Immersive virtual environments in technological education: a consulting case on the use of the metaverse in Mathematics teaching

Abstract

This study, designed as an educational consulting case, analyzes the use of immersive virtual environments in Mathematics teaching based on a pilot project carried out in a technical school. Its objective was to understand how the metaverse may contribute to the learning of abstract content and which challenges emerge in its adoption within the school context. The study is a qualitative case study conducted with 18 students enrolled in a technical upper-secondary Informatics program over six sessions on the Spatial.io platform. The activities involved the exploration of three-dimensional geometric objects and collaborative problem solving. The results indicated greater student participation, improved understanding of spatial concepts, and the development of skills related to computational thinking. The study has immediate practical utility for school administrators and educational consultants, providing a diagnostic viability roadmap to mitigate infrastructure risks and optimize teacher training. For teachers, the diagnostic matrix and the case report can serve as support material for designing and solving teaching cases in teacher education, educational management, and educational technology courses. It is concluded that the metaverse may support more interactive pedagogical practices, provided that its implementation is accompanied by adequate infrastructure and teacher training.