Abstract
Environmental sustainability is one of the major global topics of the 21st century. In order to effectively include the concept of sustainability in the topic of environmental education, educators are responsible for incorporating the concept into the existing curriculum. However, it may not always be possible to conduct field studies based on environmental education due to economic, transport, and time constraints, while certain situations and conditions may be particularly difficult to replicate. One recent solution to this problem is the application of Virtual Reality technology, which has been shown in various recent studies. VR is a computer-generated three-dimensional environment that allows the user to perceive content more realistically. In the process of teaching sustainability issues such as climate change, waste management, food consumption, air and water pollution, and deforestation, the present study has revealed that cooperation between different fields of expertise, including science education and computer and instructional technologies, plays an important role.
TopIntroduction
Environmental sustainability is one of the most important global topics of the 21st century (Ahmad et al., 2021; Feroz et al., 2021; Kirikkaleli, & Adebayo, 2021). The increase in industrial production, resource use, and private consumption, particularly after the industrial revolution, is exacerbating the harm done to the environment (Thøgersen, 2009). It is clear that the harmful effects of environmental problems such as global warming, water scarcity, air pollution, soil erosion, depletion of natural resources, deforestation, and loss of biological diversity, are all greatly threatening sustainability (Abd-Elaty et al., 2022; Azadi et al., 2019; Lange & Dewitte, 2019; Ricart et al., 2021). Climate change, which can be defined as “a change in the state of the climate that can be identified by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer” (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Fifth Assessment Report (IPCC, 2021), is perhaps the most significant environmental challenge currently facing all human civilization (Sonnett, 2022). Recent studies clearly demonstrate the negative effects of climate change on human life (e.g., Lacroix et al., 2020; Ngo et al., 2020; Zhang, et al., 2020). For example, IPCC (2021) reports show that increasing annual emissions of CO2 have led to widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere. More specifically, sea levels increased by 0.20m between 1901 and 2018, while the total anthropogenic global surface temperature increased by an estimated 1.07°C between 1850 and 2019 (IPCC, 2021). Furthermore, The United Nations Environment Program [UNEP] (2007) reports indicate that climate changes observed during the last 50 years have occurred due to human behavior that is threatening both life and the planet (Wynes & Nicholas, 2017). Similarly, recent studies also showed that human beings are a factor in the occurrence of environmental problems (Ateş, 2021; Nielsen et al., 2021; Savari et al., 2021).
Although the changes in the climate due to the harmful behavior of individuals threaten the future of the world, an increasing awareness in society over the last few decades about environmental protection can be seen (Dowd & Burke, 2013). This awareness is apparent in areas such as household recycling (Issock et al., 2021), transport (Zhai, & Wolff, 2021), energy consumption (Zeiske et al., 2021), and food consumption (Ateş, 2020). Examination of the effects of human behavior on the environment is occurring in behavioral sciences such as environmental psychology (Edgerton et al., 2021), organizational psychology (Norton et al., 2015), behavior analysis (Lehman & Geller, 2004), and environmental education (Casas et al., 2021). The latter is the specific focus of this study, and has been defined as follows by UNESCO:
“A process aimed at developing a world population that is aware of and concerned about the total environment and its associated problems, and which has the knowledge, attitudes, motivations, commitments, and skills to work individually and collectively toward solutions to current problems and the prevention of new ones.” (UNESCO, 1978, p. 1).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Immersion: Immersion, in the context of virtual reality and other digital media, refers to the sensation of being fully absorbed or engaged in a simulated environment or experience.
Environmental Education: Environmental Education is the process of teaching individuals and communities about the natural world, environmental issues, and sustainable practices.
Environmental Sustainability: Environmental sustainability refers to the responsible use and management of natural resources and ecosystems to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Science Education: Science Education is the field dedicated to teaching and learning scientific concepts, principles, and methodologies.
Climate Change: Climate change is the long-term alteration in Earth's climate and weather patterns, primarily due to human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other industrial processes.
Virtual Reality: Virtual Reality is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment or scenario that users can interact with and explore using specialized equipment such as headsets, gloves, or controllers.
Presence: Presence, often used in relation to virtual reality, is the psychological state of feeling as though one is physically located within a simulated environment.