Second Life is a virtual learning environment in which students can develop interaction online in real-time. Students and teachers appear together in different sections of the tool, such as a Genome Island, designed to provide an alternative, more realistic lesson on genetics than you could ever possibly get in a textbook alone. Each person creates an avatar or virtual representation of themselves, which they use to explore the different areas of the online platform. For our research project into Second Life, we chose to explore how it could be used to immerse university-level students in the study of genetics fully. Before jumping into using virtual reality as a medium for study, we did some research into how the science and learning theory that supports the use of Second Life in higher education.
Studies have found that when compared to face to face collaboration, virtual environments such as Second Life improve the quality of collaboration over time (Clark & Mayer, 2011, p. 295). While a face to face interaction for a short activity or problem, students collaborate better for longer-term projects in a virtual environment. This is because they have the ability not only refer to what was discussed earlier on in the learning event but also can try out different things before expressing their thoughts to the group. This results in a higher quality of work when the assignment is done over time.
In an experiment performed by Campbell and Stasser (2006), a criminal case was solved by two different groups of college students, one synchronously in an online chat and the other in a face to face interaction. The online groups achieved a much higher level of accuracy if they were given enough time (Clark, 2011). This study reinforces the idea that online platforms can be used to improve problem-solving skills when learning over a more extended period of time.
In 2010, Inman et al. compared 27 research studies focusing on how Second Life can be applied in a learning environment. The literature review found that Second Life was being used predominately in higher education. By comparison of the studies, common uses and best practices for engagement were uncovered. Second Life is best used for group projects and work when a student is taking a distance education class or enhancing problem-based learning. They also found that using this platform will allow instructors to encourage and increase communication and collaboration between students while working on a project. The platform may also be utilized for role-play activities in a safe virtual environment (Inman, et. Al., 2010).
Along with the best uses, the study uncovered the practices that will help increase engagement within the Second Life platform. It is vital for instructors to have clear, concise course objectives and instructions for activities in the platform so that students do not get off track. When using any simulation as a learning tool, instructors should provide feedback within the simulation for the learners in real-time. Because of the high risk of distractions when using this type of learning platform, Clark (2011) suggests that unguided exploration in the software be highly discouraged during a lesson. It is also recommended that, if possible, instructors create multiple different spaces for their students to interact. Students are also less likely to engage with the platform if there is no technical support available to them as their assignments become more difficult (Inman, et al., 2010).
Wagner and Ip (2009) found that Second Life presented students with the opportunity to engage in action learning such as designing, developing and maintaining a business in Second Life with minimal risk of failure yet a high degree of success. With the structure of Second Life; it enables students, instructors, and stake-holders to be able to develop plans that can later become evaluation targets. This study goes on to highlights how successive groups of students can build on the previous students’ knowledge and experience to create more meaningful assessment and evaluation goals such as iterative system development project (Wagner & Ip, 2009).
Theories that support the use of a platform such as Second Life for higher education include the Cognitive Theories of Multimedia Communication. The personalization principle states that instruction that provides for social cues or interaction causes the learner to engage in a deeper form of the cognitive process than learning events that do not. For example, using an avatar in an e-learning module can help the users feel a deeper connection to the material, and cause them to retain more of the information (Clark, 2011, 9). Cooperative Learning or computer-supported collaborative learning suggests that students will learn better with a system such as Second Life than they will when engaged in activities that are either competitive or done as an individual project (Clark, 2011). This may lead to learners having better retention over time than if they had interacted with the material differently.
While still a newer technology, computer-supported collaborative learning, such as Second Life, has the potential to improve learning outcomes not only in higher education but also across all levels of education, including adult education (Clark, 2011).
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