Education in Virtual Worlds

Reinventados, desenvolvido na Universidade de Aveiro. O objectivo principal do Tão Baalão é o de fazer renascer os jogos tradicionais, e consequentemente, apresentar um contributo para a construção de artefactos lúdicos. Assim, este projecto propõe a adaptação de uma selecção de cinco jogos tradicionais portugueses -pião, macaca, corda, berlinde, e lenço -para uma vertente inovadora e tangível, promovendo a utilização dos artefactos recorrendo a paradigmas de interacção directa. This article presents the Tão Balalão -Jogos Tradicionais Reinventados project, developed at Aveiro University. TãoBalalão main goal is to help recapture traditional games, and consequently, to contribute to the construction of ludical artifacts which allow children to have a wider range of physical activity during playtime. Thus, this project suggests the transformation of five Portuguese traditional games -"pião", "macaca", "corda", "berlinde", and "lenço" -in order to obtain innovative and tangible games, and enhancing the artifact usage, through direct interaction paradigms.

The Second Life Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) has been used as an educational resource in many different ways, ranging from simulating the traditional classroom, though interactive experiences, to practical creational activities. Supporting resources can include traditional multimedia, simulation tools and programming languages. Learning experiences may vary from the wholly extrinsic, learning about the outside world, to more intrinsic study of Second Life's ecosystems and its built environment, or wholly in-world creative work. Within this broad scope, there is an opportunity to support many types of learning, and distance learning in particular. In this paper we propose an analytical framework for virtual learning environments in Second Life based on current practice. We describe the creation of a learning space within Second Life designed to explore how we might support distance learners using traditional environments for extrinsic learning experiences. We reflect on the utility of the framework in understanding the various forces at work in virtual learning contexts and evaluate the student experience. We conclude that despite the potential for Second Life to support distance learners with a broad set of tools and resources, technical constraints suggest that a more effective option would be to provide focused creative tasks for students in a managed laboratory environment.

He ara hou ka tū mai means “A new pathway before (us)”. This Māori phrase succinctly summarises the position in which NZ educational institutions find themselves. As digital literacy continues to increase in importance as a key skill in every discipline and profession (New Media Consortium and EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, 2011, p. 3), so the demands of our students and the demands of education precipitate us along this new pathway into virtual worlds.

There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the importance of the 3D multi-user virtual environments (3DMUVEs) with high relevance for prospective developments and improvements in both distant and in-class education. However, to be accepted on a larger scale by education practitioners more analytical studies are required to evaluate these environments against usability and pedagogical effectiveness criteria. The present paper proposes an automatic in-world monitoring system consisting in scripted tracking objects and Learning Analytics (LA) tools for an experimental 3D virtual campus. The research was conducted within a transversal study using focus groups from two universities, an engineering and a vocational one. The results highlighted the validity of the automated system and LA tools, which can constitute the ground for more efficient teaching and learning in complex activity-based 3D educational settings.

In this paper, we present a novel approach to contextualize course design by the application of the Omnispective Analysis and Reasoning (OAR) framework to map the goals and intent of a course to its design and delivery. Effective design and delivery of courses requires alignment between planned learning activities and learning outcomes. However, it is generally not trivial to translate learning outcomes into course design, particularly so when using a Learning Management System (LMS). This is further compounded by the differences between the language of teaching theory and that used by the LMS. Thus, there is a need to effectively capture the rationale for design decisions in a course and map them to desired outcomes. We illustrate the application of the OAR framework with a process for translating a learning objective into course design using the Moodle LMS.

Περίληψη Η παρούσα εισήγηση αποσκοπεί στο να παρουσιάσει μία πρόταση οργάνωσης και υλοποίησης Δειγματικής Διδασκαλίας στο μάθημα των Αρχαίων Ελληνικών στην Α' Λυκείου. Η Δειγματική Διδασκαλία εφαρμόστηκε σε τμήμα της Α' Λυκείου και την παρακολούθησε ο Σύμβουλος Φιλολόγων στα πλαίσια της ατομικής αξιολόγησης του Α1 πεδίου. Η πρότασή μας βασίζεται αφενός στη μαθητοκεντρική/κειμενοκεντρική διδασκαλία όσο και στη φιλοσοφία της διαφοροποιημένης διδασκαλίας και στην ομαδοσυνεργατική μέθοδο με εφαρμογή των αρχών της ανεστραμμένης τάξης, της ανακαλυπτικής-διερευνητικής και της μετασχηματίζουσας μάθησης. Σκοπός της δειγματικής αυτής διδασκαλίας, πέρα από την εφαρμογή του διδακτικού σεναρίου που υλοποιεί, είναι η εξοικείωση των μαθητών/ριών με τις σύγχρονες διδακτικές πρακτικές, η αυτοαξιολόγησή τους, η ετεροπαρατήρηση και η ανατροφοδότηση. Για την εφαρμογή των παραπάνω διδακτικών πρακτικών και την ενεργοποίηση της αλληλεπίδρασης μεταξύ των μαθητών/ριών μέσα στην τάξη, επιλέξαμε τη διδασκαλία της ενότητας του πρωτότυπου αρχαίου ελληνικού κειμένου του Ξενοφώντα, Ἑλληνικά Β' ΙΙ, 20-21.

The present paper describes the main components and the most important issues concerning the e-Learning system called EnvYJobs. This tool was developed across the implementation of the Erasmus+ project entitled Environmental learning innovation for more knowledge and better jobs. One of the main objectives of the project is to enhance students’ knowledge in environmental engineering and to make their skills and competencies more attractive for the labor market. The eLearning system supports both the students and tutors/teachers communicate with each other in order to allow students the access new and interesting knowledge on various environmental issues. In this way, it becomes possible the mutual learning in the field of environmental engineering between important and experimented actors in European higher education system by using the exchange of good practice and implementing innovative tools and instruments.

This paper is the beginning of a research project which will explore the function and impact of Transmedia (TM) in Higher Education (specifically English Literature studies). There are several underlying assumptions that are being tested about the range of benefits to students of using this technology. These include: that TM deepens student understanding of the nature of creative expression (including literature); that TM deepens student engagement with the traditional literature they have been studying; that TM releases students' creative expression; that TM provides students with insights into the extraordinary creative power of digital technologies; that TM deepens students' sense of community (both within and beyond class).

Technology advances at such a rapid pace that its effective application in higher education is often overlooked and poorly researched prior to its implementation in teaching strategies. The union of technology and pedagogical relevance is a developmental process requiring a review of course goals and objectives and a consideration of whether the technological applications serve to enhance the delivery of instruction. It also requires a well-developed system for delivery of technology instruction that is integrated into the curricular schedule. A strong support staff must be available to facilitate the use of technical applications and to solve problems. This paper provides a case study of the process of designing an innovative curriculum for an introductory lab course in interior design. The course, titled Interior Design Fundamentals Laboratory, provides a conceptual and skills foundation for future interior design professionals. The pedagogy is structured as a collaborative service-learning model incorporating Second Life virtual reality as a delivery mechanism for enhancing the depth of instruction. Relevancy to the millennial generation is considered in the context of the culture of the contemporary teaching and learning environment. The potential for extending applications for global communication and professional exchange is explored. Second Life supports self-directed learning by providing product review, peer interaction, and opportunities for research and critical analysis. The practical, systematic integration of Second Life into a pedagogical framework is feasible and relevant for a wide variety of applications.

Games can and have been used to educate and train in many diverse areas. Most educational games are directed at primary and high school students. Yet the average age of a 'gamer' is around 30! In this paper we present our case for why games provide another tool in the repertoire for education. We state the WUPI Principle: Teaching, Learning, Assessment and Fun 'While yoU Play It'. We describe our process for creating games to educate students at the university level. We develop our process largely independent of any particular subject so as to be of use to a wide variety of educators in many different subjects. We focus on games for physics students and demonstrate our efforts with a game prototype. We compare and contrast our prototype with existing educational software. Finally we discuss our study design to examine the efficacy of using games in first year physics.

Digitally based courses and their online delivery are rapidly expanding access to learning opportunities (Duffy and Kirkley 2004; NRC 2000; Visser and Visser-Valfrey 2008). It is important to ask however: access to what kind of learning opportunities? Weigel (2000) argues that most current attempts to create online learning environments suffer from a "port the classroom to the Web" model. Researchers have noted a similar phenomenon in multiuser virtual environments (MUVEs):

Abstract: Multiuser virtual environments (MUVEs) like Second Life present unparalleled opportunities to help students connect knowledge by description to knowledge by experience; in a MUVE, students can experience phenomena rather than only reading about them. Baba Kofi Weusijana, Vanessa Svihla, Drue Gawel, and John Bransford describe their use of a maze constructed in Second Life to help students experience firsthand the phenomena described in their educational psychology course. Their use of Second Life is ...

Teknolojinin sürekli gelişmesiyle birlikte eğitim alanında yeni ufuklar açılmakta, özellikle Artırılmış Gerçeklik (Augmented Reality, AR) ve Sanal Gerçeklik (Virtual Reality, VR) teknolojileri öğrenme-öğretme süreçlerine yeni boyutlar katmaktadır. AR teknolojisi, fiziksel gerçekliğe dijital içerikle- rin eklenmesiyle etkileşimi artırırken; VR teknolojisi, kullanıcıları tamamen sanal bir ortamda deneyim yaşama fırsatı sunmaktadır. Bu teknolojik ge- lişmeler, eğitim alanını derinden etkileyerek paradigma değişimlerine yol açmış ve son yıllarda araştırmacıların ve eğitimcilerin odak noktalarından biri haline gelmiştir.
Sosyal Bilgiler gibi disiplinler arası ve çok boyutlu bir alanda, AR ve VR teknolojilerinin sunduğu potansiyel, geleneksel öğretim yöntemlerinin ötesine geçen yeni fırsatlar yaratmaktadır. Bu teknolojiler, öğrencilere so- yut tarihsel olayları somut deneyimlerle anlamlandırma, coğrafi mekanları sanal keşiflerle inceleme ve kültürel farklılıkları etkileşimli platformlarda deneyimleme gibi önemli öğrenme fırsatları sunmaktadır. Araştırmalar, AR ve VR uygulamalarının öğrenci motivasyonunu, derse katılımı ve akade- mik başarıyı artırdığını göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte, bu teknolojilerin eğitim ortamlarına entegrasyonu, teknik altyapı gereksinimleri, öğretmen yeterlilikleri ve içerik geliştirme süreçleri gibi çeşitli zorlukları da berabe- rinde getirmektedir.
Bu bölümde, öncelikle AR ve VR teknolojilerinin temel özellikleri ve ara- larındaki farklar ele alınacak, ardından eğitimde bu teknolojilerin kullanım alanları çeşitli örneklerle açıklanacaktır. Daha sonra, Sosyal Bilgiler öğreti- minde AR ve VR teknolojilerinin entegrasyonu ve öğretim sürecine etkileri, konu ile ilgili yapılan çalışmaların sonuçlarından örnekler verilerek sunu- lacak ve bölüm sonunda iki etkinlik örneğine yer verilecektir.Bu bölümde, Sosyal Bilgiler derslerinde AR ve VR kullanımının önemi ve fırsatlarını daha derinlemesine anlayabilmek için öncelikle AR ve VR teknolojilerinin temel özellikleri, tarihsel gelişimi ve birbirlerinden farkları ele alınacaktır.

Virtual environments introduce a new type of space that people inhabit. Two virtual worlds, Active Worlds and Onlive Traveler were observed to investigate how social norms involved with personal and group space, privacy, crowding and territoriality affect people during ...

This paper describes an e-learning package, Basic Science Alive (BSA) that aims to facilitate undergraduate medical students' integration of basic science to clinical scenarios. The educational emphasis is on students constructing their own links between theory and practice and the process of peer review. There are three main components of the package: the writing of a short structured essay (presentation) demonstrating the linkage of basic science to a specific clinical scenario; the opportunity to review and comment on colleagues' presentations; and the value of receiving feedback through multiple choice questions (MCQs) and peer comments. This paper specifically focuses on the peer review element, including the perceived learning of the reviewee through receiving the comments, and the learning of the reviewer through interaction with the presentation and formulating feedback to the reviewer.

In this project called DELVE (DEsign of Learning spaces in Virtual Environments) and in the Open University strand of the project, we are: • investigating existing models of learning spaces in a 3D virtual world (Second Life) and the rationale for their designs; and • comparing students' and educators' experiences and perceptions of the design of 3D learning spaces for three distinct models of learning spaces in Second Life with varying degrees of realism (from real-life-like spaces or their replicas, to spaces with features of fantasy). We aim to propose a suite of models for the design of learning spaces in 3-D virtual worlds for different degrees of realism and for a variety of pedagogical requirements (e.g. for different disciplines or types of activities) and contexts (e.g. online learning versus face-to-face education). The learning spaces in the pictures included below are from Second Life. The learning spaces have contrasting degrees of realism (Marlboro Education Centre and Dante's Inferno).

Este estudio presenta un análisis de los antecedentes en la enseñanza de programación utilizando Entornos Digitales Inmersivos Tridimensionales (EDIT) o mundos virtuales. A través de una revisión sistemática de la literatura, se examinan las experiencias previas, los resultados obtenidos y las limitaciones encontradas en la implementación de estas tecnologías en la educación superior, con un enfoque en la enseñanza de la programación. El análisis revela que los EDIT ofrecen oportunidades para mejorar la visualización de conceptos abstractos, fomentar la colaboración y aumentar la motivación de los estudiantes. Sin embargo, también se identifican desafíos importantes, como la necesidad de desarrollar nuevas competencias docentes y adaptar materiales didácticos que faciliten la interacción eficaz en espacios virtuales. Este trabajo contribuye a cerrar la brecha entre el potencial teórico y la aplicación práctica de los EDIT en la enseñanza de programación, proporcionando una base sólida para futuras investigaciones y desarrollos en este campo. Palabras clave-Entornos Digitales Inmersivos Tridimensionales (EDIT), mundos virtuales, enseñanza de programación, educación superior, tecnología educativa Introducción La incorporación de Entornos Digitales Inmersivos Tridimensionales (EDIT) en la educación superior ha transformado la enseñanza de disciplinas técnicas, como la programación. Estos mundos virtuales, caracterizados por ser espacios interactivos y visualmente ricos, ofrecen a los estudiantes una manera más intuitiva y atractiva de abordar conceptos abstractos. Investigaciones previas han destacado los beneficios de estos entornos en términos de motivación, colaboración y la visualización de conceptos complejos. Sin embargo, aún persiste una brecha importante en cuanto a cómo los educadores se adaptan y desarrollan competencias para utilizar eficazmente los EDIT en la enseñanza de la programación. Este estudio se basa en investigaciones previas sobre la competencia de "aprender a aprender" y la aplica al contexto de los docentes que integran los EDIT en sus prácticas pedagógicas. Además, se considera el marco de interoperabilidad digital para analizar cómo los educadores gestionan la complejidad técnica de estos entornos virtuales. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es sintetizar y analizar las experiencias previas en la implementación de EDIT para la enseñanza de programación en la educación superior, identificando los desafíos enfrentados, las estrategias más efectivas adoptadas y las áreas que aún requieren mayor investigación o apoyo. Metodología Procedimiento La implementación de Entornos Digitales Inmersivos Tridimensionales (EDIT) en la enseñanza de programación en la educación superior presenta una serie de desafíos complejos que requieren un enfoque multidisciplinario para ser abordados de manera efectiva. A pesar del considerable potencial de estas tecnologías para transformar el aprendizaje, existe una brecha notable entre el marco teórico prometedor y su aplicación práctica en las aulas. Esta disparidad se refleja principalmente en las dificultades para traducir las posibilidades técnicas de los EDIT en experiencias de aprendizaje efectivas y significativas para los estudiantes de programación. Un aspecto crucial que debe ser considerado es el desarrollo de competencias docentes específicas para el uso de estos entornos inmersivos. Los educadores enfrentan el reto de dominar no solo las tecnologías involucradas, sino también de diseñar estrategias pedagógicas que sean adecuadas a las características particulares de los EDIT, tales como la interactividad, la espacialidad y la visualización en tiempo real. Este proceso exige una capacitación continua que muchas instituciones educativas aún no han logrado implementar de manera efectiva.

USALSIM is a project developed by the University of Salamanca as a response to the policy changes of learning and work placements in the new European Space for Higher Education, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Education and inscribed within an innovation program regarding the employability of university students (CAIE059). The contribution of USALSIM is concerned with how to face the increase in the number of students who will participate in the different university work placement programs and the increasing number of companies and institutions necessary to host and train theses students. This project uses a 3D virtual environment (a work placement simulator) that creates a virtual representation of different work environments and allows students to acquire professional skills. Representing a professional workspace such as a laboratory, for example, the student can simulate common tasks through active learning. This virtual world is focused on a constructive pedagogy, whereby students are directly involved in their formative development, establishing professional relationships, developing transversal and technical competencies, and evaluating their knowledge.

Unveiling the intersection of technology and art, this research aims to explore the vital role of Computational Intelligence (CI) techniques in shaping digital theater performances within virtual worlds by managing student populations engaged in these productions. The realm of digital theater offers opportunities for creative expression and collaboration. This necessitates the integration of Computational Intelligence (CI) to establish cohesive teams in digital theater. By doing so, effective collaboration is promoted, and creativity is dynamically enhanced in virtual cultural environments and digital worlds. Central to this study is the use of a CI algorithm called Flying Fox Optimizer, designed to form homogeneous student groups, and optimize theater dynamics. The algorithm utilizes fuzzy logic, eliminating the requirement for fine-tuning by the user. The results reveal that through this mechanism, theater educators of the future can effortlessly create student groups that foster seamless collaboration in virtual theater education.

This paper presents the practical forms of university/industry co-operation which we have developed over the years at the Department of Information Systems and Operations Management (ISOM) at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Most of these practices are well known but we think that the ISOM Department set up a comprehensive policy in this area.

Resumo: Este artigo oferece uma explicação dos métodos disponíveis para restringir o acesso a uma sala de formação no mundo virtual Second Life, propondo um sistema da automatização do acesso a sessões síncronas de formação em Second Life, geridas através do sistema de e-learning Formare. O sistema inclui mecanismos que permitam dar início a sessões de formação síncrona e terminá-las, utilizando a base de dados do sistema Formare como fonte de utilizadores com permissão de acesso a uma sessão de formação ...

With the continued advances in information and communication technology comes the interconnectivity of education institutions, businesses and industries. Either by default or association, the traditional education system will need to change and adapt to these new demands and opportunities. With these changes we are in danger of losing the focus of the learning process, and not recognising the importance of maintaining a balance between technology and pedagogy. This paper will review these issues, and examine an ...

This paper focuses on the use of a combination of 3d virtual worlds as a learning tool and the effectiveness of classical memory techniques implemented in the virtual environment. The whole learning activity targets a biology topic, from the official curriculum of Greek public secondary school. Unlike the physical environment, virtual worlds can provide equal learning opportunities for all participants. The use of spatial mnemonic techniques, such as the loci method, in an artificial environment creates equal conditions for memorization, as all participants navigate the same space. In order to achieve a better learning outcome, gamified learning activities were combined with memorization technique of loci. The evaluation showed that virtual classroom students outperformed the conventional classroom by 16%.

n January 2014, a group of eighteen Australian university students from a range of disciplines spent two weeks at Tra Vinh University in Tra Vinh, a small town in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. The Australian university students were there as part of a credit-bearing unit about sustainability. This unit had been developed in collaboration with Tra Vinh University, a recent signatory to the Talloires Declaration of commitment to environmental sustainability in higher education. The Australian students collaborated with a group of local university students designing sustainability projects to help make Tra Vinh University campus and the surrounding community more ‘green’. The title of this paper refers in part to the transformations of the Tra Vinh university campus. It also refers to the transformative learning about sustainability that was observed to take place. This paper outlines the project, analysing what made this project successful in 2014. Key success factors identified includ...

With the advances in technology the higher education sector is rapidly evolving. While some researchers are predicting the University of the Future to be more virtual, many academics at the coal face are still struggling to embrace emerging technologies. This paper reports the first stage of a project aimed at identifying the enablers and barriers for adopting new technology among Australian Higher Education academics. In this pilot study, academics who have integrated Tablet PCs in their teaching were surveyed. For a richer understanding of the enablers and barriers of technology uptake, focus groups will follow. The next stages of this research will be a wider survey open to all academics across universities. The ultimate goal of this project is to generate recommendations for universities in better managing the technological change.

Derleme bilim dallarının güncel durumunu ortaya çıkarıp gelecekte yöneleceği alanları tespit etmek açısından son derece önemli. Sistematik olmayan fakat sistematik derlemenin öngördüğü tekrarlanabilir olma kriterlerini sağlamaya çalışan bu literatür çalışması Türkiye’de sosyal çalışma alanındaki en köklü dergi olan Toplum ve Sosyal Hizmet dergisinde 2000-2024 yılları arasında yayınlanmış olan derlemelerin incelenerek dünyadaki uygulamalarla ne derecede bir uyum içerisinde olduğunu tespit etmek amacındadır. Bu değerlendirmenin sonucunda bu Türkiye’deki sosyal çalışma akademisinin bir uygulama topluluğu olarak küresel düzeydeki uygulama topluluklarıyla ilişkisi hakkında sonuçlara ulaşılmıştır. Toplum ve sosyal hizmet dergisindeki derlemeler özelinde ise yayınlanmış olan denetlemelerin çok büyük bir kısmının sistematik olmayan derlemeleri olduğu, bu denemelerin çok büyük bir kısmının akademik açıdan tecrübesi sınırlı olan kişiler tarafından yazıldığı ve derleme türünün akademik yükselme açısından bir araç olarak kullanılmasının yaygın bir uygulama olarak gözlerine bildiği sonuçlarına ulaşılmıştır. Bu sonuçlara istinaden sosyal hizmetlere ilişkin dergilerin sistematik derleme dışında derleme türlerini kabul etmemeleri, profesör düzeyindeki akademisyenlerin daha yoğun hakemlik faaliyetlerinde bulunmaları gerektiği gibi önerilerde bunun olmuştur.

This paper is concerned with the issues that arise when one sees teaching as a process of design, and students as co-constructors of their learning environments. The dominant models of design, we argue, tend to either configure the learner as a compliant consumer of educational designs and a well-behaved user of educational technologies, or they tend to romanticise learners as media savvy experts on managing their own learning. In our view, 'teaching-as-design' needs to be supported with intellectual resources that avoid these extremes. To get a better sense of how design should be informed by a knowledge of student perspectives, we present the outcomes of some recent research into the ways in which students on 'blended learning' courses interpret the requirements of learning through discussion and learning through inquiry.

Deciding how best to combine good learning tasks and appropriately supportive technology is becoming increasingly complicated. Teachers in higher education are struggling with rising expectations about graduate capabilities, a diversifying intake, increasing pressure on time and a dizzying proliferation of technology options. One response we are seeing is a strengthening interest in taking a more design-based approach to tackling what many would see as 'wicked problems'(Luckin, 2010; Hoadley, 2010; Goodyear & Retalis, 2010). This ...

‘Covid-19 – Architect of the decade’s crises’, has disturbed the world’s peace and ever since the pandemic hit the world, safety has become the paramount concern of every individual. Mere survival has become a challenge in today’s scenario and therefore, safety has been the first and foremost of the choices. Meanwhile, education is one of the sectors that have been terribly affected by the pandemic. But as always, irrespective of the crises, sooner or later, mankind has always found its ways out of any challenges in a productive sense. Eventually, education sector has witnessed a new era amidst the pandemic under the name of ‘Virtual/ Online Education’.
This article exclusively revolves around the parental perception towards Virtual Education focusing on the progress of education of primary school children through Virtual Education. To understand their opinions and satisfaction levels towards their children’s academic learning through Virtual Education, a total of 82 parent respondents’ opinions were examined through a well-structured questionnaire sent through google forms. The outcome revealed that more than half of the parent respondents are not completely satisfied with the impact of Virtual Education on the children education at primary levels.

Abstract. In this study, we focus on the use of Virtual Worlds (VW) as a distance learning platform in
the subject of Art and Creative Technologies (ACT). For this purpose, we take into consideration the
great educational potential of VW and examine the tools they provide for developing learning modules
for ACT topics. At the same time, we analyze the major barriers that are possibly hindering the extensive
use of this technology in the Arts Education and related topics. Through a literature review and a case
study based on TPACK framework, we further examine the affordances, challenges, and barriers that
may arise when Virtual Worlds are used as the main environment for distance learning in Arts Education.
The findings show that the students positively evaluated this learning approach by pointing out the
innovative features and affordances of VW. However, some challenging areas were revealed, such as
the difficulty of creating content, programming as well as outdated graphics.

A Learning Management System (LMS) such as Blackboard, Moodle and Web City has been utilised for enhancing the quality of learning and teaching in Australian universities. Yet there are no specific university policies and guidelines addressing the digital divide in the use of an LMS. In particular, Indigenous cultural values are rarely considered in LMS based learning design. As a result, the equity gap in terms of the quality of learning opportunities for Indigenous students remains unidentified. In this context, the project was aimed at identifying cultural needs of Indigenous students in the online learning environment and articulating culturally inclusive learning for Indigenous students in an LMS. Based on the literature review in the fields of culturally inclusive learning, online and blended learning, and Aboriginal pedagogies, we created a conceptual framework for culturally inclusive learning with four dimensions: communication, collaboration, community, and interculturalit...

This poster describes a collaboration initiative being built for educators in Australia and Asian countries using an Online Learning Community (OLC). The main purpose of the initiative was to enhance the professional learning and development of educators in Indonesia. A great ...

Bu çalışmanın amacı öğrenme için yeni olanaklar sunan üç-boyutlu çok-kullanıcılı sanal ortamları kullanan katılımcıların bu ortamlara yönelik buradalık düzeylerinin incelenmesidir. Çalışmada ayrıca katılımcıların buradalık düzeylerinde cinsiyetlerine göre bir farklılık olup olmadığı da incelenmiştir. Ek olarak ortam üzerinden yapılan görüşmelerde araştırmacılar tarafından tutulan alan notları ve katılımcılar ile yapılan görüşmeler sonucu elde edilen nitel veriler ile katılımcıların buradalık algıları nitel açıdan incelenmiştir. Çalışmanın katılımcılarını 2010-2011 yılı Bahar döneminde İç Anadolu Bölgesindeki büyük bir devlet üniversitesinde, Eğitim Fakültesi BÖTE bölümünde Programlama Dilleri II dersine devam etmekte olan 24 öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Çalışma kapsamında veri toplama aracı olarak Sosyal Buradalık Ölçeği ve Sanal Ortamda Buradalık Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Nitel verilerin elde edilmesi için alan notları ve görüşmelerden yararlanılmıştır. Çalışmanın bulgularına göre katılımcıların buradalık düzeylerinin orta düzeyin üzerinde olduğu, buradalık düzeyinin cinsiyete göre farklılaşmadığı bulunmuştur. Ayrıca katılımcıların görüşleri doğrultusunda buradalığın oluşmasını sağlayan ortam özellikleri belirlenmiştir.

Data collection is one of the crucial parts of a study. It encompasses the credibility, reliability, and accuracy of the gathered results and findings which makes the paper whole and complete. An improper way of collecting data may lead in to different consequences- waste of resources, difficulty in the replication and validation of the study, and inability to answer the hypothesis, problems and research questions coherently.

There are different ways a data collection can be done, and survey questionnaire is probably the most used method for it is more advantageous in terms of scalability, quantity, anonymity and practicality. Under this kind of method instrument are the two mediums which the dissemination of surveys falls; the traditional paper-based assessment and the computer-based assessment. The study focuses on which between the two mediums is more effective, appropriate and preferable to answer by the respondents. The study also aims to create strategic guidelines which can help researchers to assess which mediums should be used.

The study used a comparative method research as a research design and survey questionnaire to gather data. The respondents – STEM 11 and 12 were asked which between the two mediums they would like to answer beforehand. The two mediums were assessed in terms of its efficiency, response rate and convenience. The results gathered yielded a significant difference in terms of efficiency and convenience (Tc 4.62>Tt 2.00); the response rate for paper-based assessment is greater than the response rate of computer-based assessment; both have 67% and 64% respectively. For the acceptability of the proposed strategic guidelines, there is also significant difference between the two mediums in terms of transparency, layout and content (Tc -4.37>Tt 2.05). Overall, the efficiency and convenience had favored the computer-based assessment and while paper-based assessment had greater percentage for response-rate.

In the following paper, the perspectives of learner-learner and learner-teacher interaction, knowledge construction and social presence will be used to illustrate the different ways of approaching the evaluation and analysis of the teaching and learning that takes place in asynchronous online forums in a higher education context. This will be combined with a discussion of some Learning Design 1 issues that have arisen as a result of the implementation and use of forums within the LAMS (Learning Activity Management System) environment. We will end by suggesting that to successfully implement collaborative forms of teaching and learning, it is important to have an understanding of the nature of learning as it takes place in forums as well as an awareness of how the structural position of forums in LAMS sequences can potentially contribute to improving the educational value of forums.

Abstract
The research “Availability, accessibility and usability of electronic-learning tools in north-west Nigeria universities amidst covid-19 and rural banditry” was guided by three (3) objectives and three (3) research questions. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed in the study. The study used both quantitative and qualitative methods for data collection. The population of the study were 175,928 participants comprising of 10,402 academic staffs and 165,526 undergraduate students in 17 public universities (federal and state own) in north-west, Nigeria. Cluster sampling technique was employed in selecting three (3) public universities as a sample. The entire sample chosen were 537 consisting of 31 academic staff and 506 undergraduate students in faculty of education from three (3) public universities in north-west, Nigeria. The instruments used were questionnaires for quantitative data collections and interview schedules for qualitative data collection. Frequency count, mean and simple percentage were used to answered the three (3) research questions stated. The major findings of the study revealed that, there was an adequate available, favourable access policies and moderate used of e-learning tools in teaching and learning at the universities of north-west Nigeria amidst covid-19 and rural banditry. Similarly, also it shows that some of the academic staffs and undergraduate students encountered different challenges in using e-learning tools for teaching and learning where by lack of constant electricity supply, bureaucratic bottleneck of the ICT centre’s administrator in terms of accessibility policy, lack of ICT skills, etc. are some of the Major challenges. Moreover, the study recommended that the university vice chancellors and head of ICT units should try to consider and suspend accessibility policy in usage of e-learning tools to enhance effective use of e-learning tools in the teaching and learning in universities.
Keywords: E-learning, availability, accessibility, usability, covid19 and rural banditry

Learning spaces can play a powerful role in shaping and supporting the activities of the students and teachers who use them: they can be agents for change when the success of new pedagogical approaches depends on shifting entrenched practices. The laboratory is a key site for science education. It is here that discipline knowledge and generic competences are fused and honed, in the very act of 'doing science'. This paper focuses on communication of science. It looks at how students learn to participate in science communication, and acquire both scientific and more generic communication skills, while engaged in laboratory-based activities. This paper reports some findings of ethnographic research that involved observing student activity in laboratories. This opportunity to examine differences in patterns of communicative activity arose from a relocation to new purpose-designed laboratory spaces. Ethnographic research is appropriate for gathering data about space usage. It helps trace relations between student activity, characteristics of the spaces in which the activity is unfolding, the social organisation of the work being done, and the disciplinary practices that underpin the tasks that students are set. Our research identifies the importance of sightlines, communication tools and instructor behaviours in promoting students' communicative activity.

In the context of the EU-funded GUINEVERE Project (Games Used IN Engaging Virtual Environments for Real-time language Education, 2017-2019), research has been undertaken to define different categories of games used in virtual language teaching environments. This paper aims to analyse and categorise selected games for language learning, created and provided for 2D and 3D virtual learning environments and identify their suitability for use in 3D immersive virtual language learning. The fieldtesting events within GUINEVERE offered sound evidence of the effectiveness of selected games according to levels, categories, needs, and their adaptability to a variety of language learning contexts, as well as different virtual learning platforms such as Second Life, Open Sim, and Minecraft. The models of game-like activities described in this paper show many examples of good practice that indicate how important it is to encourage learners to become actively involved in the learning process [1] ,...

Between 2009 and 2011, a joint academia-industry effort took place to integrate Second Life and OpenSimulator platforms into a corporate elearning provider’s learning management platform. The process involved managers and lead developers at the provider and an academic engineering research team. We performed content analysis on the documents produced in this process, seeking data on the corporate perspective of requirements for virtual world platforms to be usable in everyday practice. In this paper, we present the requirements found in the documents, and detail how they emerged and evolved throughout the process.

Sanal gerçeklik (VR) teknolojileri, günümüzde kullanım alanı hızla genişleyen yenilikçi teknolojiler arasında yer almaktadır. Geleneksel uygulamaların ötesine geçerek, özellikle turizm ve rekreasyon sektörlerinde farklı amaçlarla kullanılmaya başlanmış olan VR, devrim niteliğinde değişimlere yol açmaktadır. Geçmişten günümüze sanal gerçeklik teknolojileri, sürekli evrim geçirerek daha sofistike ve kullanıcı dostu özellikler kazanmış, böylece hem bireysel kullanıcılar hem de endüstri profesyonelleri için daha erişilebilir hale gelmiştir. Sanal gerçeklik alanında gerçekleşen her bir teknolojik gelişme, turizm ve rekreasyon araştırmacılarına ve uygulama geliştiricilere yeni fırsatlar sunmuş, bu alanlarda yenilikçi çözümler geliştirilmesine zemin hazırlamıştır. Özellikle gelişen teknoloji ile birlikte, VR uygulamaları öncelikle oyun ve eğlence sektöründe önemli bir değişim yaratmıştır. Bu değişim, sadece oyun deneyimini zenginleştirmekle kalmamış, aynı zamanda kullanıcıların eğlence ve boş zaman tercihlerini de köklü bir şekilde değiştirmiştir. Geleneksel oyun konsolları ve bilgisayar tabanlı oyunlardan farklı olarak, sanal gerçekliğin sağladığı var olma hissi, kullanıcıların oyun deneyimini derinleştirerek daha etkileşimli ve sarmalayıcı bir ortam sunmuştur. Sanal gerçekliğin kullanıcıya sunduğu bu benzersiz deneyimler, turizm ve rekreasyon alanında faaliyet gösteren işletmelerin ve bu alanda çalışan araştırmacıların ilgisini çekmiştir. Buna paralel olarak VR’nin potansiyeli sadece eğlence sektörü ile sınırlı kalmayarak, turizm eğitimi, sağlık, turizm pazarlaması ve rekreasyon gibi çeşitli alanlarda da etkin bir şekilde kullanılmaya başlanmıştır. Bu kitap bölümünde, öncelikle sanal gerçeklik teknolojisinin temel tanımı yapılmıştır ve yıllar içerisinde bu teknolojinin nasıl bir değişim ve gelişim sürecinden geçtiği detaylı bir şekilde ele alınmıştır. Ardından, sanal gerçeklik teknolojisinin farklı türleri ve bu türlerin birbirlerinden nasıl ayrıldığı üzerinde durulmuştur. Turizm ve rekreasyon alanlarında VR teknolojilerinin hangi amaçlarla kullanıldığına dair kapsamlı örnekler sunularak, bu teknolojilerin sektöre olan katkıları somut bir şekilde gösterilmiştir. Son olarak araştırmacılar ve sanal gerçeklik uygulama geliştiricileri için VR uygulamalarını tasarlarken ve kullanırken ihtiyaç duyabilecekleri araçlar, karşılaşabilecekleri potansiyel problemler ve VR kullanımında dikkat edilmesi gereken önemli hususlar hakkında kapsamlı bilgiler verilmiştir.

In this paper the authors report on the University of Southern Queensland’s (USQ) Mathematics Rural and Regional Communities (MRRC) project. This project is an extension to the Mathematics Enrichment Program (MEP), which has been running since 2007. Since the MEP’s inception, more than 500 students, 29 schools, 15 pre-service teachers (who are involved to gain practical teaching experience) and many volunteer university lecturers and other mathematics and education professionals have been involved. The MRRC project builds on USQ’s MEP to offer content in an online or virtual format. Through an interactive virtual environment, the MRRC project connects regional high schools to USQ’s two campuses to build the capacity of the teachers and students involved. The authors describe the overall aim and structure of the MRRC program, preliminary evaluations of the program, analysis of the virtual space and future plans for the program.

Twitter has experienced a tremendous growth since its inception and is considered as an effective and simple social medium for communication. Despite its huge uptake, less is known about the usage of Twitter as a learning tool especially within higher education. This study investigates the adoption of Twitter in an e-Commerce unit in an Australian higher education institution. Building on Twitter‘s inherent social features, an extension to Davis‘s original Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is devised by including intrinsic and extrinsic motivation behaviours as predictors of Twitter usage. The empirical evaluation does not provide support to the original TAM constructs of usefulness and ease-of-use but reveals enjoyment and social norms as the strongest predictors. The study implications suggest a mind-shift in the adoption of Web 2.0 tools as compared to that of traditional Web technologies, i.e., Web 2.0 is more about enjoyment and social presence and not merely about how useful o...

Executive Summary A growing body of educational research has indicated that we have reached the limits of educational reform with current strategies (Dumont and Istance 2010; Allegre and Ferrer 2010; Fullan 2005). Learning theory now focuses on the significance of the relational. The connections between learning and positive social interactions with learners and teachers (Hattie 2003; Aten Lee 2003, 2006), requires a broader conceptualisation of the notion of 'learning environment'. This is constituted by multiple ...

Bu çalışma, üniversite öğrencilerinin sınıf dışı öğrenme faaliyetleri sırasında
sergiledikleri siber aylaklık davranışlarını incelemekte ve ekran süresi, çoklu
görev, içsel motivasyon ve öz-düzenleme faktörlerinin etkilerine odaklanmaktadır.
Siber aylaklık, öğrenme sırasında akıllı telefonları veya interneti akademik
olmayan amaçlarla kullanma olarak tanımlanmakta ve bu davranışın üretkenliği
olumsuz etkileyip çevrimiçi risklere maruz kalmayı artırabileceği belirtilmektedir.
Buna karşılık bazı araştırmalar ise siber aylaklığın stresi azaltabileceğini ve
yaratıcılığı artırabileceğini öne sürmektedir. Alanyazında sınıf içi öğrenme
faaliyetlerindeki siber aylaklık üzerine çalışmalar yapılmış olmasına rağmen, sınıf
dışı ortamlardaki etkileri üzerinde yapılmış araştırmaların sınırlı sayıda olduğu
görülmüştür. Çalışma kapsamında, 378 üniversite öğrencisinden anket yoluyla veri
toplanmış ve elde edilen veriler yapısal eşitlik modellemesi (YEM) kullanılarak
analiz edilmiştir. Araştırmada, çoklu görev, ekran süresi, içsel motivasyon ve özdüzenleme ile siber aylaklık ve akademik başarı değişkenlerinin etkileri
incelenmiştir. Çalışmada, çoklu görev eğilimlerinin ekran süresi üzerinde anlamlı
bir etkiye sahip olduğu bulunmuştur. Ayrıca, ekran süresinin siber aylaklık
üzerinde anlamlı pozitif bir etkiye sahip olduğu bulunmuş; ekran süresi arttıkça
siber aylaklık seviyesinin de arttığı tespit edilmiştir. Akademik içsel motivasyonun
siber aylaklığı artırdığı görülmüş, öz-düzenlemenin siber aylaklık üzerine anlamlı
bir etkisi bulunmamaktadır. Ancak, siber aylaklığın akademik başarıyı anlamlı
biçimde etkilemediği sonucuna varılmıştır. Sonuç olarak, çoklu görev ve ekran
süresi, siber aylaklığı artıran faktörler olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Sınıf dışı öğrenme
bağlamında siber aylaklık karmaşık bir doğaya sahiptir. Çoklu görev ve ekran
süresi anlamlı öngörücüler olsa da doğrudan akademik başarıyı etkilememektedir.
Bu çalışma; çoklu görev, ekran süresi, siber aylaklık ve akademik motivasyon ve
akademik başarı değişkenlerini modele dahil etmiştir. Bireysel özellikler, dijital
okuryazarlık, yapay zeka okuryazarlığı vb. değişkenlerin modele dahil
edilebileceği önerilmektedir. Ayrıca eğitimci politika yapıcı ve öğrenciler, bu
çalışmada etkisi bulunan değişkenleri sınıf dışı öğrenme faaliyetlerinde siber
aylaklığı dengelemek için planlamalarında kullanabilirler.

The D.I.S.C.E.L.1is largely explained by the technology watch carried out by two PhD students from the University of Paris VI in 2010; link:
https://www.academia.edu/79385154/POSITIONING_OF_THE_D_I_S_C_E_L_PROJECT_IN_RELATION_TO_INNOVATIVE_PROJECTS_ACCOMPANYING_THE_DIGITAL_REVOLUTION180522
The attached study positions our project in relation to the various research carried out in particular in the United States. It shows its complementarity via the innovative concept
1 Standard Modules for Intelligent Servers using Open Source utilities de Amin ELSALEH est mis à disposition selon les termes de la licence Creative Commons Paternité - Pas d’Utilisation Commerciale - Pas de Modification 3.0 non transcrit.
Basé(e) sur une oeuvre à www.ediaudit.fr
Les autorisations au-delà du champ de cette licence peuvent être obtenues en cliquant-ici Click there for authorisation beyond this licence scope
This work is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
SPDF (Standard Process Description Format) created by the author of this article. POSITIONING OF THE D.S.C.E.L PROJECT IN RELATION TO INNOVATIVE PROJECTS ACCOMPANYING THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION How to position our D.I.S.C.E.L project? With the excerpts below, the link is very strong between our project and “serious games” a fashionable theme, but whose different interpretations bring it much closer to video games than to the “e-learning” of the years 2010-2015. By reading the references indicated in this summary, I realized that we can tackle several Master's subjects to deepen our project and lead to industrial tools. Automated process management on an online server with intelligent document-enabled commands is an effective way to engage all types of users without requiring advanced computer skills. Amin Elsaleh Some excerpts from the study “Society and the economy in the light of the digital revolution – May 2009” published by the Center for Strategic Analysis.
Réf : http://www.strategie.gouv.fr/article.php3?id_article=999
Extrait p.36-37 « L’e-éducation progresse, les TICEs sont au cœur de la pédagogie. Les outils de formation sont
interactifs, plus personnalisés et plus ludiques via la réalité augmentée. Ils permettent l’interaction (hors les cours) avec les professeurs et des interventions ciblées pour compenser, tout particulièrement, des inégalités sociales. La technologie permet que se généralisent une médecine préventive et personnalisée en fonction, par exemple, des caractéristique...

Unveiling the intersection of technology and art, this research aims to explore the vital role of Computational Intelligence (CI) techniques in shaping digital theater performances within virtual worlds by managing student populations engaged in these productions. The realm of digital theater offers opportunities for creative expression and collaboration. This necessitates the integration of Computational Intelligence (CI) to establish cohesive teams in digital theater. By doing so, effective collaboration is promoted, and creativity is dynamically enhanced in virtual cultural environments and digital worlds. Central to this study is the use of a CI algorithm called Flying Fox Optimizer, designed to form homogeneous student groups, and optimize theater dynamics. The algorithm utilizes fuzzy logic, eliminating the requirement for fine-tuning by the user. The results reveal that through this mechanism, theater educators of the future can effortlessly create student groups that foster seamless collaboration in virtual theater education.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are powerful tools that support teaching and the case of Virtual Reality (VR) is especially promising because of its unique characteristics. In this paper, we report on a project that aims to describe how variables such as usability, user experience and learner interface experience might affect learning results while using VR resources. We present the preliminary results of a mixed-methods study, including the students’ perceptions collected in two focus groups. These undergraduate students were exposed to the use of VR resources for learning purposes. These preliminary results invite us to think about the inclusion of different indicators to strengthen the VR resources evaluation process in higher education. Keywords-Learning assessment; Learning interface experience; Usability; User experience; Virtual reality; Higher education; Educational innovation.