The effect of virtual school tour on preschool children's school adjustment

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dc.authorid0000-0001-9182-5152
dc.contributor.authorKotaman, Huseyin
dc.contributor.authorBalci, Asli
dc.contributor.authorKilic, Zeynep Nur Aydin
dc.contributor.authorTutkun, Cansu
dc.date.accessioned2026-02-28T12:17:42Z
dc.date.available2026-02-28T12:17:42Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.departmentBayburt Üniversitesi
dc.description.abstractStarting school for the first time can be a challenging transition for young children and their families. This study combined quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine the impact of a virtual school tour on the school adjustment process of kindergarten students who are about to start school for the first time. The study included 18 kindergarten teachers and a total of 359 children, with 176 in the treatment group and 183 in the control group. Children in the treatment group viewed a 6-10 min interactive 360 degrees virtual tour of their school before the school year began, while those in the control group did not receive any preparatory intervention. Children's school adjustment was assessed three weeks after school entry using the School Adjustment Teacher Evaluation Scale, which measures school avoidance, school liking, cooperative participation, and self-directiveness. Quantitative data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, and qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed that children in the treatment group demonstrated significantly lower school avoidance (U = 13266, p = .002, r = .164), higher school liking (U = 11221, p < .001, r = .284), and greater cooperative participation (U = 8541.5, p < .001, r = .860) than those in the control group, with no significant difference for self-directiveness. Qualitative findings supported these results, indicating that the virtual tour increased children's familiarity with the school, reduced separation anxiety, and facilitated smoother communication between parents and teachers. Teachers reported that participating children entered school as if it were already familiar, adapted more quickly, and interacted more readily with peers and teachers. This study contributes to early childhood education by offering a scalable, low-cost, technology-based strategy for easing school transitions. Findings suggest that virtual school tours can be a practical tool for improving children's early school experiences and enhancing family-school partnerships.
dc.identifier.doi10.1007/s10639-025-13846-5
dc.identifier.issn1360-2357
dc.identifier.issn1573-7608
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-105023131964
dc.identifier.scopusqualityQ1
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13846-5
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12403/5928
dc.identifier.wosWOS:001625044500001
dc.identifier.wosqualityQ1
dc.indekslendigikaynakWeb of Science
dc.indekslendigikaynakScopus
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherSpringer
dc.relation.ispartofEducation And Information Technologies
dc.relation.publicationcategoryMakale - Uluslararası Hakemli Dergi - Kurum Öğretim Elemanı
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.snmzKA_WoS_20260218
dc.subjectSchool adjustment
dc.subjectVirtual tour
dc.subjectEarly childhood education
dc.subjectEmotional adjustment
dc.subjectSchool readiness
dc.subjectFamiliarity
dc.titleThe effect of virtual school tour on preschool children's school adjustment
dc.typeArticle

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