A metasynthesi̇s study on research on the use of virtual reali̇ty i̇n sci̇ence education

Today, the increasing role of technology in education plays a significant part in enhancing learning processes and providing students with effective learning experiences. In this context, virtual reality technology stands out as an innovative tool in education, offering a sense of presence through three-dimensional environments. The rapid advancements in technology necessitate the effective integration of virtual reality into learning environments and a comprehensive investigation of its role in education. This study aims to analyze master's and doctoral theses on the use of virtual reality technology in science education through the meta-synthesis method. The theses, conducted between 2013 and 2023, examine the areas of application, effective implementation methods, and teachers' attitudes toward this technology. The findings indicate that virtual reality has the potential to enrich learning experiences in science classes and contribute to students' understanding of science concepts more effectively. It was also found that virtual reality studies predominantly focus on middle school students, with Anadolu University and Istanbul University being pioneers in this field. The study explores the effectiveness of virtual reality technology on specific science learning objectives and analyzes how it can be better integrated into educational processes. The results highlight that research in this field often employs medium-sized samples, quasi-experimental designs, and traditional data collection methods. These findings underline the positive impact of virtual reality adoption on teachers' perceptions of technology and their sense of competence. In conclusion, it is recommended that future research employs broader and more diverse samples to investigate the effects of virtual reality technology in education in greater depth. This study aims to contribute to the literature on the use of virtual reality in science education and provide guidance on the effective integration of this technology into teaching practices.