Development and evaluation of a metaverse learning environment supported by an adaptive learning approach

The rapid transformation in the development of digital technologies has led to radical transformations in education, as in many other fields. With individual differences in students' learning processes becoming increasingly important, restructuring education by integrating them with technology has become essential. This study, based on this principle, developed the AdaptiVR application as a metaverse-based learning environment within the scope of adaptive learning and aimed to evaluate its impact. To this end, the application was prepared with learning scenarios containing visual, auditory, and interactive elements covering the objectives of the 9th-grade physics unit on force and motion. The scenarios were digitized using three-dimensional solid modeling applications and a game engine. Software-based elements such as user interaction with the virtual environment, audio and text prompts, and error feedback were integrated into the system. The study was conducted with students studying at a science and arts center, identified from the general ability field and in the project phase. Following the application, a sense of presence scale was administered to the participating students, and their evaluations of their experiences were recorded using a semi-structured interview form. The results demonstrated that the metaverse-based learning environment supported by the AdaptiVR application increased students' interest in the learning process. It was determined that it allowed them to grasp abstract physics concepts in the course content in a more concrete way and offered a flexible structure suited to their individual learning pace. Participating students stated that the safe and repeatable experiences provided by the virtual environment increased the quality of their learning and that they were more motivated compared to traditional methods. These findings suggest that AdaptiVR is not limited to physics courses but has the potential to be an innovative learning tool that can be effectively applied across different disciplines and across a variety of student profiles.