Using Virtual Worlds to Address Equity and Inclusion Issues in Educational Participation by University Students

Abstract

COVID-19 compelled students to participate in a curriculum delivery approach they did not voluntarily choose and therefore may have lacked the technological, logistical, or other capabilities to engage at the highest level. Equally as important, some students may lack comfort with their background surroundings leading to a consistent avoidance of the video option during class. Equity suggests that this should not be a deterrent to their class participation. The result however is often a faculty member teaching to a computer screen populated solely by black squares containing student names. Anecdotal evidence suggests that over time this can also lead to increased student disengagement, both deliberate and inadvertent. This article compares two virtual worlds, Second Life and Roblox, examining their potential for promoting student inclusion and compelling engagement in education. The article will highlight the differences between these worlds, as well as describe their utility as sites for a class activity. Actual curricular examples will be used to illustrate the use of these virtual worlds as a pedagogical tool. Situating a university class in a virtual world as distinct from a virtual classroom is not without its challenges. However, it offers several advantages in the universal effort to increase student engagement and participation coupled with addressing equity and inclusion issues in educational delivery.