Collaborative science experiments based on the educational metaverse: Research on the impact and mechanisms of collaborative science experiments on elementary students' creative thinking

Xin Zhang; Longzhu Yi; Huikuan Chen; Jiayu Qian; Xuesong Zhai; Xin Zhang; Longzhu Yi; Huikuan Chen; Jiayu Qian; Xuesong Zhai

doi:10.3934/steme.2025013

STEM Education

2025, Volume 5, Issue 2: 250-274. doi: 10.3934/steme.2025013

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Research article

Collaborative science experiments based on the educational metaverse: Research on the impact and mechanisms of collaborative science experiments on elementary students' creative thinking

1.
Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
2.
Hangzhou Jiangnan Experimental School, Hangzhou, China
3.
Zhejiang Research Institute of Education Science, Hangzhou, China
4.
University College London, London, United Kingdom
5.
Jinhua Foreign Language Experimental School, Jinhua, China

Academic Editor: Chris Tisdell

Received: 09 October 2024 Revised: 24 December 2024 Accepted: 14 January 2025 Published: 05 March 2025

Elementary science curricula play a crucial role in guiding students to actively learn science and in sparking their innovative potential. However, practical science instruction often faces challenges, such as difficulties in gathering materials and a lack of guidance, leading to a prevalent reliance on teacher demonstrations rather than hands-on student experiments. This approach fails to cultivate the innovative thinking that experimental teaching should promote. To address this gap, this study introduced a model based on social cognitive theory that examines the impact of collaborative scientific experiments within an educational metaverse on elementary students' creative thinking. The research involved two parallel sixth-grade classes, with the experimental group engaging in collaborative science learning on a virtual experimental platform in the educational metaverse, and the control group using physical scientific equipment in the classroom. Data on students' learning styles, creativity scores, creative output, and survey responses were collected before and after the experiment, yielding 88 valid questionnaires. Descriptive statistical analysis of the data indicated that the metaverse-based collaborative experimental teaching positively influences students' creative thinking. Further analysis confirmed the reliability and validity of the data and tested hypotheses on correlation, mediation, and moderation effects. It was found that a sense of belonging partially mediated the impact of online environmental support on collaborative quality, while learning styles moderated the relationship between online support and creative thinking. Based on these findings, the study offered recommendations for improving teaching practices.
- creativity,
- collaborative science experiments,
- educational metaverse,
- structural equation model
Citation: Xin Zhang, Longzhu Yi, Huikuan Chen, Jiayu Qian, Xuesong Zhai. Collaborative science experiments based on the educational metaverse: Research on the impact and mechanisms of collaborative science experiments on elementary students' creative thinking[J]. STEM Education, 2025, 5(2): 250-274. doi: 10.3934/steme.2025013

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Abstract

Elementary science curricula play a crucial role in guiding students to actively learn science and in sparking their innovative potential. However, practical science instruction often faces challenges, such as difficulties in gathering materials and a lack of guidance, leading to a prevalent reliance on teacher demonstrations rather than hands-on student experiments. This approach fails to cultivate the innovative thinking that experimental teaching should promote. To address this gap, this study introduced a model based on social cognitive theory that examines the impact of collaborative scientific experiments within an educational metaverse on elementary students' creative thinking. The research involved two parallel sixth-grade classes, with the experimental group engaging in collaborative science learning on a virtual experimental platform in the educational metaverse, and the control group using physical scientific equipment in the classroom. Data on students' learning styles, creativity scores, creative output, and survey responses were collected before and after the experiment, yielding 88 valid questionnaires. Descriptive statistical analysis of the data indicated that the metaverse-based collaborative experimental teaching positively influences students' creative thinking. Further analysis confirmed the reliability and validity of the data and tested hypotheses on correlation, mediation, and moderation effects. It was found that a sense of belonging partially mediated the impact of online environmental support on collaborative quality, while learning styles moderated the relationship between online support and creative thinking. Based on these findings, the study offered recommendations for improving teaching practices.

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Author's biography Xin Zhang is an educational technology graduate from College Institute of Education, Zhejiang University, China. She is currently working as a teacher at Hangzhou Jiangnan Experimental School. Her research interests include artificial intelligence in education application, STEM education and project-based learning; Longzhu Yi is a researcher at the Zhejiang Research Institute of Education Science. Her research interests focus on virtual experimental teaching and education metaverse; Huikuan Chen is a student at University College London, United Kingdom. Her research interests include intelligent learning environments and STEM education; Jiayu Qian is currently a postgraduate student at the College of Education, Zhejiang University, and also serves as an elementary information technology teacher at Jinhua Foreign Languages Experimental School. Her research interests primarily focus on intelligent learning environments and STEM education. Dr; Xuesong Zhai is a Distinguished Research professor and Director of the Program of Science and Technology Education at the College of Education, Zhejiang University. He also served as the director of Zhejiang Higher Education Digitalization Pilot Group. His research interests encompass Artificial Intelligence in Education, Educational Applications of the Metaverse, and Educational Data Analysis and Measurements. In 2023, he was honored with the Distinguished Researcher Award by the International Engineering and Technology Institute (IETI). Dr. Zhai currently severs as an Associate Editor on the section of Technology and Learning for the Nature Portfolio journal, Humanity and Social Science Communications (SSCI, A & HCI), and as an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies (SSCI, SCI, EI), and the area editor of International Journal of Computational Intelligence Systems (SCI, EI) handling the area of information system in Education. He has authored over 80 research papers in indexed journals, including Humanity and Social Science Communications, Educational Technology & Society (ET & S), Educational Technology Research and Development (ETR & D), Interactive Learning Environments (ILE), Higher Education, and the Journal of Computer Assisted Learning

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