In this work, we study the feeling of membership in undergraduate students who interact with their higher education institution through a virtual environment. We explore the "Centro de Investigaciones en Diseño Industrial" (CIDI) case, in which a virtual environment was built using the Roblox platform to enhance the online experience…

In this paper, we describe a teaching scenario using a virtual environment (known also in the context of the 'metaverse'). This is motivated by the challenges that arise during the pandemic. More and more teaching scenarios are transferred to online learning settings, which allow learning at any time and at any time. One of the possibilities are…

Purpose: One of the misconceptions of teaching and learning for practical-based programmes, such as engineering, sciences, architecture, design and arts, is the necessity to deliver via face-to-face physical modality. This paper refutes this claim by providing case studies of best practices in delivering such courses and their hands-on skillsets…

In the School of Architecture at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, we are continuously reflecting on the teaching-learning process in order to offer the best education. The COVID-19 pandemic brings different changes in social, health, work and educative practices, which people have had to adapt to. These new conditions have shifted…

Mission HydroSci (MHS) is a 3D game-based learning environment and curriculum that supports middle school student learning of water systems science and scientific argumentation. MHS is a rigorous, coherent and engaging 6 to 8-day curriculum with all learning activities and social interactions taking place in the virtual world and with teachers…

This study presents the main advances made in recent years by an innovative teaching group at the University of Almeria, who are attempting to incorporate alternative spaces for teaching--learning interaction. This group is developing a new line of study to obtain the main vectors for creating an accessible 3D virtual campus on the Second Life…

This report summarises the findings of the EUA Thematic Peer Group ''International Partnerships'' which explored digitally enhanced internationalisation of higher education in detail. The report reflects the group's discussions on how digital technologies, and the accompanying dynamics and ecosystems, are influencing the international partnerships…

While virtual learning environments are not new for many school leaders, the unexpected shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in intensified focus on the need for school leadership to ensure equitable learning in virtual environments. When considering virtual learning for the future, new and current adopters will have…

The past decade has been marked by a shift toward practice-based approaches in teacher education. Rehearsal has become an important dialogic strategy for encouraging candidate reflection as they work toward deconstructing and enacting high leverage practices (HLPs) during their preparation. Despite the frequent reference to rehearsals in the…

In this paper, we explore role-playing and experiential learning approaches applied in an immersive virtual environment for a professional counseling distance course. Training professional counselors requires practice and therefore possesses a challenge for the distant education. Although both counseling professionals' codes of ethics provide…

Higher education is deploying a range of innovative strategies in response to rising costs and financial challenges. This report presents findings from a NASPA [National Association of Student Personnel Administrators] study on cost-saving initiatives at three institutions. Each institution aimed to creatively address different areas affecting…

Many colleges and universities rely upon online programs to support distance delivery of personnel preparation programs in special education and related services. These distance education programs enable individuals who live or work in rural communities to access training programs to earn teaching certification and assist rural schools in…

Social work programs increasingly are engaged in deploying distance education models, yet questions remain about how to teach direct practice skills within this context. As field agency changes have limited practice opportunities for social work students, methods for helping interns develop direct practice skills in diverse field practicum…

Due to the unique applications of virtual reality in many modern contexts, Second Life (SL) offers inimitable opportunities for research and exploration and experiential learning as part of a distance learning curriculum assignment. A review of current research regarding SL examined real world social influences in online interactions and what the…

Distance education started being limited in comparison to traditional education. Distance teachers and educational organizations have overcome most of these limits, but some other limits still remain as challenges. One of these challenges is to collaboratively learn concepts in an immersive way, similarly to the education "in situ".…