introducing case management to students in a virtual world: an exploratory study

This article was downloaded by: [The Aga Khan University]On: 10 October 2014, At: 10:39Publisher: RoutledgeInforma Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registeredoffice: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Journal of Teaching in Social WorkPublication details, including instructions for authors andsubscription information:http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wtsw20

Introducing Case Management toStudents in a Virtual World: AnExploratory StudyJoanne Levine a & Ruifang Hope Adams ba Center for Distance Learning, Empire State College , StateUniversity of New York , Saratoga Springs , New York , USAb School for Graduate Studies, Empire State College , StateUniversity of New York , Saratoga Springs , New York , USAPublished online: 12 Nov 2013.

To cite this article: Joanne Levine & Ruifang Hope Adams (2013) Introducing Case Management toStudents in a Virtual World: An Exploratory Study, Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 33:4-5, 552-565,DOI: 10.1080/08841233.2013.835766

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2013.835766

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the“Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as tothe accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinionsand views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Contentshould not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sourcesof information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever orhowsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arisingout of the use of the Content.

This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Anysubstantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wtsw20

http://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1080/08841233.2013.835766

http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2013.835766

http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions

Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 33:552–565, 2013Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLCISSN: 0884-1233 print/1540-7349 onlineDOI: 10.1080/08841233.2013.835766

Introducing Case Management to Studentsin a Virtual World: An Exploratory Study

JOANNE LEVINECenter for Distance Learning, Empire State College, State University of New York,

Saratoga Springs, New York, USA

RUIFANG HOPE ADAMSSchool for Graduate Studies, Empire State College, State University of New York,

Saratoga Springs, New York, USA

This paper discusses a small, exploratory study introducing stu-dents to case management using role-plays conducted in a vir-tual world. Data from pre- and posttest questionnaires (to assessself-efficacy regarding a range of case management tasks) suggeststudents felt more confident in their abilities after virtual role-playparticipation. Also discussed is preparing students for learning ina virtual world, some best practices to consider when developingvirtual world experience, and larger contextual issues of increasedbroadband access to avoid exacerbating educational disparities.

KEYWORDS distance learning, virtual worlds, case management,

INTRODUCTION

Case managers in professional attire sit across from their clients, militaryfamily members, conducting intakes at the “Adirondack Human ServicesAgency.” Manipulated by human service students, they are avatars inSecond Life, and the agency exists only in a virtual world. Located indifferent geographical locations across the United States, students com-municate in real time as they take turns role-playing a case manager anda client.

Address correspondence to Joanne Levine, Empire State College, State University ofNew York, Center for Distance Learning, 113 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, USA.E-mail: [email protected]

552

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014

Introducing Case Management in a Virtual World 553

The above scenario provides a glimpse of a virtual role-play where casemanagement students practice intakes using avatars. Introducing students tolearning experiences in a virtual world is more important now than everbefore as distance learning is now a normative part of the educational land-scape; over 6.7 million students were taking at least one online course duringthe fall 2011 term, and 32% of higher education students now take at leastone course online (U.S. Department of Education, 2011). Evidence shows itis possible to effectively teach helping skills at a distance using web-basedlearning environments (Adcock, Duggan, Nelson, & Nickel, 2006; Moreno,Mayer, Spires, & Lester, 2001; Nelson & Erlandson, 2008), and 77% of aca-demic leaders rate the learning outcomes in online education as the sameas or superior to those in traditional face-to-face settings (Allen & Seaman,2013; U.S. Department of Education, 2011). Despite this fact, social workeducation is only beginning to explore the educational potential of virtualworlds (Adcock et al., 2006; Moreno et al., 2001; Nelson & Blenkin, 2007).

In this paper, we discuss an exploratory study introducing students tocase management intakes using role-plays conducted in a Second Life virtualworld. Also discussed is how to prepare students for this virtual learningexercise, some best practices to consider when developing an introductoryvirtual world experience, and contextual issues, such as increased broadbandaccess to avoid exacerbating educational disparities in the expanding worldof distance learning.

VIRTUAL WORLDS: CHARACTERISTICS AND USES

A virtual world is a highly graphical 2- or 3-D simulated interactive environ-ment accessed online, on game consoles, or on mobile devices by multipleusers via an online interface. Other terms for virtual worlds are digitalworlds, simulated worlds, and Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Play Games(MMORPG). Avatars and their environments can be highly customized bythe players, and the resulting real-life simulation allows opportunities forcollaboration and interaction (Childress & Braswell, 2006; Yee, 2006).

Interaction and communication occur both asynchronously and syn-chronously (in real time) through text-based mediums (typically e-mailand discussion boards) among a network of people without constraints oftime and place (Mayadas, 1997; Jones, 2007). Increasingly, communicationthrough broadband connections (such as a cable modem) to the game man-ufacturer’s server (e.g. Microsoft and Xbox Live) enables players to speakwith one another in real time during role-playing sessions.

While numerous virtual worlds exist, all have the following characteris-tics (http://www.virtualworldsreview.com/info/whatis.shtml):

1. Shared Space: Many users are able to participate at once.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014

554 J. Levine and R. H. Adams

2. Graphical User Interface: Space is depicted visually, ranging in style from2-D “cartoon” imagery to more immersive 3-D environments.

3. Immediacy: Interaction takes place synchronously in real time.4. Interactivity: Users are able to alter, develop, build, or submit customized

content.5. Persistence: The world’s existence continues regardless of whether indi-

vidual users are logged in.6. Socialization/Community: The formation of in-world social groups is per-

mitted and encouraged (e.g., teams, guilds, clubs, and/or neighborhoods).

Virtual worlds enable thousands of people daily to engage in recre-ational role-plays; and increasingly, online role-plays are being used foreducational purposes. Online role-play is an experiential and interactiveformat. Proficiency is attained by a collaborative inquiry-based interactionwith other learners; teachers participate as co-learners and act as facilitators.Learning emerges through interactions with other students via the technologythat mediates students’ interactions, either asynchronously or synchronously(Nelson & Blenkin, 2007). Synchronous e-learning

“supports work relations among learners and teachers as more social inreal time” while asynchronous e-learning “makes it possible for learn-ers to log on to an e-learning environment at any time and downloaddocuments or send messages to teachers or peers.” (Hrastinski, 2008,p. 52)

MMORPGs also provide educators with opportunities for developinglearning activities that closely replicate “real-world” experiences. SecondLife, for example, is the most widely used MMORPG in educational set-tings. There is a wiki (a website that all users can contribute to and edit)devoted specifically to how this virtual world can be used for such endeav-ors (see http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Second_Life_Education/Resources).This wiki includes links to sites providing training in Second Life, videosshowcasing educators, and direct links to a sampling of the several hun-dred educational institutions with virtual campuses. Examples of educationalinstitutions with virtual worlds in Second Life include the Virtual Universityof Edinburgh and The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Virtual World: An Exploratory Study

Participants were undergraduate students enrolled in an online coursefocused on case management, offered by a state college located in thenortheastern United States. In this course, students learned the basics ofclient assessment, collaborative problem solving, treatment planning, refer-rals, treatment team participation, record keeping, and outcome evaluation.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


One of the course requirements was participation in an 8-week synchronousrole-play to help students understand the reciprocity that exists within thecase manager/client/consumer relationship. Students who did not chooseto do this in the virtual world (Second Life) used a synchronous chatfunction available in the course. The students decided what roles (casemanager or client/consumer) each would assume for the first case. (Theroles switched for the next case.) All students examined cases involving twomilitary families, and overviews are presented below.

Case 1: Martin is a 31-year-old ex-marine, honorably discharged followingservice in the war in Afghanistan. He is married to a woman he met whilehe was in basic training. They have two children, a boy and a girl. Martinplanned to be a career military man until, while out on patrol with histeam, there was an explosion from an improvised explosive device (IED).Two of his close friends were killed, and Martin was found unconsciouswith no memory. When medically stable, Martin was sent home to theUnited States for treatment where he was diagnosed with a traumaticbrain injury. Three months after leaving Afghanistan, his memory wascompletely restored except for the IED incident. One month later, Martinwas honorably discharged and happily returned home to his wife andchildren.

Martin’s wife has a much different perspective. She feels that Martin hadincreasingly become more irritable, withdrawn, and disconnected fromher. When he did speak to her and their children, it was negative andhurtful. He started to drink, and his behavior was becoming more andmore erratic.

Case 2: Tonya is a 34-year-old mother of two young children. Herhusband, Bobby, is a paramedic and also an Army Reservist. He wasdeployed to Iraq shortly after Thanksgiving for his second tour. Tonyahas been finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet, even thoughBobby’s job is paying the difference between his military pay and hisemployment’s straight pay. Prior to leaving, Bobby borrowed moneyagainst his 401 K, thinking it would last long enough to compensatefor the lack of funds. Tonya, a stay-at-home mom, is worried she won’tbe able to make ends meet as the money borrowed is going quickly.Not wanting Bobby to worry about anything, Tonya puts up a positivefront telling him that everything is “fine.” In reality, she feels hopelessand lonely. Their 9-year-old son also has been having anxiety attacks,thinking that his father is going to be killed.

The virtual role-play was about conducting a case management intakewith Martin and Tonya. The focus was on understanding the importance ofinformation gathering and how it can be helpful in assessing the needs ofthe client/consumer. Students were presented with additional scenarios toguide their role-plays about the case management intake.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


Virtual World: Role-Play Preparation

Prior to the role-play in Second Life, students participated in an online orien-tation developed using instructional design principles derived from cognitiveload theory. Cognitive load theory posits that our working memory is lim-ited with respect to the amount of information it can hold as well as thenumber of operations it can perform on that information. A major implica-tion, especially when one is learning a difficult task, is that limited workingmemory should be used efficiently (Gerven, 2003; Sweller, Merrienborer,& Paas, 1998). When designing instructional materials, such as the SecondLife orientation, it is critical to remember the limitation of working mem-ory and how instructional materials may impact it (Kalyuga, Ayres, Chandler,& Sweller, 2003). Several researchers have examined the effects of cogni-tive load theory and instructional design. Their findings suggest that whendesigning instructional platforms for complex constructs, it is essential toconsider the diversity in the educational and life experiences of the learnerand adapt technologies to minimize extraneous or ineffective cognitive load(Jong, 2010; Mayer & Moreno, 2003; Paas, Renkl, & Sweller, 2003; Renkl &Atkinson, 2003).

In the context of cognitive load theory, learning served as a scaffoldfrom the more basic to the more complex. Students were trained to suc-cessfully master Second Life access, avatar creation, and avatar navigation.For example, students first were given information about how to open anaccount with Linden Lab (the creator of Second Life and its virtual worldplatform), register with Second Life, and download Second Life client siteapplication software. A drop box also was set up in the course manage-ment system so that students could post their avatar names in a centralizedplace. This created a record of the students’ names with their matching avatarnames.

A group then was created in Second Life that included all of the partici-pating students who were given access rights to the virtual case managementagency: the Adirondack Department of Human Services. Access was onlygiven to students and investigators participating in this study to prevent anyuninvited public avatars in Second Life from entering and disrupting thestudents’ role-play activities. Students then attended a one-to-one scheduledtraining with an instructional designer in Second Life to practice chat or voicediscussion at least once before conducting their role-play activity.

To further help with mastering Second Life navigation, an instruc-tional platform in Second Life was designed to include the same casescenarios for the intake role play as was found in the web-based casemanagement course platform. A virtual role-play intake office, housed inthe Adirondack Department of Human Services, was created to reflect areal-life environment. In this virtual space, students were able to engage insynchronous voice or chat discussions (Figure 1).

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


FIGURE 1 Adirondack Department of Human Services in Second Life.

Because virtual environments are very different than computer coursemanagement systems (Burgess, Slate, Rojas-LeBouef, & LaPrairie, 2010; Wang& Braman, 2010), it was important to make this introductory experience toa virtual world easily accessible to the students. Therefore, as soon as astudent logged into Second Life during the scheduled time for the role-play,one of researchers immediately checked the student in, offered a teleport(direct and instant transportation), and guided her or his avatar directly tothe virtual Case Management office location. By not proactively offering thisassistance, these new users could have easily been overloaded and becomelost and disorientated in Second Life (McKerlich & Anderson, 2007). Next,the avatars walked to the Adirondack Department of Human Services casemanagement office and sat around an intake desk.

Inside the agency were two large posters that provided informationneeded to conduct the case management intakes. The role play sessionbegan with one student’s avatar acting as a case manager and the otherstudent avatar acting as the client. (For the second case, the pair reversedtheir roles.) Thus, everyone had an opportunity to assume the role of casemanager and customer. Students communicated synchronously using eitherchat, voice or a combination of both.

Overview of Study

The study’s objective was to explore whether participation in a virtual role-play could increase learners’ feelings of self-efficacy (the belief that one can

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


successfully perform the behavior in question) for tasks needed to conduct acase management intake. The theoretical framework was Bandura’s theory ofself-efficacy that enjoys a well-established body of empirical research support(Bandura, 1977; Bandura, Adams, Hardy, & Howells, 1980; Bandura, 1982;Sherer & Maddox, 1982).

Students were recruited from two online sections of case manage-ment and invited to participate via e-mails and course announcements.Students were informed that they would have to have adequate bandwidth(broadband) to participate. A total of 36 students were contacted, and 9(25%) chose to participate. Institutional Review Board approval was granted,and informed consent forms were obtained from the study participants.

Study Design

Using a pre-and posttest design, students completed a 25-item self-efficacyscale during the first module of the course and again after participating inthe role-play. A Likert-type scale was used for reporting whether today stu-dents felt very confident, confident, unconfident, or very unconfident in theirability to perform specific case management intake, assessment, and relatedtasks, such as developing a plan for providing case management; workingcollaboratively with a client; or responding empathetically to a consumer. Allparticipants also completed a questionnaire about their demographics andtheir use of technology.

RESULTS

Demographics (N = 9) show all were female, with the majority (66%) rangingin age from 29 to 40, and some (22%) reporting they were a homemaker(Table 1) These demographics are typical for this college whose student bodyis largely composed of adult learners, 85% of the universe being 25 years oldand over.

Participants’ experience with technology (Table 2) shows that all usedsome type of social media, the majority had played online multi-user games,but only one reported any prior experience with virtual worlds. All stu-dents used broadband to access the Internet, which was consistent with theinclusion criteria for participation in this study.

Frequencies for the 25-item self-efficacy questionnaire were analyzedbefore and after the test for the 9 participants (Table 3). Items addressedperceptions of self-efficacy in three areas relevant to developing case man-agement intake skills. The first area addressed basic case management tasksand skills, The second area focused on active listening skills and the thirdon foundational helping skill.

Pretest frequencies concerning mastery of case management tasksshowed some students (22%) felt a lack of confidence regarding providing

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


TABLE 1 Demographic Overview

Item Percent/Number (N = 9)

GenderFemale 100% (9)

Age23–28 years 33% (2)29–34 years 33% (3)35–40 years 33% (3)41–49 years 11% (1)

Employment StatusFull-time 44% (4)Part-time 22% (2)Homemaker 33% (3)

Undergraduate MajorCommunity/Human Services 89% (8)Other Disciplines 11% (1)

TABLE 2 Technology Overview

Item Percent/Number (N = 9)

Location of computer accessed fordoing schoolwork

Home 89% (8)Work 11% (1)

Type of Internet accessBroadband 100% (9)Dial up 0

Age of computerLess than 1 year 44% (4)More than 1 year 11% (1)More than three years 33% (3)Don’t know 12% (1)

Online technologies usedSocial networking sites 100% (9)Text messaging 89% (8)Instant messaging 89% (8)Cell phone for Internet access 78% (7)Online multi-user games 67% (6)Webinars 11% (1)Virtual worlds 11% (1)

information for your client (33%) and contributing to evaluation activitiesduring the case management process (22%). The majority (56%) reported notfeeling confident about assessing the social functioning of your client anddeveloping hypothesis about the behavior of your client. Posttest frequencies,however, showed all students felt greater confidence in their mastery of theabove tasks.

Pretest frequencies about mastery of active listening skills showed thatsome students (11%) did feel confident about giving feedback to your client,

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014

TAB

LE3

Pre

-an

dPost

test

Freq

uen

cies

for

the

Self-E

ffica

cyQ

ues

tionnai

re

Ver

yConfiden

tConfiden

tU

nco

nfiden

tVer

yU

nco

nfiden

t

Item

(N=

9)P

reP

ost

Pre

Pos

tP

reP

ost

Pre

Pos

t

1.

Evi

den

ceet

hic

alp

ract

ices

11%

(1)

22%

(2)

56%

(5)

78%

(7)

33%

(3)

——

—2.

Evi

den

cebe

stpr

act

ices

—33

%(3

)78

%(7

)78

%(7

)22

%(2

)—

——

3.

Evi

den

ced

iver

sity

–co

mpe

ten

tpr

act

ice

11%

(1)

22%

(2)

56%

(5)

67%

(6)

44%

(3)

11%

(1)

——

4.

Dev

elop

aca

sem

an

age

men

tpl

an

11%

(1)

56%

(5)

44%

(4)

44%

(4)

44%

(4)

——

—5.

Seek

good

fit

betw

een

serv

ices

an

dcl

ien

t’sli

fe11

%(1

)33

%(3

)67

%(6

)67

%(6

)22

%(2

)—

——

6.

Giv

efe

edba

ckto

you

rcl

ien

t—

67%

(6)

89%

(8)

33%

(3)

11%

(1)

——

—7.

Req

ues

tfe

edba

ckfr

omyo

ur

clie

nts

—56

%(5

)78

%(7

)44

%(4

)22

%(2

)—

——

8.

Iden

tify

dyn

am

ics

inyo

ur

rela

tion

ship

wit

hcl

ien

t11

%(1

)22

%(2

)44

%(4

)78

%(7

)33

%(3

)—

——

9.

Wor

kco

llabo

rati

vely

wit

hyo

ur

clie

nt

22%

(2)

56%

(5)

78%

(7)

44%

(4)

——

—1

0.En

cou

rage

part

icip

ati

onof

you

rcl

ien

t33

%(3

)56

%(5

)44

%(4

)44

%(4

)22

%(2

)—

——

11.R

espo

nd

empa

thic

ally

toyo

ur

clie

nt

33%

(3)

67%

(6)

56%

(5)

33%

(3)

11%

(1)

——

—12.K

eep

you

rcl

ien

ton

task

33%

(1)

22%

(2)

78%

(7)

78%

(7)

11%

(1)

——

—1

3.R

equ

esti

ng

info

rma

tion

from

you

rcl

ien

t33

%(3

)67

%(6

)(5

6%5)

33%

(3)

11%

(1)

——

—1

4.R

equ

est

dis

clos

ure

ofop

inio

ns

an

dfe

elin

gsfr

omyo

ur

clie

nt.

22%

(2)

44%

(4)

56%

(5)

56%

(5)

11%

(1)

—11

%(1

)—

15.P

rovi

de

info

rma

tion

for

you

rcl

ien

t33

%(3

)67

%(6

)56

%(5

)33

%(3

)11

%(1

)—

——

16.D

iscl

ose

opin

ion

sa

nd

feel

ings

wit

hyo

ur

clie

nt

11%

(1)

44%

(4)

56%

(5)

56%

(5)

33%

(3)

——

—1

7.A

sses

sth

eso

cia

lfu

nct

ion

ing

ofyo

ur

clie

nt

11%

(1)

33%

(3)

33%

(3)

67%

(6)

56%

(5)

——

—1

8.Id

enti

fyth

epe

rson

alc

ha

ract

eris

tics

ofyo

ur

clie

nt

11%

(1)

22%

(2)

56%

(5)

78%

(7)

33%

(3)

——

—19.D

evel

oph

ypot

hes

isa

bou

tth

ebe

ha

vior

ofyo

ur

clie

nt

—11

%(1

)44

%(4

)89

%(8

)56

%(5

)—

——

20.D

evel

opov

era

rch

ing

purp

ose

an

dse

tgo

als

,ob

ject

ives

,a

nd

outc

ome

mea

sure

sfo

ryo

ur

clie

nt

11%

(1)

22%

(2)

33%

(3)

89%

(8)

56%

(5)

——

—

21

.Em

ploy

con

text

ua

lfa

ctor

sin

inte

rpre

tin

gin

div

idu

alb

eha

vior

s—

11%

(1)

44%

(4)

78%

(7)

56%

(5)

11%

(1)

——

22.C

ond

uct

eva

lua

tion

ofon

e’s

lea

der

ship

styl

e—

22%

(2)

78%

(7)

78%

(7)

22%

(2)

——

—23.En

gage

inse

lf-e

valu

ati

onof

pers

ona

llyse

lect

edpe

rfor

ma

nce

goa

ls11

%(1

)11

%(1

)89

%(8

)78

%(7

)—

11%

(1)

——

24

.C

ontr

ibu

teto

eva

lua

tion

act

ivit

ies

du

rin

gth

eca

sem

an

age

men

tpr

oces

s22

%(2

)22

%(2

)67

%(6

)78

%(7

)11

%(1

)—

——

25

.P

rovi

de

app

ropr

iate

self

-dis

clos

ure

22%

(2)

56%

(5)

33%

(3)

44%

(4)

44%

(4)

——

—

560

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


responding empathically to clients, keeping your client on task, and requestdisclosure of opinions and feelings from your clients. Yet, a greater per-centage of students (22%) did not feel confident about requesting feedbackfrom your client, encouraging participation of your client, disclosing opin-ions and feelings with your client (33%; item 16), identifying dynamics inyour relationship with your client (33%), provide appropriate self-disclosure(44%), and assessing the social functioning of your client (56%). In contrast,posttest frequencies showed no students reported feeling unconfident orvery unconfident for any of the above items. Instead, students reportedfeeling very confident or confident for each item above.

Pretest frequencies for their mastery of foundational helping skills showa great majority of students (89%) felt very confident they could engage inself-evaluation of personally selected performance goals. In contrast, studentsreported a lack of confidence in their ability to evidence best practices, (33%)evidence ethical practices, identify personal characteristics of your client,evidence diversity–competent practice (44%), and employ contextual factorsin interpreting individual behaviors (56%). Nevertheless, in the posttestresponses, each student reported increased confidence in their mastery ofeach of the above helping skills.

DISCUSSION

This small exploratory study elicited valuable information about the benefitsand challenges of teaching case management in a virtual world, which wehope will be helpful to consider for future efforts. The benefits of virtual-world role-play would appear to be both tangible and intangible. Intangiblebenefits arise from the accommodations for geographic constraint offered byvirtual worlds. In this case, students from different parts of the state (andcountry) were able to role-play together. Exposure to diverse perspectives,born from different regions of this country and the world-at-large, is anintangible but extremely valuable learning experience. This would not havebeen possible in a face-to-face classroom.

Tangible benefits are suggested by posttest data and students’ reflec-tions. As discussed above, after the virtual role-play, students reported feelingmore confident about a range of basic case management tasks, active listen-ing expertise, and foundational helping skills. During the role-play, studentswere able to communicate in real time while observing the body languageof their avatars and those of their classmates. As an experiential and inter-active teaching method, this virtual role-play enabled learning by rehearsal,simulation, and feedback (Roschelle, 2010).

The beneficial nature of this learning experience is further supportedby students’ reflections. Through experiencing the dual perspectives of casemanager and client, they developed greater empathy about the challenges

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


experienced by both parties. One student commented, “I think this role playhelps you to step into clients’ shoes and see what they see. When the casemanager asks a random question you understand how confusing it can befor the client who has no idea why it was asked.” Another reflected, “Byexperiencing the intake process from the perspective of a disgruntled client,it taught me about what it might be like to be forced into a case managementsituation.” Yet another observed,

My case manager seemed a little passive and rushed to get the intake pro-cess over instead of asking questions about my past, present and future.I believe that case managers should not pacify their clients because thesession will get lost; I believe this is what happened in my intake. I doempathize with the case manager because the intake process could befrustrating and tedious when you have a client that does not want tocooperate. In my next session as the client and the case manager I willlisten more and do a lot less talking and try to provide more information.

Introducing case management in a virtual world also poses challenges.Students in this study were fortunate to participate in an online orientationthrough which they learned the skills needed for navigating in this virtualworld. However, many human service programs may lack the institutionalinfrastructure for developing and implementing virtual world learning expe-riences (e.g., not having instructional designers, or a dearth of instructorsknowledgeable about virtual worlds, and their potential for teaching andlearning).

Another challenge lies in the need for broadband in order to accessa virtual world without experiencing technical problems. While this studydid not examine reasons for non-participation, interestingly, only 25% ofcase management students chose to participate in the virtual-world role-play. The inclusion criterion of broadband access may have been a barrierfor some. While beyond the purview of this study, the lack of broadbandaccess in the United States is a larger policy issue impacting distance learn-ing. With an overall goal to help millions of Americans to have affordableaccess to broadband, a National Broadband Plan now is mandated by TheAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This Plan includes specificrecommendations to support and promote online learning to address “. . .

new demands of an information based economy” (National Broadband Plan,2009). Educational achievement gaps are causing the United States, “whenmeasured against international benchmarks, to lag significantly behind otheradvanced nations in preparing its students” (National Broadband Plan,Chapter 11: “Education,” 2009). The growth of distance learning, includ-ing educational uses for virtual worlds, further highlights the need foraccess to affordable broadband technology for all of our citizens (Warburton,2009).

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


Limitations of the Study

This was an exploratory study with several limitations. First, the samplesize was small. Replication with a larger sample would enable meaning-ful statistical comparisons and provide additional qualitative data. Second,all participants were female. Third, the demographics of these undergrad-uate students were not representative since most were nontraditional adultlearners. Finally, these students already were taking online courses, whichnecessitated some prior mastery of technology-mediated learning environ-ments. All of these factors would hinder generalizing the findings to thelarger population of undergraduate human service students.

Conclusion and Suggested Best Practices

The need to assess learning in virtual worlds will continue to evolve (Burgesset al., 2010). There also is a growing demand for virtual-world empirical stud-ies both to guide the direction of instructional design in 3-D settings (Jarmon,Traphagan, Mayrath, & Trivedi, 2009), and the development of effective vir-tual world learning environments (Kluge & Riley, 2008; Nelson & Erlandson,2008).

Finally, emerging from this exploratory study are some suggestedbest practices to consider when implementing an introductory educationalexperience in a virtual world.

1. Select a virtual world that has already been used for educational purposes.There are many virtual worlds from which to choose. Selecting one thathas already been used for educational purposes (such as Second Life)makes it possible to network with other educators and receive assistancethrough a wiki, FAQ, or other forum specifically geared toward the needsof educators and educational institutions.

2. Select a virtual world that is an open educational resource (OER). OERsare free to use, thereby avoiding students or instructors incurring anyadditional fees for participating in a virtual world learning experience.

3. Orient students to the virtual world prior to engaging in the learning expe-rience. It is important for students to be able to navigate their avatarsand use communication tools prior to engaging in the formal learningexperience. As discussed, consideration of the diversity of the learners’experiences and scaffolding learning new tasks (from the simplest to thecomplex) helps minimize ineffective cognitive load. If possible, collab-orate with an instructional designer who can develop an online trainingcomponent that will take these factors into account. If access to an instruc-tional designer is not possible, point students to tutorials designed by thevirtual world community to help new users.

4. Provide clear inclusion criteria for technology requirements. Virtualworlds require substantial bandwidth to work. Therefore, students and

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


instructors must know upfront what the technical requirements will beincluding whether the virtual world will work on either a PC or Mac.Unfortunately, some may not be able to participate in the learning expe-rience if they do not have access to broadband or a compatible operatingsystem. However, providing clear inclusion criteria for technology require-ments will prevent frustration and possible abandonment of the virtualworld learning experience.

REFERENCES

Adcock, A., Duggan, M., Nelson, E., & Nickel, N. (2006). Teaching effective helpingskills at a distance: The development of Project CATHIE. The Quarterly Reviewof Distance Education, 7(4), 349–360.

Allen, E. I., & Seaman, J. (2013). Changing course: Ten years of tracking onlineeducation in the United States. Babson Survey Research Group. Retrieved fromhttp://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/changingcourse.pdf

Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: Toward a unifying theory of behavioral change.Psychological Review, 84, 191–215.

Bandura, A. (1982). Self-efficacy mechanisms in human agency. AmericanPsychologist, 37 , 122–147.

Bandura, A., Adams, N. E., Hardy, A. B., & Howells, G. N. (1980). Tests of thegenerality of self-efficacy theory. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 4, 39–66.

Burgess, M. L., Slate, J. R., Rojas-LeBouef, A., & LaPrairie, K. (2010). Teaching andlearning in Second Life: Using the community of inquiry (CoI) model to supportonline instruction with graduate students in instructional technology. Internetand Higher Education, 13, 84–88.

Childress, M. D., & Braswell, R. (2006). Using massively multiplayer online role-playing games for online learning. Distance Education, 27(2), 187–197.

Gerven, V. P. (2003). The efficiency of multimedia learning into old age. BritishJournal of Educational Psychology, 73(4), 489–505.

Hrastinski, S. (2008). Asynchronous and synchronous e-learning. EducauseQuarterly, 4, 51–55.

Jarmon, L., Traphagan, T., Mayrath, M., & Trivedi, A. (2009). Virtual world teach-ing, experiential learning, and assessment: An interdisciplinary communicationcourse in Second Life. Computers & Education, 53, 169–182.

Jones, S. (2007). Adding value to online role-plays: Virtual situated learning envi-ronments. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the Australasian Society forComputers in Tertiary Education, Singapore, December 2–5.

Jong, T. D. (2010). Cognitive load theory, educational research, and instructionaldesign: Some food for thought. Journal Instructional Science, 38, 105–134.doi:10.1007/s11251-009-9110-0

Kalyuga, S., Ayres, P., Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (2003). The expertise reversal effect.Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 23–31.

Kluge, S., & Riley, L. (2008). Teaching in virtual worlds: Opportunities andchallenges. Science and Information Technology, 5, 127–135.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014


Mayadas, F. (1997). Asynchronous learning networks: A Sloan foundation perspec-tive. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 1(1), 1–16.

Mayer, R. E., & Moreno, R. (2003). Nine ways to reduce cognitive load in multimedialearning. Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 43–52.

McKerlich, R., & Anderson, T. (2007). Community of inquiry and learning inimmersive environments. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 11,35–52.

Moreno, R., Mayer, R. E, Spires, H. A., & Lester, J. C. (2001). The case for socialagency in computer-based teaching: Do students learn more deeply whenthey interact with animated pedagogical agents? Cognition and Instruction, 19,177–213.

National Broadband Plan. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.broadband.gov/plan/Nelson, D., & Blenkin, C. (2007). The power of online role-play simulations:

Technology in nursing education. International Journal of Nursing EducationScholarship, 4(1), 1–12.

Nelson, B. C., & Erlandson, B. E. (2008). Managing cognitive load in educationalmulti-user virtual environments: Reflection on design practices. Education TechResearch Development, 56 , 619–641.

Paas, F., Renkl, A., & Sweller, J. (2003). Cognitive load theory andinstructional design:Recent developments. Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 1–4.

Renkl, A., & Atkinson, R. K. (2003). Structuring the transition from example studyto problem solving in cognitive skill acquisition: A cognitive load perspective.Educational Psychologist, 38(1), 15–22.

Roschelle, J. (2010). Learning in interactive environments: Prior knowledge andnew experience. Retrieved from http://www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/museameducation/priorknowledge.html

Sherer, M., & Maddux, J. (1982). The Self-Efficacy Scale: Construction and validation.Psychological Reports, 51, 663–671

Sweller, J., Merrienborer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. G. W. C. (1998). Cognitive architectureand instructional design. Educational Psychology Review, 10(3), 251–295.

U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences–National Centerfor Education Statistics. (2011). Fast facts: Distance education. Retrieved fromhttp://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=80

Wang, Y., & Braman, J. (2010). Extending the classroom through Second Life. Journalof Information Systems Education, 20(2), 235–247.

Warburton, S. (2009). Second Life in higher education: Assessing the potential for thebarriers to deploying virtual worlds in learning and teaching. British Journal ofEducational Technology, 40(3), 414–426.

What is a Virtual World? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.virtualworldsreview.com/info/whatis.shtml

Yee, N. (2006). The psychology of MMORGs: Emotional investment, motivations,relationship formations, and problematic usage. In R. Schroeder and A. Axelsson(Eds.), Avatars at work and play: Collaboration and interaction in sharedvirtual environments (pp. 187–207). London, UK: Springer-Verlag.

Dow

nloa

ded

by [

The

Aga

Kha

n U

nive

rsity

] at

10:

39 1

0 O

ctob

er 2

014

introducing case management to students in a virtual world: an exploratory study

Documents