November 28th, 2008 by Learning Systems
One creative way in which virtual worlds can be integrated into a school learning system is the opportunity for students to actually create a virtual world. This month in Winooski, Vermont, about 80 middle school students were introduced to an innovative technological learning system. They were trained how to use animation software to create a virtual world.
Dean Ali Rafieymehr founded the “Kids in Technology and Science” program four years ago while teaching at Western New England College in Springfield, Mass. The animation software program he created is a learning system that caters to children’s behavior. For example, Rafieymehr separates the boys and the girls, saying that when they are grouped together, boys tend to take control. Among the life forms that students designed were T-Rexes, monkeys, lemurs, and skater girls, interacting however the students wanted.
November 28th, 2008 by Learning Systems
The idea of using of virtual worlds in a school learning system may at first be dismissed along with the virtual world terminology of guilds, trolls and orcs.
Additionally, many parents whose children’s teachers are adding virtual worlds to the classroom learning system may not like the idea, for a variety of reasons. One is the highly addictive quality of the games, especially World of Warcraft. The possibility of getting kids addicted to virtual worlds in a school learning system setting may not set well with many people.
Another complaint is the advertising industry’s role in virtual worlds. While World of Warcraft doesn’t allow selling in-world items to be sold for real cash, some worlds like Entropia and Second Life employ players–often teenagers–whose avatars go about their virtual lives trying to sell products.
November 28th, 2008 by Learning Systems
Virtual “worlds,” for better or worse, are an ever-increasingly popular online learning system worldwide. Although media coverage of virtual worlds like Second Life has been on the decline, a throng of virtual worlds for kids has grown even more popular than their adult counterparts. For example, according to the New York Times, tween world Club Penguin has more than 4 million visitors per month. And if kids can learn professions like blacksmithing, mining, first aid and tailoring in virtual worlds like World of Warcraft, why not biology or American history?
BBC contributor Bill Thompson writes, “Second Life and World of Warcraft are not really ‘worlds,’ whatever their proponents might claim. They are sophisticated 3-d environments that allow for a much greater degree of engagement than other tools, and they offer tools for interaction and creative expression that browsers, chatrooms and email do not.” Despite the challenges, teachers are beginning to find a place for virtual worlds and their potential for team learning in real world learning systems.
November 28th, 2008 by Learning Systems
According to BBC contributor Bill Thompson, teachers are experiencing great success with the incorporation of virtual worlds into their classroom learning systems.
And why wouldn’t they? Research firm eMarketer estimates that 24 percent of the 34.3 million users ages three to 18 used virtual worlds at least monthly in 2007, a figure that will jump to 53 percent by 2011. As young people become more involved in virtual worlds, their understanding of virtual world interactions and their roles within the virtual world are becoming more sophisticated, and therefore more easily translated into an academic learning system.
How would you employ a virtual world in your blended learning system?
November 28th, 2008 by Learning Systems
I’ve said that adults and young people alike may be engaged by courseware systems that apply gaming concepts in their interactive and narrative designs. But what about teachers who want to go beyond websites, courseware systems, whiteboards and discussion forums in their classroom blended learning environments?
BBC contributor Bill Thompson recently attended ReLIVE08, a conference on the education and research uses of virtual “worlds”. At the conference, he learned about the creative ways in which virtual environments are being used in areas as diverse as language teaching and urban planning.
Sarah Robins-Bell, co-author of Second Life for Dummies, gave a paper in which she looked at 75 different virtual worlds and created a classification scheme that may helps courseware system teachers understand similarities and differences between diverse worlds like Everquest, Club Penguin, Second Life and World of Warcraft.
November 26th, 2008 by Learning Systems
While listening to a teacher lecture for hours doesn’t suit many visual learners, watching a dynamic speaker demonstrate a lesson does. Visual learners are sensitive to body language, and often have an advanced ability to “read” people. Many visual-spatial learners aren’t able to depend on their ears for information, so they develop incredible visual and intuitive abilities.
Visual-spatial learners do well with courseware systems that employ not only color-coding, pictures, graphs, and charts, but stimulating videos. Courseware systems may include videos with demonstrations, simulations and screencasting to cater to visual learners. In a courseware system video, a speaker should use a great deal of body language as well as references to diagrams and charts, as well as images.
November 26th, 2008 by Learning Systems
Does the inclusion of visual information on a learning management system actually improve student performance? Absolutely. A study conducted by the Institute for the Advancement of Research in Education at AEL showed that visual learning improves student performance in four major ways: critical thinking, retention, comprehension, and organization.
Graphic organizers designed using a learning management system help students link verbal and visual information, make connections and infer relationships. Students are also able to recall information and understand new ideas when connected to prior knowledge. And the use of graphic organizers and diagrams in a learning management system fosters organizational skills, building data literacy as students gather and explore information.
November 26th, 2008 by Learning Systems
Of course, visual learning refers not only to a learning style, but to a teaching style as well. Studies show that students are generally aided in a significant way by visual information that is simple to create on a learning management system. These include diagrams, graphs, and web and concept maps. Though it helps is students are actually creating the graphic organizers, diagrams designed on a learning management system are also proven to be effective learning tools.
While students absorb the learning content of your course, they can also become more ICT literate with the integration of programs like PowerPoint and Excel. Many learning management systems also include tools like flash cards and web publishing. Other dynamic learning devices include mapping tools like Google Earth, Google Streetview, Google Sky, and Google SketchUp.
