Annotated Bibliography of Distance Education By Camille T.

Stegman For Texas Tech University

Dickey, M. D. (2005). Threedimensional virtual worlds and distance learning: two case studies of Active Worlds as a medium for distance education. British journal of educational technology, 36(3), 439-451. Virtual environments hold the potential to allow distance education to become more collaborative in its learning experiences. Many types of virtual worlds exist on the internet; this particular one is called Active Worlds. The two case studies focused on this environment in both asynchronous and synchronous communications. The synchronous research was done during a 3D modeling course and the asynchronous investigation was through a business class. It is an instrument used by instructors seeking both synchronous and asynchronous communications. All virtual environments allow for avatars to be selected by users that interact with others in the virtual world. Active Worlds contains chat, web browser, and other functions allowing the user to network with others. Social communication and activity are a large part of virtual environments. Group learning is frequently seen as far more beneficial than a single learner struggling alone (Vygotsky, 1978). Learners focused on creativity, problem-solving, decision making and reflections. Both case studies showed that there is the potential for virtual environments to offer collaboration, community and active learning.

Kopeinik, S. (2010). Virtual 3D Worlds for Blended and Distance Learning in Higher Education. Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria. Virtual learning environments can be used to create collaborative spaces for students. Collaboration provides students opportunities to construct knowledge. Roth statesit is important to permit students to construct knowledge meaningfully in an appropriate social context. (1990) Using questionnaires as a research instrument, a prototype collaborative virtual environment was designed and then evaluated by students in a business class. This study looked at various points of view of the people involved in the virtual learning environment including the developer, user, and facilitator. There was a positive response by most research subjects; however, apparently there was performance anxiety among many participants. Some felt pressured by time. Others participants fabricated a sense of competition that should not have been present in the testing. It was recommended that virtual environments have introduction tutorials and are integrated with more regularity into a course. There were suggestions that virtual designers focus on configuration, tool improvement, enhancements, and orientation aids when creating the next virtual world for distance learning.

Baker, S. C., Wentz, R. K., & Woods, M. M. (2009). Using virtual worlds in education: Second Life as an educational tool. Teaching of Psychology, 36(1), 59-64.

Social interaction appears to be fundamental when considering student interest in a subject. (Vygotsky 1978, Dewey 1997). Students should be allowed to question, validate opinions, express their reasons, and reflect upon their learning (Soller, 2001). It is only the next step in communication and collaboration to include the use of virtual world. Second Life (SL) is a program that uses avatars. The program has been seen to produce a perception of unity and collaboration. Unfortunately, the learning curve on how to use the environment can cause more difficulties than rewards. One potential use of the SL environment is holding lecture sessions with on-line classes that traditionally do not meet face to face and are often more asynchronous in nature. This particular study collected data that showed positive reactions to the use of SL for an active lecture session. Several suggestions came from this qualitative research, including using SL for review sessions and use for limitations due to illness or distance.

Reactions to Articles I found the information give in much of the research I scrutinized to be filled with suggestions that more research needs to be done to have a larger picture of what will be successful virtual worlds. The three articles that I read focusing on virtual learning environments all showed a positive reaction to the environment; as well as frustration at the learning curve involved. Could it be that as more digital natives reach the age where distance learning may become more a part of their lives, we find this vexation is reduced? I believe that one of the items lacking in most virtual learning is the absence of communication with other students. By having a virtual world, where perhaps at student is required to meet up in small groups, students have more opportunities to construct knowledge through interaction with others.

References Dewey, J. (1997). How we think. Courier Dover Publications. Roth, W. M. (1990). Collaboration and Constructivism in the Science Classroom. Soller, A. (2001). Supporting social interaction in an intelligent collaborative learning system. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education (IJAIED), 12, 40-62. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978) Mind in society: the development of higher psychological processes . MA: Harvard University Press)