working on educational content in 3d collaborative virtual environments: challenges and implications

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1 Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications Ekaterina Prasolova-Førland and Mikhail Fominykh Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Norway Theodor G. Wyeld Flinders University (FU) Australia IASTED International Conference on Computers and Advanced Technology in Education 25.08.2010. Lahaina, Hawaii, USA

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Collaborative construction and exploration of educational content is an important part of a learning process. In this paper, we focus on collaborative construction of educational visualizations in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs), analyzing results from our earlier case studies in Active Worlds and Second Life. We discuss various aspects of presenting educational content in a 3D environment, such as aesthetics, functionality and expressed meaning, various design solutions adopted by students in their constructions and the challenges they faced. Furthermore, we outline the implications for using 3D CVEs for working on educational content as a part of everyday classroom activities.

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Page 1: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative

Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

Ekaterina Prasolova-Førland and Mikhail FominykhNorwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

Norway

Theodor G. WyeldFlinders University (FU)

Australia

IASTED International Conference on Computers and Advanced Technology in Education25.08.2010. Lahaina, Hawaii, USA

Page 2: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Contribution

• 5 case studies• 4 major categories of constructions• 3 aspects of presenting content• 2 platforms

Page 3: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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3D Virtual Environments

Three dimensional, multiuser, synchronous, persistent environments, facilitated by networked computers

Active Worlds Second Life

Page 4: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Content in Virtual Environments

• What is Content?• How to use it for learning?

• Constructionism• Social constructivism

Page 5: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Information Spaces

• Great freedom of construction

• Real-life experiencebut• Significant effort

required• Difficulties with

navigation and search

• Scaling up problems

Page 6: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Abstract Concepts

• Improving understanding

but• Time-consuming• Ambiguity of

visual symbols

Page 7: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Crystallized Activities

• Overcoming cultural differences

• Activities can crystallize into content

but• Limited awareness• Limited

coordination• Social challenges

Page 8: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Student Environments

• Supplementing virtual campus

• All construction categories - all types of benefits

but• Functionality vs.

reality resemblance

Page 9: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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AestheticsFunctionalit

yExpressedmeaning

Visual Shells

Page 10: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Visual Shells. Aesthetics

• Enhance motivation• Trigger creativitybut• Weak connection to content• Complicated navigation

Page 11: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Visual Shells. Functionality

• Clear and simple structures• Well known metaphors• ‘Traditional’ ways of displaying

contentbut• The less ‘Aesthetics’ the better

Page 12: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Visual Shells. Expressed meaning

• Better understandingbut• Significant amount of effort

and planning• Less flexible structure• Ambiguity of symbols

Page 13: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Text Multimedi

a 3D symbols

Straightforward

Ambiguous

Vague and dull

Vivid and appealing

Filling visual shells with content

Page 14: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Visualization harmony

Presentation

Aesthetics

Functionality

Expressed meaning

Content

Text

Multimedia

3D symbols

conflict

Page 15: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Platform issues

• 3D or not 3D

• Bandwidth and computer power• Resources for training• Building blocks• Connection to existing projects

Page 16: Working on Educational Content in 3D Collaborative Virtual Environments: Challenges and Implications

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Conclusion

• Exploration of educational visualizations in 3D collaborative virtual environments

• Discussion of visual shells for presenting educational content

• Implications for “content – presentation” conflict/harmony

• Implications for technological platforms

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Thank you!

Ekaterina Prasolova-Førland and Mikhail Fominykh

NTNU, Norway

E-mails: [email protected]

Slides: http://slideshare.net/mfominykh/Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/NTNU/

[email protected]