Virtual worlds: A new environment for constructionist learning

Abstract

Virtual worlds have the potential to provide a new environment in which to engage learners in constructionist activities. However, they were not designed for education and have features and affordances which are not found in traditional constructionist environments. These may limit the pedagogy in action and/or provide new opportunities with which to transform constructionist pedagogy in practice, but to date there has been no research on these issues. To address this, we explore constructionism in action in the virtual world Second Life. This is the first study to examine the theoretical alignment of pedagogy and technology in practice. An exploratory case study of a purpose-built constructionist learning experience was conducted. The experience was designed based on the theoretical alignment of pedagogy and technology and implemented with 24 postgraduate students over four weeks. Open non-directive interviews, chat logs, constructed a tefa ts, lea e s itte efle tio s a d o se atio s e e olle ted a d a al sed usi g the constant comparative approach. The findings provide insights into how learners engage in meaningful artefact construction, highlight the role of avatars and draw attention to the importance of the designed space. New opportunities for distributed constructionism are identified. We conclude that virtual worlds are effective environments for constructionist learning.

The Virtual Avatar Lab (VAL): Tapping into Virtual Live Environments to Practice Classroom Feedback Conversations

“…They stressed that the simulation in the VAL helped them to develop the skill of providing effective feedback and facilitating feedback dialogue with the avatars. Comments were supportive of existing research (Author, Padgett, & Shelley, 2018;Mursion, 2018;Falloon, 2010;Girvan & Savage, 2019). While there was one teacher candidate who consistently reported that face-to-face interaction was best and could not be replicated by use of the VE in a live setting and a few "negative" comments and ratings, most candidates found value in the experience, as indicated in both qualitative and quantitative data, which is affirming of the existing literature.…”

“…While there are various virtual experiences, mixed reality experiences are those that incorporate elements of virtual and live teaching experiences, which include simulated classrooms coupled with an avatar played by a live actor (TeachLivE.org). Mixed reality experiences in virtual environments (VEs) can be effective in teacher preparation programs because they include four key elements related to simulated experiences: authenticity, targeted, personalized, and iterative opportunities for practice (Mursion, 2018;Falloon, 2010;Girvan & Savage, 2019). Furthermore, the mixed reality simulations take place in real-time, with avatar students who mirror human students in terms of academic, social, and emotional replication (Dieker, Hughes, Hynes, & Straub, 2017).…”

A holistic analysis towards understanding consumer perceptions of virtual reality devices in the post-adoption phase

“…Following the 25% had been coded, a new identifier was created in the Nvivo file two weeks after the first coding process. This lets the coder recode the transcript without visibility of the codes from the first coding iteration (Girvan and Savage 2019).…”

Effectiveness of Second Life Virtual Learning Environment for Language Training in Hospitality and Tourism

“…Preparation through a simulator includes the instructor's occasional involvement in a carefully orchestrated study plan. In a virtual learning environment, students are actively involved in school work as they solve problems and make decisions, as they do in the real world [9,10]. Besides, a simulation in the classroom involves time reflection and processing, which helps the student share their experience.…”