Virtually There: Emerging designs for STEM teaching and learning in immersive online 3D microworlds

Sneha Veeragoudar Harrell, Dor Abrahamson, Leonel Morgado, Micaela Esteves, Martin Valcke, Hendrik Vansteenbrugge, Eric Rosenbaum, Sasha Barab

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Four research projects used Second Life", a 3D virtual-world platform, to investigate aspects of technology-enhanced STEM education. These European and USA studies, which differ in their pedagogical-philosophy commitments, theoretical frameworks, methodologies, and target content, critically examine a range of cognitive, affective, technical, and social factors pertaining to the prospects of students' and teachers' successful engagement with immersive microworlds. Specifically, each project describes students' successes and challenges in creating complex virtual artifacts and collaborating in real time with peers and the broader community. The design-based research studies of mathematical and computational literacy present sample student artifacts and discuss the learning they evidence. Collectively, we posit that overcoming the following obstacles could make virtual worlds both effective and exciting learning environments: professional development (technical skill, affective disposition), collaboration with school systems (logistics of access, allocation of resources), alignment with targeted content (harnessing students' creative divergence), and initial learning curves (issues of teacher-to-student ratio).

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationComputer-Supported Collaborative Learning Conference, CSCL
Pages383-391
Number of pages9
EditionPART 3
StatePublished - 2008
Externally publishedYes
EventInternational Perspectives in the Learning Sciences: Cre8ing a Learning World - 8th International Conference for the Learning Sciences, ICLS 2008 - Utrecht, Netherlands
Duration: Jun 23 2008Jun 28 2008

Other

OtherInternational Perspectives in the Learning Sciences: Cre8ing a Learning World - 8th International Conference for the Learning Sciences, ICLS 2008
Country/TerritoryNetherlands
CityUtrecht
Period6/23/086/28/08

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Education

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