Virtual Worlds in the Classroom
By Maureen Brown Yoder
In the article, it explained how by 2011, there are going to be an additional 20 million children who will be members of Internet-based multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs). This program is a program that some educators have been using to keep their students interactive with class subjects. The program is about creating a virtual society and a virtual person that is called an avatar. In playing the virtual game, students learn about the environment, social skills, and life skills. The program is for any age; if it is being used for educational purposes by the teachers, they would choose private projects where only the teacher and the students are able to see the progress of the virtual worlds.
The MUVE is not only about a virtual world but a mixture of virtual world technologies with real world challenges. An example was a high school science teacher blending in class activities with virtual world activities. Students would enter the virtual program and learn about science; they learned about energy alternatives, photovoltaic solar cells, hybrid cars, and more. After learning about a certain topic, the students would present their findings on a billboard. By introducing this program to students, students’ interest in science increased making them want to stay in class and continue with their work. The program also allows teacher to alter and/or tailor an activity were all students can participate, from low-performing to advance. The virtual program also promotes students to be creative, express their interests, and find an identity. The program is founded by humanities, art, science, and technology---subjects that are being taught to students every day.
The program has been a success for some educators. As a future educator my worry is how I will keep the students engaged with daily lesson plans, especially when most children are becoming dependent on technology. In reading about MUVEs, I feel like this may be a program that I would use with an older group; maybe for a 4th or 5th grade class. This program would be fun for students because they would be playing but it will still be educational. By participating in a virtual world I would be able to alter some activities to fit my needs and also the students and I would be able to combine their findings with actual lectures in class. Hopefully this will also promote discussion in class with all students comparing virtual world with the real world.
I definitely agree that this would have to be done with students who a little bit older, but despite being a lot of effort on the teacher's part, could have some really good benefits if it really relates to students. This could definitely be great for students who are visually oriented learners, and I could see this coming in handy when it comes to science subjects. A lot of science curriculum that I learned at the elementary level, and even high school, would have seemed to much more real with a visual simulation.
ReplyDeleteI would have the same concern which is, "How would I keep my students engaged in the daily lesson plans?" This type of technology seems like it would be most beneficial to older students and with subjects such as science. This seems like a lot of work for the teacher. In this situation, it would be very important for the teachers to move at a pace where all students would understand how to work the technology so that some students don't just give up on the task because it is too hard. I don't see myself using this exact form of technology because it just seems too advanced to incorporate into a young classroom such as the 2nd grade.
ReplyDeleteUtilizing MUVEs provides an entertaining element to the students' educational experience. It combines both ideas of online student interactions with online classroom teaching. The students, especially the young ones, will definitely get a kick out seeing their avatars interacting with on another in virtual reality. Furthermore, the process in creating their avatars will be a fun-filled experience. Lesson plans and other class material can be available for students online which is helpful for the students and the teacher. This tool will be especially helpful when students miss class and need to catch up. However, teachers should be careful with the amount of time spent using this type of tool. Students should not depend on learning through a virtual classroom. In my opinion,face-to-face interaction is still an important aspect in the classroom.
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