, and theses related to the research topic, published between 1390 to 1403 in Persian and 2000 to 2024 in English. The second section involved semi-structured interviews with 12 educational experts with a minimum of 5 years of managerial and executive experience in schools. The interview data were coded and analyzed using MaxQDA software.   Findings: The findings revealed that the metaverse can enhance the quality of science education in schools through factors such as media literacy, technological maturity, technological infrastructure, and supportive policies. Additionally, issues related to privacy and data security were identified as significant challenges. The proposed strategies included the development of interactive and personalized learning, improvement of technological infrastructure, and teacher training in the effective use of the metaverse.   Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the metaverse can serve as an innovative tool for improving the quality of science education in middle schools. However, successful implementation of this technology requires attention to factors such as media literacy, technological infrastructure, and supportive policies. Moreover, addressing security and privacy concerns is essential.