Designing and evaluating collaboration in a virtual game environment for vocational learning

Challenge of supporting vocational learning: Empowering collaboration in a scripted 3D game – How does teachers’ real-time orchestration make a difference?

“…This finding is in line with our previous (design-based research) findings that, at their best, scripted 3D games have the potential to support knowledge construction in vocational educational settings (Hämäläinen 2008(Hämäläinen , 2011Hämäläinen et al 2008). However, unlike in our previous studies, comparing the differences between studying with and without real-time teacher orchestration resulted in differences in both time used on task solving and shared knowledge construction processes.…”

“…We will further develop analysis of collaborative knowledge construction as a means of gaining insight into the process of collaborative learning in a scripted 3D environment from a socio-cultural perspective. Added to this, our previous study (Hämäläinen et al 2008) has indicated that faster groups do better in their final test results than the slower groups, and higher learning results seem to be bound to high knowledge construction processes. Therefore, we compared the time used in the task solving with and without teacher orchestrating collaboration activities.…”

“…Our earlier design-based studies have indicated that scripted learning environments have the potential to support high-level knowledge construction in vocational educational settings (Hämäläinen 2008(Hämäläinen , 2011Hämäläinen et al 2008). Thus, different kinds of collaboration scripts with theoretically-grounded design principles (e.g.…”

“…In practice, we have employed an experimental design that combines aspects of theoretical knowledge of collaboration processes (see the game description), developing methods of investigating knowledge construction, empirical findings of our previous studies, and continuous development of the technological environment. In this general framework, findings of earlier sub-studies have been reported as individual case studies (see Hämäläinen 2008Hämäläinen , 2011Hämäläinen et al, 2008).…”

Collaborative 3D learning games for future learning: teachers’ instructional practices to enhance shared knowledge construction among students

“…Since 2004, our series of design-based studies has focused on designing 3D game environments as a response to future learning needs in the vocational education context. Results from these studies have been promising, and it has been noted that games clearly add value to the practice of vocational skills (Hämäläinen, 2008;Hämäläinen, 2011;Hämäläinen & Oksanen, 2012). On one hand, these studies have shown that scripted virtual games can generate high-level learning.…”