The use of cyber campuses to support online learning for students experiencing barriers accessing education

Attendance and participation in education are important for students to obtain the experiences necessary to develop their knowledge. However, there are some students who experience challenges hindering their access and participation in Higher Education. To support students, Universities utilise E-Learning. One of the many E-Learning tools is the use of virtual worlds in the form of cyber campuses. This paper investigates the extent to which cyber campuses can help to mitigate barriers and support students experiencing them. A prototype has been developed and a series of empirical studies have been performed. The results of this research suggest that a cyber campus environment can be used as an alternative learning support tool that can enhance online learning experiences, and help to mitigate some of the barriers that hinder access and participation to education. The associated limitations of this research and the future work planned out are also presented.

[1]  Elaine Pearson,et al.  Inclusion and online learning opportunities: designing for accessibility , 2002 .

[2]  Paul Dourish,et al.  Awareness and coordination in shared workspaces , 1992, CSCW '92.

[3]  Kjeld Schmidt,et al.  The Problem with `Awareness': Introductory Remarks on `Awareness in CSCW' , 2002, Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW).

[4]  K. Patricia Cross,et al.  Adults as learners , 1981 .

[5]  Steven Warburton,et al.  Second Life in higher education: Assessing the potential for and the barriers to deploying virtual worlds in learning and teaching , 2009, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[6]  Denise Wood,et al.  Facilitating flexible, enquiry-based experiential learning through an accessible, three-dimensional virtual learning environment (3DVLE) final report 2012 , 2012 .

[7]  Richard L. Gilbert,et al.  Psychological Benefits of Participation in Three-dimensional Virtual Worlds for Individuals with Real-world Disabilities , 2013 .

[8]  Martin Beer,et al.  The evaluation of a cyber campus to support distance learning activities , 2015 .

[9]  Kristine L. Nowak.  The Influence of Anthropomorphism and Agency on Social Judgment in Virtual Environments , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[10]  V. Braun,et al.  Using thematic analysis in psychology , 2006 .

[11]  Alfred P. Rovai,et al.  Classroom community at a distance: A comparative analysis of two ALN-based university programs , 2001, Internet High. Educ..

[12]  Mark Peterson,et al.  Learner interaction management in an avatar and chat-based virtual world , 2006 .

[13]  Denise Wood.  Communicating in virtual worlds through an accessible Web 2.0 solution: (Winner of the inaugural Telstra-TJA Christopher Newell Prize for the best paper submitted to TJA demonstrating the benefits of telecommunications in assisting people with disabilities) , 2010 .

[14]  Stefan Schutt,et al.  Rhetoric and reality: critical perspectives on education in a 3D virtual world , 2014 .

[15]  Nancy A. Jennings,et al.  Virtual or Virtually U: Educational Institutions in Second Life , 2007 .

[16]  Matthew Lombard,et al.  At the Heart of It All: The Concept of Presence , 2006 .

[17]  Feihong Wang,et al.  Second Life in education: A review of publications from its launch to 2011 , 2013, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[18]  Karin Ackermann,et al.  Designing Virtual Worlds , 2016 .

[19]  Martin Beer,et al.  The SHU3DED Cyber Campus Prototype , 2011 .

[20]  Alexandra Poulovassilis,et al.  Learning as immersive experiences: Using the four-dimensional framework for designing and evaluating immersive learning experiences in a virtual world , 2010, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[21]  Frank Biocca,et al.  The Cyborg's Dilemma: Progressive Embodiment in Virtual Environments , 2006, J. Comput. Mediat. Commun..

[22]  Sharefa Murad,et al.  Supporting learning activities in virtual worlds: methods, tools and evaluation , 2013 .

[23]  C. J. Hardin.  Adult students in higher education: A portrait of transitions , 2008 .

[24]  Richard Bartle,et al.  Designing Virtual Worlds , 2003 .

[25]  Mikhail Fominykh,et al.  Collaborative Work on 3D Educational Content , 2012 .

[26]  Leslie Jarmon,et al.  Virtual world teaching, experiential learning, and assessment: An interdisciplinary communication course in Second Life , 2009, Comput. Educ..

[27]  David Griol,et al.  A Proposal to Create Learning Environments in Virtual Worlds Integrating Advanced Educative Resources , 2012, J. Univers. Comput. Sci..

[28]  Hans van Buuren,et al.  Measuring perceived sociability of computer-supported collaborative learning environments , 2007, Comput. Educ..

[29]  Michele D. Dickey.  Three-dimensional virtual worlds and distance learning: two case studies of Active Worlds as a medium for distance education , 2005, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[30]  Chirag Shah,et al.  Effects of awareness on coordination in collaborative information seeking , 2013, J. Assoc. Inf. Sci. Technol..

[31]  Thrasyvoulos Tsiatsos,et al.  Fostering collaborative learning in Second Life: Metaphors and affordances , 2010, Comput. Educ..

[32]  John Tashner,et al.  EDUCATION IN THE ZONE: DYNAMIC LEARNING COMMUNITIES IN A 3D VIRTUAL WORLD , 2007 .

[33]  Alexei Sourin,et al.  Cybercampuses: design issues and future directions , 2006, The Visual Computer.

[34]  Elizabeth Uruchurtu,et al.  The Evaluation of SHU3DED Cyber Campus -- A Pilot Study , 2014, 2014 IEEE 14th International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies.

[35]  J. Shepherd,et al.  Balancing Act: A Phenomenological Study of Female Adult Learners Who Successfully Persisted in Graduate Studies , 2012 .

[36]  Rynson W. H. Lau,et al.  Recent development in multimedia e-learning technologies , 2014, World Wide Web.

[37]  Denise Wood,et al.  Responding to the Widening Participation Agenda through Improved Access to and within 3D Virtual Learning Environments. , 2012 .

[38]  Michael J. Singer,et al.  Measuring Presence in Virtual Environments: A Presence Questionnaire , 1998, Presence.

[39]  Stacy Kluge,et al.  Teaching in Virtual Worlds: Opportunities and Challenges , 2008 .

[40]  Edward Castronova,et al.  Virtual Worlds: A First-Hand Account of Market and Society on the Cyberian Frontier , 2001, SSRN Electronic Journal.

[41]  Daniel Livingstone,et al.  From Multi-User Virtual Environment to 3D Virtual Learning Environment , 2008 .

[42]  Carol B. Aslanian.  Adults as Learners: Increasing Participation and Facilitating Learning , 1983 .

[43]  Jonathan Steuer,et al.  Defining virtual reality: dimensions determining telepresence , 1992 .

[44]  Barney Dalgarno,et al.  What are the learning affordances of 3-D virtual environments? , 2010, Br. J. Educ. Technol..

[45]  V. Mcgivney.  Informal Learning in the Community: A Trigger for Change and Development , 1999 .

[46]  Genny Tortora,et al.  Development and evaluation of a virtual campus on Second Life: The case of SecondDMI , 2009, Comput. Educ..