December 1st, 2008 by Learning Systems
A virtual world can be implemented as a powerful educational and instructional tool, not only for primary school learning systems, but for higher education students and adults in company training programs. More and more universities and companies are exploring existing virtual world platforms as a way to enhance blended and online learning systems.
Many institutions use Second Life to run virtual classrooms and discussions. According to Second Life’s website, “Over 200 educators from nearly as many universities and colleges use it for classes, research, learning and projects with their students…” and Harvard, Texas State, and Stanford Universities have all set up virtual campuses where students can meet and attend classes. Students can also work together within the Second Life learning system to create content themselves.
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.
