The aim of this research is to determine the perceptions of software engineering students about digital schizophrenia caused by metaverse ecology. The research in the scanning model was carried out on 450 students studying at the Faculties of Engineering and Technology of Fırat University in the 2021-2022 term. The data were collected with the scale developed by the researchers. The 20-item scale has sub-dimensions of "Perception of Virtual Environment", "Avatar's Self Representation" and "Avatar's Self-Symptoms". The results of the analysis of the data collected by the scale are as follows: The virtual ecology awareness of the students participating in the research is moderate. This may be related to the fact that the students are members of Generation Z. Because ontologically, the self of generation Z, which can exist in virtual environments, is mediated by digital technology. These students have the perception that the avatar represents their true selves at a moderate level. Accordingly, it can be stated that the avatar affects the real self of the individual by inverting the brain functions. These effects may lead to illusions of reality-virtality, delusions and digital schizophrenia in the individual. As a matter of fact, according to these students, avatar causes self-symptoms at a moderate level. In the face of this situation, it is inevitable to reposition the pedagogy directly related to the self and identity development of the individual. Because in the Digital Age, the way of learning and existence of the young people of Generation Z, who exist in the ontological oscillation between the virtuality-reality poles, can be virtual ecologies such as the metaverse. Therefore, in order to raise an emotionally and cognitively healthy generation, the transformation of pedagogy into digital pedagogy and psychology into cyber psychology should be discussed.

Metaverse, virtual self, avatar, digital schizophrenia, virtual ecologies.