Exploring the Potential of Virtual Worlds for Enquiry-Based Learning

Nowadays academic institutions seek to equip students with interpersonal and project management skills by enhancing their learning experience through the use of new collaborative technologies. This paper presents an enquiry based learning initiative at Manchester Business School. A virtual world environment was introduced to facilitate group project work. The setting was the B.Sc. Information Technology Management for Business (ITMB) programme, a new degree designed to meet the needs of major employers in the business-led IT sector. This paper discusses how the project acted as a vehicle for increasing the involvement of employers in the programme and achieving the objectives of greater student creativity, productivity, engagement, participation and productivity in team work.

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