Developing a Constructivist Metaverse Learning Environment to Foster Creative Thinking in Environmental Management for Grade 5 Students

Abstract

Creative thinking is a fundamental cognitive skill essential for 21st-century learning and innovation. Nations endowed with a populace possessing creative abilities are well-positioned for development and progress. The development of virtual learning environments in primary education plays a crucial role in shaping the digital competencies for the future generations. This research aimed to design a constructivist metaverse learning environment to foster creative thinking in fifth-grade students at Khon Kaen University Demonstration School. The subject matter is environmental management and evaluating the quality of the virtual learning environment. A developmental research approach was employed, comprising three phases: design, development, and assessment. A purposive sampling technique was used to select 44 students and 6 experts. The experts were divided into three groups compiling three experts per topic, each focusing on content, media, and design. The results were found that:

1. Metaverse Learning Environment Design; the designed metaverse learning environment is grounded in constructivism, incorporating problem-based learning situations, rich learning resources, a creative laboratory support base, intellectual tools, collaborative problem-solving, and coaching. The environment is designed to stimulate students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity.
2. The evaluation of the Metaverse Learning Environment revealed positive results across various dimensions. 1) Students demonstrated strong performance in both creative thinking, with an average score of 88.64% 2) Academic achievement, averaging 87.92%. Both scores exceeded the 70% criterion, indicating successful learning outcomes. 3) Student perceptions regarding the Metaverse learning environment consists of the following  3.1) The content was deemed accurate, clear, modern, and easy to understand. 3.2) The media, particularly the images, were praised for their effectiveness as guides, ease of comprehension, and ability to facilitate quick connections. 3.3) The design of the virtual world itself was described as engaging and interactive, enhancing the overall learning experience.