The effectiveness of a virtual museum application: A mixed-method study on learning and cultural awareness

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effects of virtual museum activities themed on Anatolian civilizations in visual arts lessons on middle school students in Ordu province. The main problem is to evaluate the potential of virtual museums in strengthening and increasing students' historical and cultural knowledge, and to determine these students' thoughts, perceptions, and suggestions regarding virtual museum activities. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, using a sequential explanatory design to collect quantitative and qualitative data. The sample consisted of 40 sixth-grade students selected through purposive sampling from Başöğretmen and 75. Yıl Cumhuriyet middle schools in Altınordu district of Ordu province. Quantitative data were collected through pre-test and post-test applications consisting of 11 multiple-choice questions focused on civilizations, as exhibited in the Anatolian Civilizations Museum. Qualitative data were gathered using semi-structured interview forms with 10 open-ended questions addressing students' experiences, cultural awareness, and recommendations. Quantitative findings revealed that virtual museum activities significantly increased students' knowledge levels, with notable improvements in correct response rates between pre- and post-tests. Qualitative findings indicated that virtual museums enhanced cultural awareness, eliciting emotions such as surprise, curiosity, and appreciation toward artifacts, but their impact was limited by knowledge gaps, limited experiences, and technological infrastructure deficiencies. Students found virtual museums “fun,” “educational,” and “accessible,” highlighting artifacts like the Sun Disk and lion statues as particularly noteworthy; however, the high percentage of those unable to offer suggestions pointed to deficiencies in technological infrastructure, the need for curriculum integration, and the importance of teacher guidance. The study recommends systematically integrating virtual museum content into the visual arts curriculum, providing in-service training for teachers, utilizing interactive technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), adopting interdisciplinary approaches, and organizing preparatory lessons.

Keywords

• Anatolian civilisations
• Middle school students
• Virtual museum
• Visual arts
• Augmented Reality
• Virtual Reality

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