vLearning : Is the future of online education a 3D virtual classroom?
Imagine
walking into a college classroom, it's your first class at this new
campus, Psychology 101. You choose a desk, sit down next to a friendly
looking student and ask them where they're from and a conversation
begins. After a few minutes, your professor walks in to start the
lecture and you both face her, ready to take notes. There's just one
aspect of this classroom that's unusual - it's virtual. Your avatar, an
animated character you have created, represents you on a computer
screen, appearing within a computer-generated environment. You are
talking to other students' avatars and interacting with the professor's
avatar. The classroom is a graphic rendering of three-dimensional space
in which your avatar can move and gesture, even speak. This is
vLearning.
The technology that
powers massive multi-player games such as Second Life is becoming a
platform for distance education courses. Some educators see taking cues
from the video gaming world as a way to increase communication between
students and instructors in online courses. "As educators, we've
realized the potential power of video games in education," said Leonard
Annetta, North Carolina State University professor and co-author of
V-Learning: Distance Education in the 21st Century Through 3D Virtual
Learning Environments. "Internet synchronicity is one of the most
effective ways of learning."
While
the technology for Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVEs) has existed
in some form for 20 years, it has only recently gained acceptance in
postsecondary institutions within the past four to five years. A 2009
study that appeared in the Journal of Further and Higher Education found
that the increased interaction between classmates and instructors in
virtual classrooms helped students become more involved in the
coursework and made it easier for them to comprehend the material and
ask for help. The study found this to be particularly true for students
who have a difficult time engaging in face-to-face discussions, but who
will ask questions freely and contribute to live debates in a virtual
classroom. This engagement in class activities not only leads to greater
comprehension, it gives students a sense of belonging in the class that
contributes to a higher retention rate.
As
administrators recognize the potential for MUVEs in education, more
schools are beginning to incorporate these immersive 3D worlds, also
called "vLearning" platforms, which engage students more fully in the
learning process. A 2007 report by the National Center for Education
Statistics found that 31 percent of postsecondary schools in the United
States used simultaneous and real-time virtual learning platforms either
moderately or to a large extent. This is particularly true in public,
4-year institutions, where virtual learning environments are utilized in
42 percent of schools nationwide.
vLearning Platforms
dministrators
that wish to implement virtual learning environments in their
institutions have the option to create their own vLearning platform, or
to utilize an existing platform such as Second Life. However, because
many of the virtual words available weren't created specifically for the
education sector, they often lack important resources. To address some
of these shortcomings, the Great Northern Way Campus in Vancouver,
Canada built their own virtual learning environment called Great
Northern World.
These
customizable experiences include all of the structured classroom
activities that students participate in while in the vLearning
environment, whether it is a scavenger hunt that explores class concepts
or a role-play activity that gives students a chance to practice
learned skills in simulated real-world environments. "It is in these
areas that customizing virtual environments have the most pedagogical
power."
Learning in a Virtual World
In
the online meeting space, instructors can give real-time lectures,
moderate student discussions and give assignments - just as they would
in a brick-and-mortar classroom. The flexibility provided by virtual
learning environments makes it possible for instructors to create a
plethora of class activities that may not be possible in an on-campus
class. In this virtual space, interactive design students can work
together to create 3D digital elements, psychology and sociology
students can participate in role-play activities to enhance their
communication and counseling skills, and planetary science students can
work together in virtual space missions. The possibilities for such
cyber-activities are virtually endless and are limited only the be
instructor's imagination.
In
many cases, there is a specific time and place that students attend
class - but rather than walking across campus, they need only find an
Internet connection where they can login. After class, students can
visit the virtual classroom whenever they want to go over lecture notes,
re-visit assignments or meet with an instructor for a tutoring session.
Real-World Application
In
an April 2009 study titled Pedagogy, Education and Innovation in 3-D
Virtual Worlds, researchers measured the effectiveness of using a 3D
virtual classroom as part of a master's degree course in counseling. The
study set out to determine whether the ability to participate in
real-time activities would help develop students' communication skills- a
critical component of counseling education that is lacking in
traditional e-learning platforms. According to the study, "3D virtual
environments such as Second Life offer counseling educators the
opportunity to provide immersive simulated environments for their
students to develop and practice their skills. By using Second Life,
instructors are able to create learning activities which emulate
learning experiences that students may have otherwise only had by means
of face-to-face interaction."
Learning
activities included the creation of virtual counseling facilities and
avatars acting as mentally-ill patients that students could counsel
virtually. The facility had three floors and numerous counseling rooms
that were appropriately outfitted with couches, chairs and even
decorative art on the walls.
Most
of the students participating in the research study believed that the
coursework was equal to that of a brick and mortar classroom, and many
appreciated the real-time counseling exercises that allowed them to
"treat" patients in a virtual classroom setting. Interestingly, many of
the participating students did not feel that using the 3D environment
dramatically improved their learning experience, yet one participating
student stated that "the abilities to gesture, communicate, and to take
on a character and simulating the clinical setting were very helpful and
have great potential."
The Future of vLearning in Higher Education
As
students become more and more technologically advanced and dependent on
computers, Annetta predicts that vLearning will become a mainstream
method of delivering postsecondary courses and earning degrees. In fact,
he believes that those in the millennial generation will prefer
vLearning environments to brick and mortar classrooms.
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