Using avatars and virtual environments in learning: What do they have to offer?

Abstract

This paper explores and discusses arguments for the use of virtual environments and interactive avatars in supporting the achievement of student learning goals within conventional educational contexts. It describes and evaluates arguments promoted by some authors (eg, van den Brekel) relating to advantages from gaming and avatar use, ranging from enhanced engagement in learning activities, through to more purposeful and focussed communication, and, when used in group situations, better cooperation and collaboration between students. It explores the potential of avatar environments to act as powerful communication mediums for students to display knowledge and understanding, and engage in the development of 'higher order thinking skills, such as interpreting, analysing, evaluating, synthesising and solving complex problems'.It also introduces and discusses the avatar-based authoring program MARVIN, and identifies potential for its use as a digital storytelling tool to assist students in communicating outcomes from units of learning, and in supporting the development of a range of key learning competencies identified in the New Zealand Curriculum Framework (Ministry of Education, 2007). It profiles a successful example of the classroom-based use of MARVIN within a community project undertaken by groups of year 7 and 8 students at two Hamilton intermediate schools, and identifies how the program supported student thinking and relating to others key competencies (Ministry of Education, 2007).

Virtual realities and education

“…However, we found one in the context of World War II, where students took part in an activity combining the classroom and the D-Day museum via the technology Myartspace (Vavoula et al, 2009). An emphasis on societal issues (sometimes closely related to moral aspects) was in like manner found in the study (Falloon, 2010) of an avatar-based presentation and storytelling tool where the aspects summarised are 'such things as street safety, fighting ethnic prejudice, eliminating tagging, reducing pollution' (p. 117). Actually, quite a few studies refer to a type of multi-perspective possibilities.…”

Virtual Representations in 3D Learning Environments

“…Students worked in groups made up of students of different cultures, in virtual learning environments. Students were asked to create educational tasks in virtual domains, on the assumption that these virtual domains have high learning potential (Campbell, 2009), and that virtual representations affect learning (Falloon, 2010;Hamilton & Nowak, 2010;Resta & Shonfeld, 2013). This research tried to enhance the models and proposals for virtual representations in three-dimensional domains and ascertain their importance to the learner.…”

“…There seem to be advantages for learning by using virtual environments and interactive avatars in supporting students' achievement and learning goals within conventional educational contexts, ranging from enhanced engagement in learning activities, to more purposeful and focused communication, and better cooperation and collaboration between students when used in groups (Falloon, 2010;Hamilton & Nowak, 2010;Resta & Shonfeld, 2013). Shonfeld, Resta, and Yaniv (2011) refer to enhancing engagement and social presence by using SL environments.…”

“…Shonfeld, Resta, and Yaniv (2011) refer to enhancing engagement and social presence by using SL environments. Other researchers extend these studies and explore the potential of avatar environments to act as powerful communication media for students to display knowledge and understanding and to engage in the development of higher order thinking skills, such as interpreting, analyzing, evaluating, synthesizing, and solving complex problems (Falloon, 2010).…”

Social presence and motivation in a three-dimensional virtual world: An explanatory study

“…The positive effects on user motivation of entertaining and interactive environments which feature eye-catching objects has been amply demonstrated (Allison, Miller, Sturgeon, Nicoll, & Perera, 2010;Horton, 2000;Sancho, Torrente, & Fernández-Manjón, 2009). Because 3-D virtual worlds possess such objects, those environments are thought to stimulate motivation levels (Falloon, 2010;Iqbal, Kankaanranta, & Neittaanmaki, 2010;Sierra, Gutiérrez, Garzón-Castro, 2012;Zhou, Jin, Vogel, Fang, & Chen, 2011). In the literature, it has also been demonstrated that other features of 3-D environments, such as interactions between users and between individual users and the environment, participation in the provided activities, and the feeling of being truly in the environment (Kapp & Driscoll, 2010) all increase the users' learning capacities (Mishra, 2009).…”