scholarly journals Design of Virtual Learning Environments: Learning Analytics and Identification of Affordances and Barriers

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pekka Qvist ◽  
Tuomas Kangasniemi ◽  
Sonja Palomäki ◽  
Jenni Seppänen ◽  
Pekka Joensuu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Educational Technology ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Learning Analytics ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Laboratory ◽  
The Impact

The future of educational technology has been envisioned to have increasing focus on simulations, game based learning, virtual learning environments and virtual worlds. The technologies aim to provide authentic learning and enable deeper, more complex and contextual understanding for students. To study the impact of virtual learning environments for natural sciences and engineering education, we have designed and implemented a virtual laboratory, LabLife3D, in Second Life. To date we have designed six virtual laboratory exercises in the biological sciences and chemistry and additionally created a system to gather behavioristic data during laboratory simulations for the purpose of learning analytics. This paper presents the design process of laboratory exercises and discusses the content-specific learning goals and outcomes. Additionally, this paper discusses the use of heuristic usability review used to improve the virtual learning environment. Lastly, the results from student and teacher interviews are presented, together with results of the learning analytics study. The discussion also includes student identified affordances and barriers for learning. We conclude that authentic and deep learning is possible within virtual worlds. Furthermore, the results of this study are not only limited to virtual worlds, but could also apply to other areas of digital educational technology.

Virtual Worlds as the Next Asset of Virtual Learning Environments for Students in Business?

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-76
Author(s):  
Jean-Eric Pelet ◽  
Benoît Lecat
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Web Based

The authors’ research examines the effectiveness of a web-based virtual learning environment (VLE) in the context of management studies. This article provides two main contributions. First, an exploratory study introduces and describes the concept of VLE applied to the training of seven students in an “interactivity design” (IS) course. Second, a confirmatory study conducted with 168 students in management presents a framework of VLE application in the context of management courses (MS). Results indicate that in the context of management studies, singular differences in the knowledge of VLEs exist between low/high skilled students. Even if a VLE can benefit skilled students, low skilled students must first understand and appreciate the full meaning of VLEs. A VLE leads to good training of students in IS courses. However, its existence must be communicated more intensively in the context of managerial studies. Furthermore, these students will need to be trained before achieving a sufficient level of competency to be able to manage projects using Second Life (SL).

scholarly journals 3D virtual learning in counselor education: Using Second Life in counselor skill development

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria Lynn Walker
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Second Life ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Online Course ◽  
Counseling Skills ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments

This article will present the process and the curricular and pedagogical lessons learned from adding a 3D virtual learning environment to an online course in a distance and hybrid education master’s degree program. Based on student surveys, course evaluations, and faculty interviews, the author will summarize attitudes and expectations from the varied stakeholders and offer practical recommendations on the design and delivery of an effective virtual world learning environment in an online course. The author is involved in developing 3D virtual learning environments and integrating their use in graduate level counseling courses in traditional, blended, and online master’s programs. In the fall of 2007, the author began the process of incorporating the virtual world Second Life into an online counseling skills and techniques course in the Human Services Counseling Program at Regent University. The course objectives consisted of teaching graduate level students expertise such as clinical counseling skills and techniques. One of the critical competencies, the student’s ability to demonstrate the basic counseling skills needed to be an effective counselor including attending, listening, empathy, warmth, and respect, was very difficult to teach and evaluate from a distance. In the past, program instructors have taught online and blended courses with the asynchronous learning environment Blackboard and the synchronous technologies, Skype and Instant Messenger. With the use of new learning environments, such as 3D virtual learning environments, the author hoped to provide the instructors and students with an environment more conducive to developing effective counseling skills. The author implemented the virtual learning environment – a simulated counseling facility and tested the virtual counseling facility’s use as an innovative learning environment for simulation of student counseling sessions. This article will discuss the author’s personal experiences as well as the empirical research collected during this case study. Given the potential for significant growth in the use of virtual learning objects, this article should provide useful information for instructors and administrators considering virtual environments as a means of teaching practical skills at a distance in online programs.

The Importance of Virtual Learning Environments in Higher Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 109-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulo Alves ◽  
Luisa Miranda ◽  
Carlos Morais
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Daily Basis ◽  
Computer Skills ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Access Frequency

This chapter focuses on the concept of virtual learning environment (VLE), its characteristics and potentialities. We present the results of a research work conducted with a sample of 347 undergraduates from a Portuguese public higher education institution. The research addressed the issue regarding the use of virtual learning environments within the higher education context and had the following aims: identify the VLE access frequency; assess the influence of users' computer skills on the VLE access frequency; and assess the importance and impact that students consider the VLE to have on supporting the course units they attend. In the light of the results obtained and considering the VLE used in the sample institution, we highlight that the majority of students accesses the VLE on a daily basis, no significant differences were found regarding VLE access according to users' computer skills, and the most valued aspects of the VLE were: checking exam results and receiving teachers' messages or notices.

Online Virtual Learning Environments

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicoletta Adamo-Villani ◽  
Hazar Dib
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Complex Information ◽  
Directed Learning ◽  
Interactive 3D

This article is an overview of online virtual learning environments for discovery learning. The paper defines Virtual Learning Environments and discusses literature findings on the benefits of using web-based VEs for self-directed learning. It gives an overview of the latest technologies/platforms used to develop online VEs, discusses development and delivery challenges posed by complex, information-rich web-based 3D environments, and describes possible solutions that can be adopted to overcome current limitations. The paper also presents and discusses two 3D web-deliverable virtual learning environments that were recently developed by the authors: the “Virtual Tour of the Muscatatuck State Hospital Historic District (MSHHD)” and the “VELS: Virtual Environment for Learning Surveying”. The “Interactive 3D Tour of MSHHD” is a web-based digital heritage application that uses Virtual Reality as a tool to document and preserve historic sites and educate the public about them; the “VELS” is an online virtual learning environment whose objective is to help undergraduate students learn surveying concepts and practices.

Teacher Technology Education for Spatial Learning in Digital Immersive Virtual Environments

2020 ◽  
pp. 350-366
Author(s):  
Flavia Santoianni ◽  
Alessandro Ciasullo
Keyword(s):  
Technology Education ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Spatial Interaction ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Spatial Design ◽  
Evolution Of Technology ◽  
Teacher Technology

The aim of this research is to deepen how teacher technology education can be designed to enhance spatial education, which is intertwined with digital education. The evolution of technology resources can actually sustain spatial learning. In the last years, the user experience has been improved by open-source, collaborative user-generated, and immersive content of synthetic learning environments. This research analyses which spatial design principles have influenced the virtual worlds of digital immersive virtual learning environments. In 3D virtual learning environments spatial interaction is really developed and may open full accessibility to further studies on digital and spatial education. In the joined field of learning and ICT, the main scope of digital technology knowledge sharing, and re-shaping, is the enhancement of digital skills based on experiences in educational activities and the re-thinking of the nature and the format of educational curriculum to implement more experiences in the digital—and, possibly, spatial—fields.

A Bioeducational Approach to Virtual Learning Environments

2021 ◽  
pp. 189-209
Author(s):  
Alessandro Ciasullo
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Worlds ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Environmental Challenges ◽  
The Real ◽  
Learning Contexts ◽  
Real Objects ◽  
Neuronal Patterns

Knowledge carries some general characteristics related to the socio-environmental, cultural, and bio-physiological contexts. These three coordinates help us to understand under which condition knowledge is achieved/gained and they do it. Along the same line, the real or virtual learning contexts being essential and unique, the possibilities offered by the VLE which give the opportunity of programming environmental challenges, complexity, and support for subjects open up a series of educational perspectives that support individual differences even when they reproduce social platforms as virtual worlds. Programming that through adequate representations of environments, situations, problems, and specific actions are able to work on more complex neuronal patterns usually activated in the presence of real objects, especially in light of the current structures present in formal contexts of education.

scholarly journals Criterios para la evaluación de usabilidad en entornos virtuales de aprendizaje [Judgment Guidelines for usability evaluation in virtual learning environments]

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edilma Leonor DÍAZ GUTIÉRREZ ◽  
Andrea Catherine ALARCÓN ALDANA ◽  
Mauro CALLEJAS CUERVO
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Knowledge Integration ◽  
Web Applications ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Software Usability ◽  
Entornos Virtuales De Aprendizaje ◽  
Entornos Virtuales

Resumen La calidad de un producto software aborda distintos aspectos, entre ellos la usabilidad, y al evaluarla, se afrontan algunas dificultades, como el desconocimiento de los atributos a evaluar, las características de los usuarios y objetivo del producto evaluado; en el caso de entornos virtuales de aprendizaje, deben permitir el desarrollo de procesos de incorporación de habilidades y saberes teniendo en cuenta quesus usuarios tienen distintos grados de conocimiento, edades e intereses, pertenecen a múltiples disciplinas y acceden desde distintos dispositivos. Dichas diferencias hacen que el proceso de evaluación de usabilidad de un entorno virtual de aprendizaje tenga unas características propias. Actualmente no existe un consenso en cuanto a los aspectos que se consideran para establecer factores de usabilidad en métodos de evaluación de calidad, lo cual motiva la construcción de otro tipo deaplicaciones web que dejan de lado aspectos propios de este factor, conllevando a que sean los usuarios quienes se adaptan a las características de la WebApp y no como debiera ser. Considerando lo anterior, se realizó un estudio de trabajos previos, modelos, normas y estándares de calidad, que permitieron analizar los principales atributos de usabilidad de las aplicaciones web y enfáticamente de los entornos virtuales de aprendizaje. Palabras Claves:modelo, estándar, usabilidad, entorno virtual de aprendizaje, calidad.   Abstract Software quality deals with different aspects. One of them is usability. However, it has been quite challenging to assess due to the lack of knowledge of its features. Besides, software usability is also related to its aim and target users. For instance, virtual learning environments should enhance abilities and knowledge integration. Its users have different knowledge levels, ages, interests, background and technological device access. Then, virtual learning environment assessment varies according to its own features and currently, there is a lack of consensus around setting usability principles in quality assessment methods. As a result, web applications and designing tend to overlook this aspect. Then, users have to adapt to WebApp features rather than the reverse. Therefore, this article aims at showing the study of previous works, models, norms and quality standards leading to the analysis of usability principles referring to web applications and virtual learning environments. Keywords: model, standard, usability, virtual learning environment, quality.

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