This study looked at teachers' role-play and simulations in order to increase teacher's skills in psycho-pedagogical support on educational virtual worlds. We put forward a proposal to encourage the use of 3D scenarios where teachers can improve their skills for situations of cultural and ethical concerns that require a high level contextualization. We organized the study around improvement of those skills related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in education. The ultimate aim was to investigate whether educational virtual worlds or Massively Multiuser On-line Learning (MMOL) platforms can improve such skills through training teachers in real and virtual simulations and role-play. The study makes use of descriptive statistics and the Standards Performance Continuum to measure the use of diverse standards in a teaching improvement process. Results suggest that MMOL platforms support the development of more effective teacher control of problematic school situations when these platforms are used collaboratively. Our findings indicate that MMOL platforms could be understood as a social environment with an emphasis on group awareness and cohesion.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AldrichC. (2005). Learning by doing: A comprehensive guide to simulations, computer games, and pedagogy in e-learning and other educational experiences. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer Publications.
2.
AlotaibiF. M.DimitrovJ. (2012). Classroom simulator for teacher training using virtual learning environments and simulated students behavior. International Journal of Reviews in Computing, 10(1), 58–67.
3.
AngehrnA. A. (2006). L2C: Designing simulation-based learning experiences for collaboration competencies development. ALT-C, 13th International Conference of the Association for Learning Technology, 1(1).
4.
AtkinsC. (2009). Virtual experience: Observations on Second Life. In PurvisM.SavarimuthuB. (Eds.), Computer-Mediated Social Networking, 5322(1), 7–17.
5.
AxelrodR. (2005). Simulation in the social sciences. In RennardJ. P. (Ed.), Handbook of research on nature inspired computing for economy and management (pp. 90–100). Hershey, PA: Idea Group.
6.
BanksJ. A. (1994). An introduction to multicultural education. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
7.
BanksJ. A. (2001). Cultural diversity and education: Foundations, curriculum and teaching. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
8.
BellM. (2001). A case study of an online role play for academic staff. In KennedyG.KeppellM.McNaughtC.PetrovicT. (Eds.), Meeting at the crossroads: Proceedings of the 18th Annual Conference of the Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education, 1(1), 63–72. Melbourne, Australia: Biomedical Multimedia Unit, The University of Melbourne.
9.
BloomB. (Ed.). (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York, NY: Wiley.
10.
BourasC.TsiatsosT. (2006). Educational virtual environments: Design rationale and architecture. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 29(2), 153–173.
BronackS.SandersR.CheneyA.RiedlR.TashnerJ.MatzenN. (2008). Presence pedagogy: Teaching and learning in a 3D virtual immersive world. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 20(1), 59–69.
13.
CampbellC.JonesS. (2008). Using Second Life as an educational instructional tool with pre-service education students: A work in progress. In LucaJ.WeipplE. (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2008, 1(1), 3638–3642.
14.
ChengH.ZhanH.TsaiD. (2010). Integrating Second Life into a Chinese language teacher training program: A pilot study. Journal of Technology and Chinese Language Teaching (JTCLT), 1(1), 31–58.
15.
DjorgovskiS. G.HutP.McMillanS.VesperiniE.KnopR.FarrW. (2010). Exploring the use of virtual worlds as a scientific research platform: The Meta-Institute for Computational Astrophysics (MICA). In Lehmann-GrubeF.SablatnigJ. (Eds.), Facets of virtual environments (33(1), 29–43). Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer.
16.
DohertyR. W.HilbergR. S.EpalooseG.TharpR. G. (2002). Standards performance continuum: Development and validation of a measure of effective pedagogy. Journal of Educational Research, 96(2), 78–89.
17.
DourishP.BellottiV. (1992). Awareness and coordination in shared workspaces. Proceedings of the ACM CSCW 1992, 1(1), 107–114.
18.
European Commission. (1995). Report on education of the children of migrant workers. The Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxemburg, 1, 25.
19.
FordD. Y.HarrisJ. J.III (1999). Multicultural gifted education. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
20.
FordD. Y.MooreJ. L.HarmonD. A. (2005). Integrating multicultural and gifted education: A curricular framework. Theory Into Practice, 44, 125–137
21.
GardnerM.Gánem-GutiérrezA.ScottJ.HoranB.CallaghanV. (2011). Immersive education spaces using Open Wonderland: From pedagogy through to practice. In VincentiG.BramanJ. (Eds.), Multi-user virtual environments for the classroom: Practical approaches to teaching in virtual worlds, 1(1), 190–205).
22.
GeeJ. P. (2009). Games, learning, and 21st century survival skills. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 2(1), 1–9. Retrieved October 14, 2011 from http://journals.tdl.org/jvwr/article/view/623/468
23.
GirvanC.SavageT. (2010). Identifying an appropriate pedagogy for virtual worlds: A Communal Constructivism case study. Computers and Education, 55, 342–349.
24.
GregoryS.MastersY. (2010). Six hats in Second Life: Enhancing pre-service teacher learning in a virtual world. Conference proceeding of International Conference for Teaching and Learning with Technology, 2010.
25.
GutwinC.GreenbergS. (2002). A descriptive framework of workspace awareness for real-time groupware. Journal of Computer Supported Cooperative Work, 3(4), 411–446.
26.
HalsteadJ.TaylorM. (2000). Learning and teaching about values: A review of recent research. Cambridge Journal of Education, 30(2), 169–202.
27.
HewK. F.CheungW. S. (2010). Use of three-dimensional (3-D) immersive virtual worlds in K-12 and higher education settings: A review of the research. British Journal of Educational Technology, 41(1), 33–55.
28.
HilbergR. S.ChangJ. M.EpalooseG. (2003). Designing effective Activity Centers for diverse learners: A guide for teachers at all grade levels. Santa Cruz, CA: University of California, Center on Education, Diversity and Excellence.
29.
HilbergS.DohertyW.EpalooseG.TharpR. G. (2004). The standards performance continuum: A performance-based measure of the Standards for Effective Pedagogy. In WaxmanH. C.TharpR. G.HilbergR. S. (Eds.), Observational research in U.S. classrooms: New approaches for understanding cultural and linguistic diversity (pp. 49–71). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.
30.
JoverG.ReyeroD. (2000). Images of the other in childhood: Researching the limits of cultural diversity in education from the standpoint of new anthropological methodologies. Encounters on Education, 1(1), 128–152.
31.
KeltonA. J. (2007). Second Life: Reaching into the virtual world for real-world learning. Educause Center for Applied Research (ECAR). Retrieved September 2, 2011 from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERB0717.pdf
32.
KimS.LeeJ.ThomasM. (2012). Between purpose and method: A review of educational research on 3D virtual worlds. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 5(1).
33.
LainemaT. (2009). Perspective making: Constructivism as a meaning-making structure for simulation gaming. Simulation and Gaming, 1(1), 40–48.
LorenzoC. M.PadrinoS.SiciliaM. A.SánchezS. (2011). How can MMOL platforms improve teacher skills in cultural diversity, values education and attention to diversity?1st European Immersive Education Summit, 1(1), 77–86.
36.
LorenzoC. M.SiciliaM. A.SánchezS. (2012). Studying the effectiveness of multi-user immersive environments for collaborative evaluation tasks. Computers and Education, 59(1), 1–16.
MahonJ.BryantB.BrownB.KimM. (2010). Using Second Life to enhance classroom management practice in teacher education. Educational Media International, 47(2), 121–134.
39.
NullR. S.WysockiJ. L. (1978). Simulation games–Give them a try. Housing and Society, 5(2), 52–55.
40.
OgilvieA.DouglasK. (2007). Online role-plays and the virtual placement: Aiding reflection in work integrated learning. In ICT: Providing choices for learners and learning. Proceedings ASCILITE Singapore 2007. Retrieved December 10, 2012, from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/singapore07/procs/ogilvie.pdf
41.
ParkS.HwangH. S.ChoiM. (2009). The experience of presence in 3D web environment: An analysis of Korean Second Life. In Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education, 1(1), 1919–1928.
42.
PivecM.PauschenweinJ. (2011). AVATAR course: Teachers training for teaching in 3D virtual worlds. Proceedings of ICL Conference, 1(1), 21–23.
43.
RobbinsS. (2007). A futurist' view of Second Life education: A developing taxonomy of digital spaces. In LivingstoneD.KempJ. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Second Life Education Workshop 2007, 1(1).
44.
SantT. (2009). Performance in Second Life: Some possibilities for learning and teaching. In Molka-DanielsenJ.DeutschmannM. (Eds.), Learning and teaching in the virtual world of Second Life (pp. 145–166). Norway: Tapir Academic Press.
45.
SaundersR. L. (2007). The genesis of a virtual world revisited. International Journal of Web-Based Communities, 3(3), 271–282.
46.
SnowdonD.ChurchillE. F.MunroA. J. (2001). Collaborative virtual environments: Digital spaces and places for CSCW: An introduction. In ChurchillE. F.SnowdonD. N.MunroA. J. (Eds.), Collaborative virtual environments: Digital places and spaces for interaction (pp. 3–17). London, UK: Springer-Verlag.
47.
StakeR. E. (1995). The art of case research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
48.
StakeR. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. New York/London: The Guilford Press.
49.
TatarM.HorenczykG. (2003). Diversity-related burnout among teachers. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19(4), 397–408.
50.
TeemantA.TyraS.VogtL. (2009). Approaches to effective pedagogy coaching in diverse settings: Challenges and opportunities. Proceedings from the Improving Recruitment, Development and Retention through Effective Pedagogy Conference sponsored by the Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence Conference. Berkeley, CA: University of California. Retrieved May 3, 2012 from http://www-gse.berkeley.edu/research/crede/conferenceposter.html
51.
TeemantA.TyraS.WinkJ. (2009). Evaluating the effectiveness of the CREDE Coaching Model. Proceedings from the 3rd Annual Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence Conference, University of California, Berkeley, San Francisco, CA.
VygotskyL. S. (1978). Mind and society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
54.
WainmanH. F. (2000). The purpose and context of multi-cultural education and its justification in the curriculum of mono-cultural schools. In LeicesterM.ModgilC.ModgilS. (Eds.), Moral education and pluralism: Education, culture and values, 2(1), 163–179. London, UK: Farmer Press.
55.
WangF.LockeeB. B. (2010). Virtual worlds in distance education: A content analysis study. The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 11(3), 183–186.
