Abstract
Our ongoing research is focusing on identifying and taxonomising the elements and the factors that affect learner engagement with virtual worlds when hybrid virtual learning models are used. Our main hypothesis links learner engagement with interactions, both in the virtual world and in the physical classroom. In order to examine this subject, there is an elaboration on and consideration of aspects such as the learners’ prior experiences in the use of virtual worlds, their preconceptions about using them as a learning tool and the impact that the instructional designers’ choices have on enhancing the opportunities for interactions. In this paper, we examine the impact that the orientation process has on university students who study computer science and have almost no experience in the use of virtual worlds. Our findings suggest that the orientation process contributed positively to students’ smooth induction and that resulted in having meaningful and engaging interactions. Furthermore, students’ simultaneous coexistence in both environments eliminated the drawbacks of each educational approach and broadened the network of interactions.
Highlights
Despite the fact that virtual worlds were primarily introduced as computer-aided 2D or 3D artificial environments (Bainbridge 2007; Dickey 2005) aiming to cover leisure needs (Bartle 2003), within the last decade they have massively progressed and served various purposes such as socialisation, recreation, exploration, collaboration and education (Begg et al 2005; Hockey et al 2010)
The idea of examining virtual worlds from both perspectives led to the invention of a new terminology, the so-called blended or hybrid virtual learning
Several definitions have been given to this term describing it as a mixed-reality environment where the physical and the virtual world are linked through interactions (Bower et al 2010; Hoshi et al 2009; Sharpe et al 2006; Singh et al 2001; Williams 2002)
Summary
Despite the fact that virtual worlds were primarily introduced as computer-aided 2D or 3D artificial environments (Bainbridge 2007; Dickey 2005) aiming to cover leisure needs (Bartle 2003), within the last decade they have massively progressed and served various purposes such as socialisation, recreation, exploration, collaboration and education (Begg et al 2005; Hockey et al 2010). Perspective disregarding partially or even completely the ‘real world’ (Bredl et al 2012; Childs 2010; Miller et al 2010; Vosinakis et al 2011). The outcome of these studies is considerably useful in e-learning or distance learning scenarios (Dickey 2005; Hockey et al 2010; Minocha and Tingle 2008); the importance of the concurrent consideration of both an ‘intrinsic’ and an ‘extrinsic’ view of virtual worlds has been highlighted by Shukla and Conrad (2011). We completely concur with this term, and our study aims to identify the synergies between instructional design and learner choices, whereas interactions constitute the medium to achieve greater levels of learner engagement with the virtual world and, by extension, with the educational material
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