Blending Distance Learning Platforms and 3D Virtual Learning Environments

Abstract

The paper at hand seeks to investigate whether virtual reality and distance learning tools can be combined in order to effectively support the learning process. This research deviates from related research works which study whether the distance learning tools and / or three-dimensional virtual learning environments can support existing learning communities and complement the traditional lesson in the classroom. Contrary to those studies, this one focuses on open learning communities whose members have the opportunity to meet only online and investigates whether the existence of a 3D environment can be combined smoothly and productively with the already established tools for online learning communities support. Firstly, this paper presents the characteristics of the 3D platform that was used and those of a web-based e-learning platform, and focuses on the points of potential interconnection between them. Secondly, it describes the key points of the e-learning community that was studied and the difficulties experienced during the implementation of the project. Finally, it presents details of the procedure followed for the evaluation of this effort and summarizes the conclusions reached.Πεπίληψη Η παξνύζα εξγαζία πξνζπαζεί λα κειεηήζεη ην θαηά πόζν κπνξνύλ λα ζπλδπαζηνύλ ε εηθνληθή πξαγκαηηθόηεηα θαη ηα εξγαιεία εμ απνζηάζεσο εθπαίδεπζεο γηα ηελ ππνζηήξημε ηεο καζεζηαθήο δηαδηθαζίαο. Η έξεπλα δηαθνξνπνηείηαη από ζρεηηθέο εξεπλεηηθέο εξγαζίεο πνπ κειεηνύλ θαηά πόζν ηα εξγαιεία εμ απνζηάζεσο εθπαίδεπζεο ή/θαη ηα ηξηζδηάζηαηα εηθνληθά πεξηβάιινληα κάζεζεο κπνξνύλ λα ππνζηεξίμνπλ ππάξρνπζεο καζεζηαθέο θνηλόηεηεο θαη λα ζπκπιεξώζνπλ ην κάζεκα ζηελ αίζνπζα. Σε αληίζεζε κε απηέο, εζηηάδεη ζε αλνηθηέο θνηλόηεηεο κάζεζεο ηα κέιε ησλ νπνίσλ έρνπλ ηε δπλαηόηεηα λα ζπλαληώληαη κόλν ειεθηξνληθά θαη κειεηά θαηά πόζν ε ύπαξμε ελόο ηξηζδηάηαηνπ πεξηβάιινληνο κπνξεί λα ζπλδπαζηεί νκαιά θαη παξαγσγηθά κε ηα παξαδνζηαθά εξγαιεία ππνζηήξημεο ειεθηξνληθώλ θνηλνηήησλ κάζεζεο. Η εξγαζία παξνπζηάδεη θαηαξρήλ ηα ραξαθηεξηζηηθά ηεο ηξηζδηάηαηεο πιαηθόξκαο πνπ ρξεζηκνπνηήζεθε θαη απηά ηεο πιαηθόξκαο ειεθηξνληθήο κάζεζεο θαη εζηηάδεη ζηα πηζαλά ζεκεία κεηαμύ ηνπο ζύλδεζεο. Αθνινύζσο παξνπζηάδεη ηηο ηδηαηηεξόηεηεο ηεο ειεθηξνληθήο καζεζηαθήο θνηλόηεηαο πνπ κειεηήζεθε θαη ηηο δπζθνιίεο πνπ εκθαλίζηεθαλ θαηά ηελ πινπνίεζε ηνπ εγρεηξήκαηνο. Τέινο SECTION A: theoretical papers, original research and scientific articles 28 παξαζέηεη ζηνηρεία γηα ηε δηαδηθαζία πνπ αθνινπζήζεθε γηα ηελ αμηνιόγεζε ηεο πξνζπάζεηαο απηήο θαη ζπλνςίδεη ηα ζπκπεξάζκαηα πνπ πξνέθπςαλ.Λέξειρ-κλειδιά: web-based LMS, moodle and sloodle, 3D VR environments 2. Related work The aim of virtual learning communities is to collaboratively improve knowledge in the field of expertise of the community. In the case of open learning communities everyone is allowed to participate and either offer or consume the collective knowledge (Kommers et al, 2003). Although e-learning (distant learning) approaches are gaining the hype, since they provide synchronous means of interaction between stude...

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