Running Head: Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds

1
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds
Tara Peters
Boise State University
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 2
Astract
T!is "a"er "ri#arily concerns t!e use o$ user%created virtual &orlds suc! as Second Li$e
$or educational "ur"oses' &it! an e#"!asis on descriing !o& so#e as"ects o$
constructivist learning t!eory can e e#"loyed in virtual &orlds( T!oug! constructivist
learning t!eory and education using virtual &orlds co#"le#ent eac! ot!er &ell' virtual
&orlds are not al&ays &ell%understood or &ell%e#"loyed as an educational setting( T!is
is due to ot! t!e c!allenge o$ learning !o& to navigate in a virtual &orld and also a lac)
o$ in$or#ation on !o& to design e$$ective instruction t!at ta)es advantage o$ t!e
#ediu#*s uni+ue a$$ordances( Virtual &orlds ,VW- s!ould e an e.cellent "lace to
construct virtual learning e."eriences t!at &ill allo& learners to ot! engage in aut!entic
learning and trans$er t!eir learning to real li$e situations( Virtual &orlds are also re$erred
to as user%created virtual &orlds' user%created virtual environ#ents' or virtual
environ#ents( T!ese ter#s !ave t!e sa#e #eaning $or t!e "ur"oses o$ t!is "a"er and &ill
e used interc!angealy(
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds /
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds
Virtual &orlds "rovide an e.cellent yet under%utili0ed environ#ent $or a &ide
range o$ constructivist learning t!eory ased activities( User%created environ#ents &it!in
virtual &orlds "rovide a realistic setting $or aut!entic situated learning' collaoration and
aut!entic assess#ent( 1n addition' )no&ledge and s)ills ac+uired in a virtual situated
learning environ#ent can e trans$erred to real%li$e settings t!us enaling learners to gain
valuale e."eriences t!at &ould not !ave een "ossile in a real%li$e setting(
Virtual &orlds are digital re"resentations o$ a "!ysical environ#ent and #ay e
reality%ased or $antasy%ased( T!ey di$$er $ro# ga#es in t!at ga#es are created y
ot!ers' usually co#e &it! an e.isting story line and !ave rules( User%created virtual
&orlds start as a lan) slate )no&n as si#ulations ,si#s- t!at !ave no "re%e.isting rules
or storylines( T!e users' &!o are also t!e creators' develo" t!e environ#ent' narrative and
rules o$ conduct to suit t!eir "ur"ose( 1ndividuals navigate t!e virtual s"ace using t!eir
avatars' or digital re"resentations o$ t!e#selves' and can &al)' $ly' uild' create' #eet
ot!ers and &or) in grou"s to acco#"lis! tas)s(
T!e virtual environ#ent can e #ani"ulated and altered y t!e users as desired'
&it!in t!e li#itations o$ t!e so$t&are' and t!is as"ect o$ t!e virtual &orld re+uires users to
collaorate' negotiate' uild and e."eri#ent as "ro2ects are develo"ed( T!ese a$$ordances
#a)e virtual &orlds an e.cellent venue $or constructivist learning activities and
assess#ents ecause ot! virtual &orlds and constructivist learning t!eory rely on user
engage#ent $or t!e creation o$ #eaning and )no&ledge( Virtual &orlds are also
i##ersive environ#ents t!at en!ance t!e trans$er o$ )no&ledge $ro# t!e virtual
environ#ent to real%li$e situations ,Steuer' 1332- ,4algarno 5 Lee' 2616-(
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 7
Constructivist Learning in Virtual Worlds
Authentic Learning
Constructivist learning t!eory is ased on t!e idea t!at learners construct t!eir
o&n )no&ledge as t!ey integrate ne& )no&ledge into t!eir e.isting )no&ledge and
e."eriences( Constructivist learning t!eory also asserts t!at learning &!ic! ta)es "lace in
an environ#ent si#ilar to &!ere t!at )no&ledge &ill e used is #ore dee"ly learned'
#a)ing it easier $or t!e learner to recall &!at &as learned( Learners are ale to construct
t!eir o&n #eaning aout &!at is eing learned and !o& t!ey can use t!eir ne&
)no&ledge' resulting in dee"er learning t!an rote #e#ori0ation and recall o$ $acts
,8lavell' 1339-( Researc! indicates t!at ecause learners #ust engage in a "rocess o$ trial
and error and re$lection &!en learning' t!ey are ale to trans$er t!at )no&ledge to $uture
un)no&n situations #ore readily t!an i$ t!at sa#e in$or#ation !ad een "resented to
t!e# in ot!er &ays( As learners create' analy0e and re$lect on t!eir e."eriences and ne&
)no&ledge' t!ey develo" critical t!in)ing s)ills and learn aut!entically ,:lsen' 1333-(
Collaboration
Collaorative learning is anot!er i#"ortant as"ect o$ constructivist learning
t!eory( Collaoration "rovides learners &it! conte.t and allo&s $or t!e e.c!ange o$ ideas
et&een colleagues &!o !ave varying co##ands o$ t!e su2ect #atter( Situational
learning a$$ords t!e conte.t and o""ortunity $or collaoration' enaling learners to ene$it
$ro# ot!ers &it!in t!eir ;ones o$ Pro.i#al 4evelo"#ent ,;P4-( :t!er learners &it!
&!o# t!ey collaorate #ay "ossess varying ut a""ro.i#ate ailities t!at are still &it!in
gras" o$ t!e learner and $ro# &!o# t!ey can learn as t!ey negotiate tas)s toget!er
,<redler' 2612-( W!en collaoration is e#"!asi0ed' so are t!e interactions' social
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds =
conte.ts and discussions t!at allo& learners to ene$it $ro# t!e e.c!ange o$ ideas and
)no&ledge et&een "eers' &!ic!' in turn' $acilitates t!e construction o$ ne& )no&ledge
and #eaning y t!e learner(
Authentic Assessments
Assess#ents t!at allo& learners to de#onstrate t!eir #astery o$ conce"ts or
co#"etencies in a #anner and conte.t si#ilar to t!at in &!ic! t!ey &ill a""ly t!ose sa#e
s)ills at so#e $uture ti#e are aut!entic as o""osed to a #ulti"le c!oice e.a# t!at does
not a$$ord a realistic o""ortunity $or assess#ent o$ s)ill( Aut!entic assess#ents #ay
consist o$ grou" "ro2ects suc! as case studies t!at re+uire collaoration and "role#%
solving and t!e incor"oration o$ ne& )no&ledge into t!e learners* e.isting sc!e#a( 1n a
virtual &orld' aut!entic assess#ents could also ta)e t!e $or# o$ a "!ysical re"resentation
o$ t!e learning in t!e $or# o$ a uild' an interactive dis"lay' or a guided tour o$ a user%
created s"ace' $or e.a#"le' and t!us serve as ot! an assess#ent o$ one student*s
learning and a #eans o$ collaorative learning to ot!ers( ,4a&ley' 2663-(
T!ese ideas are es"ecially i#"ortant in #any areas o$ "ro$essional "ractice
ecause t!e uni+ue co#ination o$ critical t!in)ing' s)ills and )no&ledge one #ust
#aster to e truly co#"etent is co#"licated and does not al&ays $ollo& a set "rocess(
Activities suc! as "role#%ased learning and case studies can serve ot! as learning
activities and assess#ents( Learners construct t!eir o&n )no&ledge and assign #eaning
to t!at )no&ledge as t!ey solve "role#s si#ilar to t!ose &!ic! t!ey &ould encounter in
"ractice &!ile &or)ing collaoratively 2ust as t!ey &ould in "ro$essional "ractice(
:utco#es #ust also e negotiated &it! grou" #e#ers as t!ey collaorate and
co#"ro#ise &!ile &or)ing to&ard t!eir goal( T!e learners are constructing ne&
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 9
)no&ledge and #eaning in a #anner t!at allo&s t!e# to trans$er t!eir ne& )no&ledge to
real%li$e situations ,8alconer 5 8rutos%Pere0' 261/-(
Teaching and Learning in User-Created Virtual Worlds
Telepresence
Actors in a user%created virtual &orld suc! as Second Li$e are a&are o$ eac! ot!er
and can co##unicate and interact in #eaning$ul &ays' so#e o$ &!ic! are si#ilar to real%
li$e interactions and so#e o$ &!ic! are only a$$orded y t!e virtual environ#ent' suc! as
$lying and tele"orting( Ho&ever' i$ learners are going to get t!e #ost o$ a virtual
e."erience' t!ey need to $eel a sense o$ "resence or >eing t!ere? 2ust as t!ey do in t!e
real &orld( 1$ "resence is t!e a&areness o$ and interaction &it! "!ysical environ#ent'
t!en tele"resence is t!e e."erience o$ "resence in virtual environ#ent via so#e
co##unication #ediu#( ,Steuer' 1332-(
T!e idea o$ tele"resence &!en e.tended to virtual &orlds s!ould t!en re"resent a
social construction' not a "!ysical one' and t!is tele"resence &ould' y logical e.tension'
"ro#ote collaoration t!roug! t!e s!ared "erce"tion and interaction in a virtual s"ace
,@antovani 5 Riva' 1333-( T!us' tele"resence is a uni+ue a$$ordance o$ virtual &orlds
t!at can e leveraged in an i##ersive constructivist learning environ#ent( T!e #ore
vivid and interactive a virtual &ord is' t!e #ore tele"resence' or t!at $eeling o$ >eing
t!ere? is "resent and in turn t!e #ore #e#orale t!e e."erience eco#es ,Steuer' 1332-(
T!e #ore i##ersive t!e e."erience in t!e virtual &orld' t!e #ore li)ely it is' at least
t!eoretically' t!at t!e individual can trans$er &!at &as learned in t!e virtual environ#ent
to a $uture real%&orld e."erience t!at di$$ers signi$icantly $ro# learned virtual e."erience
,4algarno 5 Lee' 2616-(
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds A
Learning Through Trial and Error
Virtual &orlds are an ideal environ#ent $or situated learning &!ere trial and error
can e e#"loyed until learning ta)es "lace( Hig!%ris) si#ulations can e run in a lo&%ris)
setting to teac! learners aout !o& to deal &it! une."ected events suc! as disaster
"re"aredness' and t!ese scenarios can e re"eated until t!e individuals involved are
satis$ied &it! t!e results( Si#ilarly' student nurses learning to t!in) t!roug! co#"licated
"atient cases can re"eat case studies or !ave instructors guide t!e# t!roug! di$$icult
conce"ts until t!e students are ale to use t!eir critical t!in)ing s)ills to &or) t!roug! a
case inde"endently( Since "atients* lives are never at sta)e' students can con$idently
re"eat sections o$ t!e learning activities as needed until t!ey are ready to e assessed(
Learners can e."eri#ent' #a)e #ista)es' collaorate and e i##ersed in t!e
environ#ent( T!ey can e."erience a virtual ut very real situated learning e."erience
co#"lete &it! )no&ledge and #eaning construction' and all &it!in a negotiated social
construction ,<irvan 5 Savage' 2616-( Trial and error #ig!t e vie&ed as $ailure or as
dangerous in a traditional setting t!at "enali0es students $or #a)ing #ista)es or in a
clinical setting &!ere "atients* lives are at ris)( Ho&ever' t!e uni+ue co#ination o$
constructivist learning and virtual &orld a$$ordances allo&s $or t!e $ailures u"on &!ic!
aut!entic' dee" learning actually de"ends( T!e disa""oint#ent o$ $ailure leads to
cognitive c!ange or t!e recognition o$ certain conditions as t!e di$$erence et&een
success and $ailure and t!us t!e learner constructs t!eir o&n )no&ledge ased on t!eir
o&n e."eriences ,<lasser$eld' 13B3-(
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds B
Collaboration in Virtual Worlds
Cust as social constructivis# e#"!asi0es t!e collaoration' social conte.t and
discussions t!at allo& learners to interact &it! eac! ot!er and t!eir #ore advanced "eers
in t!eir ;4P' virtual &orlds encourage social contact and interaction( Learners are
a$$orded t!e o""ortunity to #a)e connections and collaorate &it! ot!ers as t!ey
sociali0e' e."lore ot!er si#s or collaorate on "ro2ects( 1n larger' #ore &ell%estalis!ed
virtual &orlds suc! as Second Li$e' co##unities o$ interest and "ractice !ave develo"ed
s"ontaneously and !ave #aintained t!eir "resence $or #any years( D."erienced Second
Li$e users #ig!t recogni0e t!e @edieval and 8antasy Role Play grou" or Builder*s
Bre&ery as e.a#"les o$ suc! co##unities( T!ese co##unities o$ interest anecdotally
indicate t!at virtual &orlds can e used $or collaoration and social learning' t!oug! #ore
researc! is needed to deter#ine a $ra#e&or) $or intentionally estalis!ing a viale and
enduring co##unity in virtual &orlds(
1$ "resence is t!e sense o$ >eing t!ere? t!en co%"resence is t!e $eeling o$ eing
t!ere &it! ot!ers( T!e co#ination o$ $actors t!at create t!e i##ersive environ#ent
co#ined &it! t!e s!ared sensory e."eriences and co##on "ur"ose creates t!e sense o$
co%"resence( T!is co%"resence is a uni+ue a$$ordance o$ virtual &orlds and o$$ers
o""ortunities $or learning' collaoration and )no&ledge s!aring as learners carry out
tas)s toget!er ,4algarno 5 Lee' 2616-( W!en t!is sense o$ co%"resence is e."erienced
inside an i##ersive environ#ent t!at allo&s i##ediate action and co##unication'
individuals can e."erience a real sense o$ elonging' learning and ac!ieve#ent(
Virtual &orlds "resent nu#erous o""ortunities $or social learning including t!e
aility $or individuals to s!are or access in$or#ation outside o$ t!eir environ#ent &!ile
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 3
still i##ersed in t!e virtual environ#ent ,4a&ley' 2663-( Learners can send instant
#essages ,1@s-' e#ail or log aout t!eir e."eriences in t!e virtual &orld &!ile still in%
&orld' and t!is adds to t!e social connectedness and o""ortunity $or #ulti"le #odes o$
si#ultaneous learning and social interactions and is a uni+ue a$$ordance o$ virtual &orlds
,4a&ley' 2663-( At t!e sa#e ti#e so#e virtual &orlds are o"en to t!e "ulic and o$$er
#any distractions as &ell as interactions &it! "eo"le &!o are not "art o$ t!e educational
environ#ent( T!ese ris)s can e eli#inated y t!e use o$ "rivate virtual &orlds !osted on
t!e institutionEs o&n servers' ut it also eli#inates t!e resources availale in co##ercial
virtual &orlds and "ossily connection &it! t!e outside resources descried aove as
&ell(
Situated Learning and Authentic Assessments
Situated learning is aut!entic learning t!at ta)es "lace in an environ#ent si#ilar
to t!at in &!ic! t!at )no&ledge or s)ill &ill need to e recalled and used( Because virtual
&orlds "rovide an i##ersive environ#ent t!at can si#ulate a real &orld environ#ent'
t!e li)eli!ood t!at t!e learner &ill e ale to trans$er t!e )no&ledge gained in t!e virtual
environ#ent to t!e real &orld environ#ent is en!anced( Real%&orld a""lication o$ ne&ly
ac+uired )no&ledge and s)ills &ill e #ore e$$ective ecause t!e i##ersive +ualities o$
virtual &orlds' and is consistent &it! t!e idea t!at )no&ledge is lin)ed to e."erience
,4algarno 5 Lee' 2616-(
:nce t!e learners !ave co#"leted t!eir aut!entic learning activities' t!ey &ill e
assessed aut!entically as &ell( Feely' Bo&ers and Ragas ,2616- state t!at >Aut!entic
assess#ent recogni0es t!e real%&orld conte.t and co#"le.ity o$ a""lied )no&ledge and
t!e diversity o$ #ulti"le $or#s o$ intelligence t!at is o$ten #issed in traditional testing
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 16
#et!ods li)e standardi0ed tests and &ritten re"orts? ,"(B-( Virtual &orlds "rovide t!e
o""ortunity $or assess#ents t!at #i#ic as closely as "ossile t!e conditions in &!ic! a
learner can e."ect to de#onstrate !is or !er ne& )no&ledge or s)ill( T!is is es"ecially
true o$ any learning t!at can e de#onstrated t!roug! a "!ysical arti$act suc! as a #odel'
uilding or gra"!ic "resentation( Si#"le scri"ts can e utili0ed y learners to #a)e t!eir
creations "er$or# si#"le tas)s suc! as to give out notecards and o2ects &!en clic)ed'
t!us #a)ing it "ossile $or learners to "rovide ot!ers &it! in$or#ation or a guided tour o$
a user%created s"ace' $or e.a#"le' even &!en ot! are not online at t!e sa#e ti#e( T!us'
t!e arti$act created $or a learning assess#ent can also $unction as a resource and a #eans
o$ s!aring one*s )no&ledge socially ,4a&ley' 2663-(
1n addition' e!aviors can also e assessed in real ti#e &!ic! could e a great
advantage in so#e circu#stances( 8or e.a#"le' student nurses attend clinicals and care
$or "atients &!ile under t!eir instructor*s su"ervision' ut instructors cannot e "resent
&it! every student constantly( 1n order to assess t!e students learning' students &rite to
t!e co#"etencies t!ey are &or)ing on at t!e ti#e' descriing t!eir interactions'
oservations and decisions( T!e students su#it t!e &ritten co#"etencies to t!e
instructor &!o t!en #a)es co##ents( T!ose co##ents serve as a $or#ative assess#ent'
$ollo&ed y t!e su##ative clinical assess#ent &!ic! occurs as t!e clinical instructor
revie&s t!e totality o$ t!e evidence o$ eac! student*s se#ester%long clinical "er$or#ance(
Co#"are t!at "rocess to t!e "ossiility o$ conducting a su##ative assess#ent in
&!ic! t!e instructor "resents t!e student &it! a case and t!en oserves as t!e student
interacts &it! t!e #oc) "atient y assessing t!e "atient' ad#inistering #edications and
"roviding care and treat#ents( 1nstructors could oserve t!e student*s "er$or#ance and
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 11
could o$$er i##ediate $eedac)' &!ic! is consideraly #ore e$$ective t!an t!e delayed
co##ents t!e student !ad een receiving( W!ile t!is a""roac! &ould !ave so#e
li#itations suc! as #any actions &ould need to e verali0ed rat!er t!an "er$or#ed' one
o$ t!e #ost i#"ortant as"ects o$ t!e student*s clinical "er$or#ance' !is or !er aility to
#a)e clinical decisions ased on evidence' e."erience and )no&ledge' could e 2udged in
real ti#e(
Benefits and ra!bac"s of Teaching and Learning in Virtual Worlds
As &it! all tec!nologies' virtual &orlds !ave ene$its and dra&ac)s t!at need to
e considered e$ore e#"loying t!e# in t!e classroo#( Fot all learners are $a#iliar &it!
virtual &orlds and so#e &ill not e "articularly "ro$icient &it! co#"uters( T!eir inaility
to use t!e #ediu# e$$ectively could oscure t!eir true ailitiesG t!ere$ore' learners need to
e oriented to t!e virtual environ#ent and t!ey #ust e a$$orded t!e ti#e to $a#iliari0e
t!e#selves "rior to engaging in learning activities in t!e virtual &orld( Learning to
navigate t!e virtual environ#ent ta)es ti#e and i$ learners s"end #ore ti#e trying to get
around t!an t!ey do engaged in learning t!en t!ey &ill not ene$it $ro# t!e e."erience
and #ay eco#e so $rustrated t!ey avoid si#ilar e."eriences in t!e $uture(
Dducators #ust also )ee" in #ind t!at not all learners &ill "ossess co#"uters
ca"ale o$ !andling t!e !eavy gra"!ics de#and re+uired o$ #any virtual &orlds' and
voice c!at can $ail inter#ittently causing a disru"tion in t!e activities( Unless t!e
educational organi0ation "rovides ade+uate e+ui"#ent and educators allo& $or t!e ti#e
needed to resolve tec!nical issues' so#e learners #ay e cut out o$ t!e learning
e."erience(
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 12
1t ta)es ti#e and s)ill to design learning activities in a virtual &orld( Dven i$ one
!as an ade+uate ac)ground in instructional design t!at #ay not e enoug! i$ t!e learning
activities are not designed &it! t!e virtual environ#ent in #ind( 1$ t!e a$$ordances suc!
as i##ersion and co%"resence are not $actored into learning activities t!en t!e
instructor*s e$$orts can e saotaged y ot! t!eir $ailure to leverage t!e a$$ordances
e$$ectively and t!e tendency to try to a""ly )no&n #et!ods to a ne& #ediu#( Dit!er
issue can result in ine$$ective instruction &!ic! leaves ot! instructor and student
dissatis$ied &it! t!e learning e."erience ,Feely et al(' 2616-( All too o$ten t!e #ediu# is
la#ed &!en in $act t!e "role# is t!e design(
Anot!er consideration is t!at o$ individual di$$erences &!ic! can co#e in #any
$or#s( Fot sur"risingly' so#e individuals si#"ly do not en2oy co#"uter%ased activities
o$ any )ind and &ill not !ave a "ositive attitude to&ard learning in a virtual &orld( So#e
researc!ers !ave indicated t!at students &!o are accusto#ed to t!e very !ig!%$idelity
gra"!ics o$ #ost "o"ular co#"uter ga#es #ay !ave a di$$icult ti#e e."eriencing a sense
o$ i##ersion or tele"resence ecause t!e gra"!ics in #any virtual &orlds are in$erior to
t!ose o$ #ost co#"uter ga#es &!ic! are al#ost "!oto%realistic ,4algarno 5 Lee' 2616-(
Tec!nological c!anges in content creation are ringing greater realis# to virtual &orlds
and &ill !el" overco#e t!at issue( :t!er users can eco#e over&!el#ed &it! t!e
vastness o$ t!e total environ#ent in &orlds suc! as Second Li$e and #ay !ave di$$iculty
staying on tas) or concentrating on t!e tas) at !and ,Feely et al(' 2616-( 1t is' a$ter all' a
very creative and social environ#entH
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 1/
Conclusion
Virtual &orlds are &ell%suited $or teac!ing and learning using constructivist
learning t!eory a""roac! ecause o$ t!e uni+ue a$$ordances suc! as i##ersion' co%
"resence' interactivity and collaorative learning o""ortunities( Constructivist learning
t!eory e#"!asi0es learner "artici"ation in t!e learning "rocess t!roug! e."eri#entation'
situated learning o""ortunities and collaoration' all o$ &!ic! s!ould #eld +uite &ell
&it! virtual &orld learning activities( Virtual &orlds o$$er a$$ordances t!at en!ance and
enale "ri#ary constructivist learning t!eory a""roac!es to learning(
W!ile virtual &orlds and constructivist learning a""ear to co#"le#ent eac! ot!er
&ell' virtual &orlds are not &it!out t!eir c!allenges( 1t ta)es ti#e to learn to navigate a
virtual environ#ent &ell enoug! to allo& t!e individual to concentrate on learning rat!er
t!an on 2ust getting around and "er$or#ing si#"le tas)s( Users &!o lac) a""ro"riate
tec!nology $or un!indered "artici"ation #ay e."erience tec!nical issues &!ic! detract
$ro# t!e overall e."erience' i#"ede learning and slo& do&n t!e entire grou"( 1n addition'
learners &!o eit!er disli)e co#"uter%ased activities or cannot sus"end diselie$ long
enoug! to i##erse t!e#selves in t!e environ#ent #ay never gain $ro# t!e e."erience
&!at t!ey could !ave ot!er&ise(
As co#"uters gro& #ore and #ore "o&er$ul and "rices dro" or re#ain lo&' t!e
"otential $or &ides"read use o$ virtual%reality%ased learning gro&s as an attractive
ad2unct to traditional teac!ing #et!ods' increasing t!e availaility o$ education to
underserved grou"s as &ell as #ainstrea# learners( W!at &as "ossile only $or t!ose
&!o could a$$ord e."ensive to"%o$%t!e%line co#"uters a decade ago is no& &it!in t!e
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 17
reac! o$ t!e average "erson' leaving us to develo" and e."lore t!e est #et!ods $or using
t!at tec!nology in education(
Constructivist Learning and Virtual Worlds 1=
#eferences
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