Virtual worlds are innovative teaching and learning methods that can provide immersive and engaging learning experiences (Lu, 2010). Though they have potential benefits, students sometimes experience a steep learning curve and discomfort with the technology (Warburton, 2009). This study explored how students in two American Studies classes using…

In this study, we aimed to design collaborative virtual learning (CVL) activities by using a five-stage model (FSM) and survey of students' experiences. The study group consisted of 14 voluntary students in the Turkish Teaching Department. In this case study, data were collected through observations, recordings in Second Life (SL) and interviews.…

The purpose of this study was to investigate prospective teachers' experiences in utilizing "Second Life" for learning English, differentiating between personal use of the said virtual world for learning the English language and its potential use for teaching English in the future. The results showed that the students perceived the use…

The aim of this study was to explore postgraduate psychology students' development, as facilitated by the use of an interactive web-based simulation programme, My Virtual Child©. A social constructivist developmental approach, with specific focus on cognitive development towards self-authorship, served as the overarching framework for the study.…

The present study investigated the phenomenon of buying "virtual assets" for game avatars. Virtual Assets are items that are bought with real-world money for an avatar in-game. Weapons, items, pets, mounts and skin customisations are the most popular examples. Using a qualitative methodology--in this case Interpretative phenomenological…

The purpose of this study is to understand the phenomenon of the "professional journey" of elementary teacher candidates (ETC) both as learners and as teachers by exploring their learning experiences and practices regarding the virtual reality (VR) platform called Second Life (SL). Using the grounded theory approach, we designed an…

Arizona Online Instruction (AOI) provided an instructional alternative to nearly fifty thousand K-12 students in Arizona during the 2012-2013 school year. Growth in online education underscores the importance of evolving the role of the K-12 virtual teacher as the human agent (Turvey, 2008) demonstrating social learning theory (Bandura, 1977) by…

Neuroanatomy is a difficult subject in medical education, with students often feeling worried and anxious before they have even started, potentially decreasing their engagement with the subject. At the University of Southampton, we incorporated the use of Twitter as a way of supporting students' learning on a neuroanatomy module to evaluate how it…

This study explores teaching experiences of educators within the virtual world of Second Life (SL) and pedagogical practices adopted. A blended approach is applied by using physical classrooms, BlackboardTM, web-based resources, and the virtual world of SL in an Information Literacy (IL) class for 1st year undergraduate students at an institution…

Increasingly, first-year engineering curricula incorporate design projects. However, the faculty and staff effort and physical resources required for the number of students enrolled can be daunting and affect the quality of instruction. To reduce these costs, ensure a high quality educational experience, and reduce variability in student outcomes…

In spite of the increased use of virtual worlds for language teaching and learning, few empirical studies have addressed the teachers' perspectives regarding teaching in these 3D virtual environments. An understanding of how virtual worlds such as Second Life may be beneficial for the design of enriching language learning experiences helps…

Technology Enhanced Learning is a feature of 21st century education. Innovations in ICT have provided unbound access to information in support of the learning process (APTEL, 2010; Allert et al, 2002; Baldry et al, 2006; Frustenberg et al, 2001; Sarkis, 2010). LMS has been extensively put to use in universities and educational institutions to…

This paper provides qualitative student-centered research from an online Research Methodology course taught partly within the immersive, 3-D environment of Second Life with fifty-eight graduate psychology students for the purpose of suggesting a constructivist-based instruction model for immersive environments. A qualitative method approach was…

This paper presents a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) approach to support and promote deeper student learning in a computer architecture course. A PBL approach using a simulator building activity was used to teach part of the course. The remainder of the course was taught using a traditional lecture-tutorial approach. Qualitative data was collected…

In this study, we investigated whether the "Interpersonal Relationship Skills with Co-Workers" component of a computerized simulation influenced pre-service early childhood teachers' perception on issues and strategies for implementation of interpersonal relationship skills with co-workers before and after four weeks of field experience.…