Learning in Virtual Worlds: The Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

Virtual environments are revolutionizing almost every aspect of the learning process; the learners live in interactive cyberspaces where they can communicate and collaborate globally in various ways. With the arrival of the Net Generation and the challenges and possibilities that the use of virtual reality brings to learning, the use of virtual simulations extends its possibilities to content access transforming education in a participatory and immersive experience. Virtual reality provides optimal support for information storage, retrieval and manipulation. Capitalizing on the awesome power of virtual reality for educational uses will permanently change the nature and course of how students learn. Virtual reality provides students with an unprecedented chance to explore, engage, and visualize the complex processes like never before. This paper explores the use of Second Life, a virtual learning environment, in higher education systems, and the potential possibilities of such virtual environments for teaching and learning in the 21 st Century.

Stream Processors Texture Generation Model for 3D Virtual Worlds: Learning Tools in vAcademia

“…Three-dimensional Virtual Environments and Social Virtual Worlds (3D VWs) provide both opportunities and challenges for education, and many topics in this area need further research [1,2]. Despite the repeated positive conclusions, 3D VWs have not become widely used, and researchers often report that their studies have experimental nature.…”

3D Multi User Learning Environment Management - An Exploratory Study on Student Engagement with the Learning Environment

“…De Freitas (et al, 2010) has proposed a framework for designing and evaluating learning experience in 3D virtual worlds, considering efficacy and challenges of new learning styles. Burkle and Kinshuk (2009) have elaborated the potential possibilities of using 3D virtual worlds for the needs of 21 st century education. These signify the importance of associating 3D MUVE for learning.…”

“…Students' comfortable ability to engage in the learning environment is an essential factor for the virtual world supported education (Burkle & Kinshuk, 2009). This indeed rationalise our research objectives.…”

Web 2.0 and 3.0 affordances for second generation virtual patients

“…Second Life is a place where formal and informal education takes place and synchronous and asynchronous interactions occur (Burkle and Kinshuk, 2009). Residents in the world are called avatars -virtual representations of real people, 3D humanoidswho can own virtual land (much as land is owned in the real world), virtual objects, or can design virtual real estate to look any way they want and to support almost any purpose they wish, subject to the affordances and constraints of virtual worlds.…”