Usability Evaluation of an Adaptive 3D Virtual Learning Environment

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Ewais ◽  
Olga De Troyer
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Individualized Instruction ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Goals ◽  
Teaching Approaches ◽  
3D Virtual Environment ◽  
3D Virtual Environments ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments

Using 3D virtual environments for educational purposes is becoming attractive because of their rich presentation and interaction capabilities. Furthermore, dynamically adapting the 3D virtual environment to the personal preferences, prior knowledge, skills and competence, learning goals, and the personal or (social) context in which the learning takes place becomes interesting, as there is a bulk of research demonstrating that individualized instruction is superior to the uniform approach of more traditional and one-size-fits-all teaching approaches. However, although such adaptive 3D Virtual Learning Environments (3D VLE) seem to be promising, this needs to be evaluated in practice. Usability of adaptive 3D VLE could be a problem since the user interface could become relatively complex. In this paper, the authors describe an experiment performed to validate the issues of usability and acceptability of an adaptive 3D VLE. This pilot evaluation reveals some important recommendations and improvements.

Scaffolding Discovery Learning In 3D Virtual Environments

2010 ◽  
pp. 138-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark J.W. Lee ◽  
Barney Dalgarno
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Discovery Learning ◽  
Chemistry Laboratory ◽  
Mediated Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
3D Virtual Environment ◽  
3D Virtual Environments ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments

This chapter examines the importance of and possibilities for providing learner support and scaffolding in 3D virtual learning environments designed to promote and encourage learner exploration and discovery. The chapter begins with an overview of the need for scaffolding in discovery learning, before discussing scaffolding in technology-mediated learning environments. A framework is presented for understanding the types of scaffolding that can be provided in such environments. Using a case study based on the design of a 3D Virtual Chemistry Laboratory, examples illustrating the way each category of scaffolding within the framework could be provided within a 3D virtual environment are presented. The chapter concludes with coverage of the key considerations in designing scaffolded 3D virtual environments, as well as some of the important issues in adapting the concepts of scaffolding from face-to-face to technology-mediated environments.

The Affordances of 3D Virtual Learning Environments

2019 ◽  
pp. 106-123
Author(s):  
Hisae Matsui ◽  
Terence C. Ahern
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
American Students ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments

The purpose of this chapter is to examine participants' perceived affordances of three-dimensional virtual learning environments (3D VLEs) in developing interpersonal emotional connections with their partners during the initial stage of the virtual exchange. To fulfill the purpose, two Japanese and two American students were paired and participated in sessions within two differently designed virtual environments using the same 3D virtual application. The results indicate that the participants tend to find avatars useful as a cue that helps in recalling previous conversations and in avoiding long silences. Additionally, the affordances of the 3D VLEs heightened the experience of co-presence. However, for non-native speakers, this experience also created increased anxiety. Finally, the results show the affordances affected the participants much more strongly during the first several sessions but were mitigated by other factors as the sessions continued.

The Affordances of 3D Virtual Learning Environments

2018 ◽  
pp. 92-109
Author(s):  
Hisae Matsui ◽  
Terence C. Ahern
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
American Students ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments

The purpose of this chapter is to examine participants' perceived affordances of three-dimensional virtual learning environments (3D VLEs) in developing interpersonal emotional connections with their partners during the initial stage of the virtual exchange. To fulfill the purpose, two Japanese and two American students were paired and participated in sessions within two differently designed virtual environments using the same 3D virtual application. The results indicate that the participants tend to find avatars useful as a cue that helps in recalling previous conversations and in avoiding long silences. Additionally, the affordances of the 3D VLEs heightened the experience of co-presence. However, for non-native speakers, this experience also created increased anxiety. Finally, the results show the affordances affected the participants much more strongly during the first several sessions but were mitigated by other factors as the sessions continued.

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.

scholarly journals Adaptive Design for Educational Hypermedia Environments and Bio-Educational Adaptive Design for 3D Virtual Learning Environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flavia Santoianni ◽  
Alessandro Ciasullo
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Adaptive Design ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environment ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Adaptive Hypermedia Systems ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Educational Hypermedia

Abstract Adaptive learning environments design has been originally influenced by the adaptive learning environments model, which has been recently re-shaped by the bio-educational adaptive approach. Adaptive and bio-educational models share the common main idea that education should be adaptive. Since the 90’s the adoption of an adaptive educational point of view have been at the base of adaptive educational hypermedia systems, which design joins interest towards learners’ individual differences with adaptive learning environments research. Educational hypermedia systems have been overcome by the technology of 3D Virtual Learning Environments. Some emerging questions are related to the design criteria of adaptive learning environments. Which lessons learned from adaptive hypermedia systems design could be now applied to VLEs’ design? How a virtual learning environment should be designed to be adaptive? This research tries to answer to these questions by describing Federico 3DSU, an educational University 3D Virtual Learning Environment which has been designed with adaptive criteria, according to bio-educational model

scholarly journals Adaptive Repetition: A Fuzzy Logic based Control Strategy for Active Exploration in 3D-Virtual Learning Environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Fayaz ◽  
Aftab Alam ◽  
Shah Khalid ◽  
Numan Ali ◽  
Wali Khan Mashwani
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Control Strategy ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Mental Load ◽  
Cognitive Aids ◽  
Active Exploration ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments

Abstract In past decade, the use of cognitive aids such as textual, visual and audio in 3D-Virtual Learning Environments is increasing day by day as it guide and facilitate both the students and teachers to perform the task with ease in Virtual Environment. In recent studies, it has been observed that the use of cognitive aids in virtual learning environments reduce mental load on learner but at the same time it also minimizes active exploration which negatively affect their performance in non-supervised environment. Therefore, some researchers have shown negative concern about the use of cognitive aids in 3D-Virtual Learning Environments (3D-VLEs). In this paper, we presents the idea of ”Adaptive Repetition” as control strategy for active exploration in 3D-VLEs. At the beginning of experiment in 3D-VLEs , students is given full support to perform the experiment with help of cognitive aids. Using a fuzzy logic based approach , the amount of aids are minimized whenever the experiment is repeated. The adaptive repetition approach put the students in active learning process and enables them to actively explore the learning environment. Ultimately, the negative effects of using cognitive aids in 3D-VLEs is minimized.

Authoring Adaptive 3D Virtual Learning Environments

2016 ◽  
pp. 714-733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Ewais ◽  
Olga De Troyer
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Learning Technologies ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Authoring Tool ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Adaptive Learning Environment ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments

The use of 3D and Virtual Reality is gaining interest in the context of academic discussions on E-learning technologies. However, the use of 3D for learning environments also has drawbacks. One way to overcome these drawbacks is by having an adaptive learning environment, i.e., an environment that dynamically adapts to the learner and the activities that he performs in the environment. In this paper, the authors discuss adaptive 3D virtual leaning environments and explain how a course author can specify such an environment (i.e., authoring). The approach and tool that the authors present allow authors to create adaptive 3D virtual learning environments without the need to be an expert in 3D or using programming or scripting languages. The authors also conducted an evaluation to validate the approach and the usability and acceptability of the authoring tool. Based on the results, recommendations for authoring adaptive 3D virtual learning environments have been formulated.

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.

Assessment of the Effectiveness of Distance Learning Courses and of Interactive Processes in Virtual Learning Environments

2011 ◽  
pp. 342-364
Author(s):  
Francisco Villa Ulhôa Botelho ◽  
Rosa Maria Vicari
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Learning Group ◽  
Speech Features ◽  
Distance Courses

The general objectives of this study are: to analyze significant indicators for assessment of the effectiveness of Distance Learning (DL) courses; to check the extent to which such effectiveness is related to the quality of interactive processes; to examine characteristic elements of individuals’ conversations while they interact in study groups within virtual environments, with a view to contributing toward the effectiveness of DL courses; the development of a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of distance learning courses. Results confirm the importance of the context, the teacher, and learning-group variables for the effectiveness of distance courses. They also illustrate the relevance of certain speech features of students and teachers in virtual learning environments that generate conversational dynamics and contribute toward meeting the goals of DL courses.

Web-Based 3D Virtual Learning Environments

2012 ◽  
pp. 95-118
Author(s):  
Nicoletta Adamo-Villani ◽  
Kari L. Clase ◽  
Robin J. Heyden ◽  
John Wiecha
Keyword(s):  
Learning Environments ◽  
Postgraduate Medical Education ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Virtual Learning ◽  
Virtual Learning Environments ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Medical Education Program ◽  
Self Discovery ◽  
Interactive 3D ◽  
3D Virtual Learning Environments

This chapter is an overview of web-deliverable three-dimensional (3D) virtual learning environments. In Section 1 (Introduction) we define Virtual Reality (VR) Technology and Virtual Learning Environments; in Section 2 (Virtual Environments and Learning) we discuss literature findings on the benefits of using web-based VEs for self-discovery learning. In Section 3 (Developing online VE: technologies, challenges and solutions) we give an overview of the latest technologies/platforms used to develop online VEs, discuss development and delivery challenges posed by complex, information-rich web-based 3D environments, and describe possible solutions that can be adopted to overcome current limitations. In Section 4 (A review of two projects) we present two 3D web virtual learning environments that were recently developed by the authors: the Interactive 3D Tour of MSHHD and The pilot postgraduate medical education program in Second Life. A summary and conclusive remarks are included in section 5 (Summary and Conclusion).

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