A Study on the Impact of Verse in the Metaverse: Exploring the Role of Avatars in Scientific Storytelling

Saima Mehboob; Alberto Fornasari; Eugenia Smyrnova-Trybulska

doi:10.31261/IJREL.2025.11.1.08

Опубліковано: 2025-12-15

2025

A Study on the Impact of Verse in the Metaverse: Exploring the Role of Avatars in Scientific Storytelling

Saima Mehboob

, Alberto Fornasari

, Eugenia Smyrnova-Trybulska

Розділ: Articles

https://doi.org/10.31261/IJREL.2025.11.1.08

Анотація

Анотація
Поточне дослідження зосереджено на впливі оповіді на основі аватарів у середовищі типу метавсесвіту на успішність навчання, залученість та емоційно-соціальний досвід учнів початкової школи в рамках природничо-наукової освіти. У Польщі було використано квазіекспериментальну процедуру попереднього тестування та посттестування контрольної групи з 50 учнями віком від 8 до 12 років. Оскільки це було проведено на експериментальній основі, перша група пройшла двотижневе втручання, під час якого аватари використовували інтерактивні наукові сценарії; тим часом друга група могла взаємодіяти з тим самим контентом через звичайні цифрові медіа. Результати попереднього та посттестування (на основі таксономії Блума), а також опитування щодо залученості, показали, що навчання та залученість в експериментальній групі значно покращилися (p < 0,001). Дані фокус-групових інтерв'ю у формі якісних результатів показали, що люди сприймали аватарів у позитивному світлі як правдоподібних та близьких персонажів, що викликають емоції. Це відкриття сприяє позитивному погляду на те, що короткострокове оповідання на основі аватарів може допомогти покращити когнітивні здібності, мотивацію та емоційний зв'язок віртуального навчання. Наведено обговорення наслідків імерсивної педагогіки та майбутніх поздовжніх досліджень.

Завантажити файли

PDF (English)

Правила цитування

Mehboob, S., Fornasari, A., & Smyrnova-Trybulska, E. (2025). A Study on the Impact of Verse in the Metaverse: Exploring the Role of Avatars in Scientific Storytelling. International Journal of Research in E-Learning, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.31261/IJREL.2025.11.1.08

Цитовано в / Поділитися

Ліцензія

TЦя робота ліцензується відповідно до Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

The Copyright Owners of the submitted texts grant the Reader the right to use the pdf documents under the provisions of the Creative Commons 4.0 International License: Attribution-Share-Alike (CC BY SA). The user can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format and remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose.

1. License

The University of Silesia Press provides immediate open access to journal’s content under the Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Authors who publish with this journal retain all copyrights and agree to the terms of the above-mentioned CC BY-SA 4.0 license.

2. Author’s Warranties

The author warrants that the article is original, written by stated author/s, has not been published before, contains no unlawful statements, does not infringe the rights of others, is subject to copyright that is vested exclusively in the author and free of any third party rights, and that any necessary written permissions to quote from other sources have been obtained by the author/s.

If the article contains illustrative material (drawings, photos, graphs, maps), the author declares that the said works are of his authorship, they do not infringe the rights of the third party (including personal rights, i.a. the authorization to reproduce physical likeness) and the author holds exclusive proprietary copyrights. The author publishes the above works as part of the article under the licence "Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International".

ATTENTION! When the legal situation of the illustrative material has not been determined and the necessary consent has not been granted by the proprietary copyrights holders, the submitted material will not be accepted for editorial process. At the same time the author takes full responsibility for providing false data (this also regards covering the costs incurred by the University of Silesia Press and financial claims of the third party).

3. User Rights

Under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, the users are free to share (copy, distribute and transmit the contribution) and adapt (remix, transform, and build upon the material) the article for any purpose, provided they attribute the contribution in the manner specified by the author or licensor.

4. Co-Authorship

If the article was prepared jointly with other authors, the signatory of this form warrants that he/she has been authorized by all co-authors to sign this agreement on their behalf, and agrees to inform his/her co-authors of the terms of this agreement.

I hereby declare that in the event of withdrawal of the text from the publishing process or submitting it to another publisher without agreement from the editorial office, I agree to cover all costs incurred by the University of Silesia in connection with my application.

Посилання

Adler, K., Salanterä, S., & Zumstein-Shaha, M. (2019). Focus Group Interviews in Child, Youth, and Parent Research: An Integrative Literature Review. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 18. https://doi.org/10.1177/1609406919887274
Google Scholar

Akbay, E., & Deniş Çeliker, H. (2023). The effect of immersive reality on science learning: A meta-analysis. Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology, 11(3), 158–172. https://doi.org/10.52380/mojet.2023.11.3.304
Google Scholar

Alibraheim, E. A., Hassan, H. F., & Soliman, M. W. (2023). Efficacy of educational platforms in developing the skills of employing augmented reality in teaching mathematics. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 19(11), em2348. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/13669
Google Scholar

AlNajdi, S. M. (2022). The effectiveness of using augmented reality (AR) to enhance student performance: Using quick response (QR) codes in student textbooks in the Saudi education system. Educational Technology Research & Development, 70(3), 1105-1124. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-022-10100-4
Google Scholar

Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., Airasian, P., Cruikshank, K., Mayer, R., Pintrich, P., & Wittrock, M. (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy. Longman Publishing.
Google Scholar

Biwer, F., Egbrink, M. G. A. O., Aalten, P., & De Bruin, A. B. H. (2020). Fostering effective learning strategies in higher education—A mixed-methods study. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 9(2), 186–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jarmac.2020.03.004
Google Scholar

Chang, H.-Y., Binali, T., Liang, J.-C., Chiou, G.-L., Cheng, K.-H., Lee, S. W.-Y., & Tsai, C.-C. (2022). Ten years of augmented reality in education: A meta-analysis of (quasi-) experimental studies to investigate the impact. Computers & Education, 191, 104641. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu. 2022.104641
Google Scholar

Chang, H.-Y., Wu, H.-F., Chang, Y.-C., Tseng, Y.-S., & Wang, Y.-C. (2021). The effects of a virtual simulation-based, mobile technology application on nursing students’ learning achievement and cognitive load: Randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 120, 103948. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2021.103948
Google Scholar

Dixon-Woods, M., Campbell, A., Chang, T., Martin, G., Georgiadis, A., Heney, V., Chew, S., Van Citters, A., Sabadosa, K. A., & Nelson, E. C. (2020). A qualitative study of design stakeholders’ views of developing and implementing a registry-based learning health system. Implementation Science, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13012-020-0976-1
Google Scholar

Dudley, M. Z., Squires, G. K., Petroske, T. M., Dawson, S., & Brewer, J. (2023). The Use of Narrative in Science and Health Communication: A Scoping Review. Patient Education and Counseling, 112, 107752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2023.107752
Google Scholar

Elmqaddem, N. (2019). Augmented reality and virtual reality in education: Myth or reality? International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 14(3), 234–242. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v14i03.9289
Google Scholar

Hauer, K. E., Boscardin, C., Brenner, J. M., Van Schaik, S. M., & Papp, K. K. (2020). Twelve tips for assessing medical knowledge with open-ended questions: Designing constructed response examinations in medical education. Medical Teacher, 42(8), 880–885. https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159x. 2019.1629404
Google Scholar

Hoffman, J. L., Myler, L., Seurynck, K., & Pellerin, J. G. (2022). Evaluating the effectiveness of an innovative community/public health nursing simulation: A mixed methods study. Journal of Public Health, 30(2), 399–407. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-020-01269-0
Google Scholar

Hosseinzadeh, H., Ratan, Z. A., Shnaigat, M., Edwards, J., Verma, I., Niknami, M., & Dadich, A. (2022). Effectiveness of case scenario‐based teaching to transition international Master of Public Health students specialising in health promotion from memorization to critical thinking. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33(S1), 39–49. https://doi.org/10.1002/hpja.631
Google Scholar

Jiang, H., Zhu, D., Chugh, R. et al. (2025) Virtual reality and augmented reality-supported K-12 STEM learning: trends, advantages and challenges. Education and Information Technologies 30, 12827–12863 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-13210-z
Google Scholar

Garzón, J., & Acevedo, J. (2019). Meta-analysis of the impact of augmented reality on students’ learning gains. Educational Research Review, 27, 244–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2019. 04.001
Google Scholar

Koo, M., & Yang, S.-W. (2025). Likert-Type Scale. Encyclopedia, 5(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5010018
Google Scholar

Lifshitz, H., Posner, S., & Shnitzer-Meirovich, S. (2025). Contribution of a post-secondary academic enrichment program on cognitive abilities of adults with severe intellectual disability using an e-book. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 158, 104921. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2025.104921
Google Scholar

Li, G., Luo, H., Chen, D., Wang, P., Yin, X., & Zhang, J. (2025). Augmented reality in higher education: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature from 2000 to 2023. Education Sciences, 15(6), 678. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15060678
Google Scholar

Lidiastuti, A. E., Suwono, H., Sueb, S., & Sulisetijono, S. (2024). A review of augmented reality implications and challenges for science education: Current and future perspective. Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences, 22(2), 20267–20288. https://doi.org/10.57239/pjlss-2024-22.2. 001486
Google Scholar

Llanos-Ruiz, D., Abella-García, V., & Ausín-Villaverde, V. (2025). Virtual reality in higher education: A systematic review aligned with the sustainable development goals. Societies, 15(9), 251. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15090251
Google Scholar

Löllgen, R. M., Berger-Estilita, J., Rössler, L. A., & Mileder, L. P. (2022). Avatar and distance simulation as a learning tool – virtual simulation technology as a facilitator or barrier? A questionnaire-based study on behalf of Netzwerk Kindersimulation e.V. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2022.853243
Google Scholar

Makransky, G., & Petersen, G. B. (2021). The Cognitive Affective Model of Immersive Learning (CAMIL): A Theoretical Research-Based Model of Learning in Immersive Virtual Reality. Educational Psychology Review, 33(3), 937–958. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09586-2
Google Scholar

Maryani, I., Karimi, A., & Fathi, K. (2024). Virtual Reality in Elementary Education: A Scientometric Review. Journal of Learning for Development, 11(3), 430–446. https://doi.org/10.56059/jl4d.v11i3.1330
Google Scholar

McGregor, D., Frodsham, S., & Wilson, H. (2022). The nature of epistemological opportunities for doing, thinking and talking about science: Reflections on an effective intervention that promotes creativity. Research in Science & Technological Education, 40(3), 363–388. https://doi.org/10. 1080/02635143.2020.1799778
Google Scholar

Mulili, B. M., Maina, S. M., & Kinyuru, R. N. (2025). Mixed Methods Research Design Explained. International Journal of Modern Statistics, 5(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.47941/ijms.2694
Google Scholar

Nedjat-Haiem, M., & Cooke, J. E. (2021). Student strategies when taking open-ended test questions. Cogent Education, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186x.2021.1877905
Google Scholar

Pagano, L. C., George, R. E., Uttal, D. H., & Haden, C. A. (2024). “You gotta tell the camera”: Advancing children’s engineering learning opportunities through tinkering and digital storytelling. Child Development, 95(5), 1558–1571. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.14094
Google Scholar

Pahmi, S. et al. (2023). Assessing the Influence of Augmented Reality in Mathematics Education: A Systematic Literature Review. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(5), 1-25, May 2023, https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.5.1, https://ijlter.org/index.php/ijlter/article/view/7227/pdf
Google Scholar

Popa, D., Repanovici, A., Lupu, D., Norel, M., & Coman, C. (2020). Using Mixed Methods to Understand Teaching and Learning in COVID 19 Times. Sustainability, 12(20), 8726. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12208726
Google Scholar

Raad, H., & Rashid, F. K. M. (2023). The Metaverse: Applications, Concerns, Technical Challenges, Future Directions and Recommendations. IEEE Access, 11, 110850–110861. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3321650
Google Scholar

Sandoval-Henríquez, F. J., Sáez-Delgado, F., & Badilla-Quintana, M. G. (2025). Meta-analysis on the effect of the integration of immersive technologies on learning in primary education. Cuadernos de Investigación Educativa, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.18861/cied.2025.16.2.4052
Google Scholar

Shahzad, R., Aslam, M., Al-Otaibi, S. T., Javed, M. S., Khan, A. R., Bahaj, S. A., & Saba, T. (2024). Multi-Agent System for Students Cognitive Assessment in E-Learning Environment. IEEE Access, 12, 15458–15467. https://doi.org/10.1109/access.2024.3356613
Google Scholar

Shi, F., Ning, H., Zhang, X., Li, R., Tian, Q., Zhang, S., Zheng, Y., Guo, Y., & Daneshmand, M. (2024). A new technology perspective of the Metaverse: Its essence, framework and challenges. Digital Communications and Networks, 10(6), 1653–1665. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dcan.2023.02.017
Google Scholar

Sökmen, Y., Sarikaya, İ., & Nalçacı, A. (2023). The Effect of Augmented Reality Technology on Primary School Students’ Achievement, Attitudes Towards the Course, Attitudes Towards Technology, and Participation in Classroom Activities. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 40(15), 3936–3951. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2023.2204270
Google Scholar

Somuncu, B., & Aslan, D. (2022). Effect of coding activities on preschool children’s mathematical reasoning skills. Education and Information Technologies, 27(1), 877–890. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10618-9
Google Scholar

Stratton, S. J. (2019). Quasi-Experimental Design (Pre-Test and Post-Test Studies) in Prehospital and Disaster Research. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 34(6), 573–574. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1049023x19005053
Google Scholar

Strojny, P., & Duzmańska-Misiarczyk, N. (2023). Measuring the effectiveness of virtual training: A systematic review. Computers & Education: X Reality, 2, 100006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cexr.2022.100006
Google Scholar

Sviridova, E., Yastrebova, E., Bakirova, G., & Rebrina, F. (2023). Immersive technologies as an innovative tool to increase academic success and motivation in higher education. Frontiers in Education, 8, 1192760. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1192760
Google Scholar

VERSE. (n.d.). Innovazione didattica con AR, VR e AI. Retrieved November 2, 2025, from https://www.verse-edu.com/it/
Google Scholar

Villena-Taranilla, R., Tirado-Olivares, S., & Cózar-Gutiérrez, R. (2022). Effects of virtual reality on learning outcomes in K-6 education: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 35, 100434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100434
Google Scholar

Wang, Y., Peng, Y., & Huang, Y. (2024). The effect of “typical case discussion and scenario simulation” on the critical thinking of midwifery students: Evidence from China. BMC Medical Education, 24(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05127-5
Google Scholar

Wu, J., Jiang, H., Long, L. et al. (2024) Effects of AR mathematical picture books on primary school students’ geometric thinking, cognitive load and flow experience. Education and Information Technologies 29, 24627–24652 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12768-y
Google Scholar

Xu, G., Lin, Y., Ye, Y., Wu, W., Zhang, X., & Xiao, H. (2024). Combination of concept maps and case-based learning in a flipped classroom: A mixed-methods study. Nurse Education in Practice, 76, 103918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2024.103918
Google Scholar

Yang, M., Chang, C.-Y., Liao, W.-Y., Yang, C.-J., & Wu, H.-K. (2024). The impact of virtual reality on practical skills for students in science and engineering education: A meta-analysis. International Journal of STEM Education, 11, 57. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-024-00487-2
Google Scholar

Zekeik, H., Chahbi, M., Sefian, M. L., & Bakkali, I. (2025). Augmented reality and virtual reality in education: A systematic narrative review on benefits, challenges, and applications. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/16830
Google Scholar

2025
Опубліковано: 2020-07-09

ISSN: 2451-2583

eISSN: 2543-6155

Видавець

Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego | University of Silesia Press

Ліцензія CC

TЦя робота ліцензується відповідно до Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Надіслати текст

A Study on the Impact of Verse in the Metaverse: Exploring the Role of Avatars in Scientific Storytelling

Анотація

Saima Mehboob

Alberto Fornasari

Eugenia Smyrnova-Trybulska

Інформація