Design process of three-dimensional multi-user virtual environments for teaching three species

The main goal of this study is to investigate whether three-dimensional (3D) multi-user virtual environments are appropriate for teaching about the characteristics of trees, which are crucial to life on Earth. The purpose of the research is to investigate whether 3D multi-user virtual environments can help biology teachers, who play the role of actors in biology education, identify trees in their immediate surroundings. Thematic design was employed as the qualitative research model and a quasi-experimental model with a pretest posttest control group as the methodology for mixed research methods. On the Unity3D platform, a 3D virtual environment was created using the ADDIE model, one of the design-based learning models. The research was conducted in two phases, including a pilot implementation and a implementation.After the research was corrected as needed in accordance with professional opinions, a pilot application was created with 24 college students and 70 biology teachers (control group: teaching by presentation, experimental group: three-dimensional virtual learning environment application). The 3D Virtual Learning Environments Evaluation Scale and the Modified Given Tree Diagnostic Test are the research's quantitative data collection instruments, and the User Interview Form is used to gather qualitative data. The research's quantitative data were analyzed using paired samples t-test and ANCOVA analysis techniques, and its qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The research's findings showed that the models used to conduct it were successful in improving participants' tree recognition abilities. However, it was found that the 3D virtual learning environment was superior to the presentation model in terms of identifying trees. These findings indicate that the 3D virtual learning environment created using the ADDIE instructional design model for teaching tree species can be used as a useful environment for tree education.