ENHANCING MATHEMATICAL LITERACY THROUGH METAVERSE-BASED LEARNING: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR LOWER SECONDARY STUDENTS IN MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1164095Keywords:
Mathematical Literacy, Metaverse-Based Learning, Minecraft Education, Mathematics Education, Lower Secondary StudentsAbstract
Mathematical literacy requires students to use mathematics meaningfully when responding to problems both within and beyond the classroom. However, applying mathematical knowledge in unfamiliar and contextualised situations remains challenging for many learners. This conceptual paper examines how metaverse-based learning may support mathematical literacy among lower secondary students in Malaysia. Drawing on constructivist perspectives and literature on immersive learning and mathematics education, the paper develops a framework centred on Minecraft Education. The framework considers immersion, interaction, collaboration, and visualisation as affordances of the learning environment rather than assuming that the use of immersive technology itself leads to improved learning. Their educational relevance is considered through three learning processes: student engagement, spatial reasoning, and mathematical problem-solving. These processes are linked to mathematical literacy through students' ability to formulate situations mathematically, employ appropriate mathematical concepts and procedures, and interpret or evaluate mathematical outcomes in context (OECD, 2023). Geometry, measurement, coordinates, and ratios are identified as possible mathematical contexts for applying the framework rather than as constructs within it. As the paper is conceptual, no intervention or experimental findings are reported. A quasi-experimental approach is instead presented as one possible direction for future empirical validation in Malaysian lower secondary classrooms. By distinguishing the affordances of the learning environment from the processes through which students engage with mathematics, the framework offers a basis for investigating how immersive learning experiences may contribute to mathematical literacy.
Downloads
References
Bakker, A., Cai, J., Zenger, L., & colleagues. (2021). Future themes of mathematics education research: An international survey before and during the pandemic. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 107(1), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-021-10049-w
Bond, M., Bedenlier, S., Marín, V. I., & Händel, M. (2021). Emergency remote teaching in higher education: Mapping the first global online semester. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(1), Article 50. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-021-00282-x
Bower, M. (2023). Technology-mediated learning theory. British Journal of Educational Technology, 54(5), 1035–1054. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13356
Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2021). Research methods in education (9th ed.). Routledge.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2023). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). Sage.
Dwivedi, Y. K., Hughes, L., Baabdullah, A. M., Ribeiro-Navarrete, S., Giannakis, M., Al-Debei, M. M., Dennehy, D., Metri, B., Buhalis, D., Cheung, C. M. K., Conboy, K., Doyle, R., Dubey, R., Dutot, V., Felix, R., Goyal, D. P., Gustafsson, A., Hinsch, C., Jebabli, I., ... Wamba, S. F. (2022). Metaverse beyond the hype: Multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging challenges, opportunities, and agenda for research, practice and policy. International Journal of Information Management, 66, Article 102542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2022.102542
Field, A. (2024). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (6th ed.). Sage.
Geng, X., & Su, Y.-S. (2024). Enhancing K–12 students' STEM learning through the integration of the metaverse into online and blended environments: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-024-10484-0
Haara, F. O., Bolstad, O. H., & Jenssen, E. S. (2022). Research on mathematical literacy: A systematic literature review. European Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 10(2), 189–203.
Hawes, Z., Moss, J., Caswell, B., Naqvi, S., & MacKinnon, S. (2022). Effects of spatial training on mathematics performance: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 34(1), 423–451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-021-09636-2
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice-Hall.
Kye, B., Han, N., Kim, E., Park, Y., & Jo, S. (2021). Educational applications of metaverse: Possibilities and limitations. Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions, 18, Article 32. https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2021.18.32
Lai, J. W. M., & Bower, M. (2020). Evaluation of technology use in education: Findings from a critical analysis of the literature. Computers & Education, 156, 103941. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103941
Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge University Press.
Liu, J., Keane, T., Sun, D., Yang, Y., & Yang, Y. (2025). Design and evaluation of ChatGPT-MWPS: An AI-enhanced learning system for improving primary students' mathematical word problem solving. Smart Learning Environments, 12, Article 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-025-00419-9
Lowrie, T., Logan, T., & Ramful, A. (2023). Spatial reasoning and mathematics education: Research advances and future directions. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 35(2), 205–223. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-022-00422-5
Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2015). Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Menengah: Matematik, Dokumen Standard Kurikulum dan Pentaksiran Tingkatan 1. Bahagian Pembangunan Kurikulum.
Ministry of Education Malaysia. (2023). Digital Education Policy. Ministry of Education Malaysia.
Mullis, I. V. S., Martin, M. O., Foy, P., Kelly, D. L., & Fishbein, B. (2024). TIMSS 2023 international results in mathematics and science. TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Boston College. https://timssandpirls.bc.edu
Mystakidis, S. (2022). Metaverse. Encyclopedia, 2(1), 486–497. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia2010031
Niss, M., & Jablonka, E. (2020). Mathematical literacy. In S. Lerman (Ed.), Encyclopedia of mathematics education (2nd ed., pp. 566–571). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15789-0_101
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2023). PISA 2022 results (Volume I): The state of learning and equity in education. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/53f23881-en
Piaget, J. (1972). Psychology and pedagogy. Viking Press.
Radianti, J., Majchrzak, T. A., Fromm, J., & Wohlgenannt, I. (2020). A systematic review of immersive virtual reality applications for higher education: Design elements, lessons learned, and research agenda. Computers & Education, 147, 103778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103778
Shadish, W. R., Cook, T. D., & Campbell, D. T. (2002). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for generalized causal inference. Houghton Mifflin.
Singh, M., Sun, D., & Yang, Y. (2025). Design and implementation of Math City: An inquiry-based metaverse platform for mathematics education. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 11, 100402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2025.100402
Stacey, K. (2021). The role of mathematical literacy in educational assessment. ZDM–Mathematics Education, 53(7), 1431–1443. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-021-01275-9
Tlili, A., Huang, R., Shehata, B., Liu, D., Zhao, J., Metwally, A. H. S., Wang, H., Denden, M., Bozkurt, A., Lee, L. H., & Burgos, D. (2022). Is metaverse in education a blessing or a curse? A combined content and bibliometric analysis. Smart Learning Environments, 9(1), Article 24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-022-00205-x
Trouche, L., Gitirana, V., Miyakawa, T., Pepin, B., & Wang, C. (2022). Mathematics education in the digital age. ZDM–Mathematics Education, 54(7), 1431–1444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-022-01441-7
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Yazdi, A. (2025). Exploring the intersection of metaverse and mathematics: A visual analysis of bibliometric networks. Discover Education, 4, Article 429. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-025-00429-2
