formal and informal collaborative learning in 3d virtual campuses

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Formal and Informal Collaborative Learning in 3D

Virtual CampusesMikhail Fominykh and Ekaterina Prasolova-Førland

Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway

The Sixth International Conference on Collaboration TechnologiesAugust 27–29, 2012

Sapporo, Japan

Peter LeongUniversity of Hawaii-Manoa, USA

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3D Virtual Worlds and Virtual Campuses

o Why 3D Virtual Worlds– Three dimensional– Sense of presence– Collaboration– Visualization and creativity– 3D content manipulation

o Why Virtual Campuses– Authentic environment– Learning tools and facilities

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Formal and Informal Learning in 3D Virtual Campuses

o Formal– Blended or virtual courses– Lectures, discussions, exams, and more

o Informal– Virtual tours, scavenger hunts, role playing, and

games– Rich interactions, authentic content and culture,

identity play, simulation, community presence– Visualization, and content production

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Case Study across Two Virtual Campuses

o RQ– How to design a 3D virtual campus?

o Goal– Develop implications for virtual campus design to

facilitate formal and informal learning

o Analysis framework– Learner– Place– Artifact

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Study settings

o Participants– 37 Students (Cooperation Technology course at NTNU)– Presenters and attendees

o Activities– 3D Visualization of the major curriculum topics– Two events in two virtual campuses

o Observation– Design of Virtual Campus facilities for different

learning modes

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Virtual Campus of NTNU

o Facilities– Reconstructions of campus buildings– 3D educational visualizations (student projects)– Virtual Science Fair– Meeting and working places

o Activities– Virtual tours– Cooperation technology course projects/role plays– Research project presentations– International seminars

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Virtual Campus of NTNU

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Role-playing presentation of a student project

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Role-playing presentation of a student project

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Cooperation seminar in the virtual campus of NTNU

o Formal learning– Seminar (five virtual presentations of EU projects)– Question-and-answer session

o Results+ Geographical independence+ The novelty and excitement+ The comfort of use for the lecturer and the audience– Technical problems– Attention distractions both inside and outside the

virtual environment

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Cooperation seminar in the virtual campus of NTNU

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Implications for facilitating formal learning in 3D virtual campuses

o Learner– More active use of the avatar, such as moving around,

body language, visual effects, changing appearance

o Place– Minimalistic appearance to avoid disruption of attention– Structure facilitating better deployment of the 3D space

and flexible moving and grouping of avatars and tools

o Artifact– Integrating social tools normally used by the students– In-world tools for interactivity, e.g. quizzes and polling

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Virtual Campus of COE UHM

o Facilities– Reconstructions of campus buildings– Authentic Hawaiian places and simulations– New fictitious social spaces

o Activities– Courses/seminars– Conference sessions– Virtual graduation ceremonies

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Virtual Campus of COE UHM

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Wist-Everly Hall complex

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Holomua Learning Area

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Dockside coffee shop

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Official launch of COE SL Island

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Virtual Graduation Ceremonies

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Guided tour to the virtual campus of COE UHM

o Informal learning– Virtual tour (guided tour)– Feedback in student blogs

o Results– 11 themes including general impressions, campus

atmosphere & infrastructure, learning, experimental teaching, Hawaiian culture, navigation problems, etc.

– Majority felt immersive Hawaiian sense of place

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Guided tour to the virtual campus of COE UHM

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Implications for facilitating informal learning: 3 major themeso Appreciation for strong Hawaiian

sense of placeo Recognition of need for social

spaceso Frustration with navigation

problems

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Implications for facilitating informal learning in 3D virtual campuseso Learner

– Improve navigation - teleportation & thematic areas– Spaces for social & community building

o Place– Appearance - replica & fictitious places– Structure - buildings connected by paths & teleports– Roles - demonstration/exhibition, social/workplace,

information space, virtual stage

o Artifact– Some SL tutorials & Hawaiian-theme artifacts– Need to develop tools to support course activities

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Future Work

o Formal and informal educational activities in 3D virtual campuses– Important to sustain a balance between formal and

informal learning– Adjusting for specific formal or informal approaches

in both academic and corporate settings– Exploring and extending implications to apply for

virtual campuses, classrooms, offices, conference facilities, and other types of environments developed on different platforms

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Thank you!

Mikhail Fominykhmikhail.fominykh@svt.ntnu.no

https://my.secondlife.com/Mihail.Palacehttp://slideshare.net/mfominykh/

Ekaterina Prasolova-Førlandekaterip@idi.ntnu.no

https://my.secondlife.com/Amaritis.Miranda

Peter Leongpeterleo@hawaii.edu

https://my.secondlife.com/Ikaika.Miles