'Socialisation for learning at a distance in a 3-D multi-user virtual environment'

Hi All,


The findings of a pilot study that examined how a 3-D multi-user virtual environment (MUVE), Second Life (SL) can facilitate social presence and foster socialisation among distance learners for collaborative learning activities are reported in this paper. SL, a 3-D MUVE has the potential to generate a sense of presence among peers via their avatars in a 3-D environment through real-time interactions that may facilitate relationship-building. This pilot study is aimed to investigate the role of a 3-D MUVE in distance education and in particular, how social presence and socialisation can be developed.

Data analysis
Analysis of interviews with participants, in-world learning sessions observations and analysis of chat logs provided insights into:

1. the nature of in-world socialisation and its impact on network building in the physical world;
Interviews with all four participants who were first-time users of any 3-D MUVE, showed that the learning activities in SL provided them with a platform for ‘meeting’ and in-world socialisation leading to network building. The observation of learning sessions and SL training sessions also showed that SL was a platform for socialisation.

2. the pattern of the in-world ‘socialisation’ stage in Salmon’s (2004) 5-stage model;
According to Salmon, typical online activities in an asynchronous discussion forum usually run over a minimum of 5-6 weeks in order to give participants time to get used to the technology and to overcome the initial barriers of online socialisation, which takes place during the first two weeks. Analysis of chat logs and students’ behaviour in SL in the pilot study indicated that they moved well into the socialisation stage during the first learning activity soon after the technical training.

3. perspectives on students’ progress through the first stage of the model – ‘access and motivation’; and
Experience of participants, revealed in interviews, was evident that Stage 1 of the Salmon model – ‘access and motivation’ occurred when they had to learn to use a set of communication tools and protocols and to acquire navigational skills which were different from those required in text-based online environment.

4. perspectives on their entry into and progress through the second stage of the model – ‘socialisation’ and the role of identity presented through avatars in the process of socialisation.
The interview data on socialisation in SL appeared to be complex. On the one hand, participants’ feeling was of a totally immersive experience as if they were in a real physical world. On the other hand, they were aware that their interactions with other students were mediated through an avatar and they felt that the conversations mediated through avatars were very polite.

Conclusion
The socialisation stage occurred smoothly in the virtual environment provided by SL. Participants who had previously done most of their learning on paper considered the learning activities, the artefacts and the 3-D immersive environment in SL provided an exploratory learning experience for them. This pilot study also demonstrated that the pedagogy in SL – the designing for learning activities in SL lies in the hands of the teachers and students. Observations of learning sessions and interviews revealed that the learning scenarios worked well because the tutors had purposely designed them for learning and had carefully crafted the learning activities.

Reference

Edirisingha, P., Nie, M., Pluciennik, M., & Young, R. (2009). Socialisation for learning at a distance in a 3-D multi-user virtual environment. British Journal of Educational Technology 40(3), 458-479. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2009.00962.x