Updateddraft

Title

Comparison between virtual world versus non-virtual world based e-learning and face-to-face strategies for fostering social constructivist learning for students in tertiary education

Project Aims:

(principles & purpose)

The goal of this project is to compare and evaluate the effectiveness of virtual world based learning strategies with other e-learning and face-to-face teaching strategies to foster social constructivist learning for students in the tertiary education sector.

Objectives:

1) The project will test the hypothesis that postgraduate tertiary students who experience a research theory, design and methods course that incorporates an online virtual world platform will demonstrate better learning outcomes than students who experience a traditional online model using non-virtual world-based and face-to-face implementations of the same curriculum. 2) Create a virtual world-based learning package that can be blended with classroom-based face-to-face instruction on the cross-disciplinary topic of research design and methods in health, early intervention and communication disorders. 3) Create a non-virtual world based online educational learning package that can be blended with classroom based face-to-face instructions on the cross disciplinary topic of research design and methods in health, early intervention and communication disorders.   4) Compare student achievement scores as measures for learning outcomes in health research design and methods using Bloom's taxonomy (i.e., assessing individual and composite scores for each component ranging between recall of information, and construction of knowledge product) as an evaluation model

//comments from Arin – I think if we use ASSIST, we may just use the constructs of ASSIST rather than use Bloom’s Taxonomy//

Evidence-base for need for project: The provision of learning experiences via online technology is increasingly common in tertiary education. These learning experiences are either provided through the use of learning management systems (LMS) or a combination of online instruction and traditional face-to-face classes. International research has demonstrated the use of online media combined with face-to-face classes is a more effective pedagogical model than the delivery of classes via face-to-face contexts only (U.S. Department of Education, 2009). While it is generally believed that the empirical effectiveness of online media combined with face-to-face learning is attributable to its social constructivist approach to learning, unlike traditional face-to-face approach, there exists remarkable differences in the various forms of online learning environments with little homogeneity. The relative contribution of specific forms of online media to learning management has received minimal evaluation as virtual world-based learning contexts are new phenomena. The current proposed study aims to address an important gap in the knowledge base.

Project design/ method:

Introduction:

This expression of interest outlines a novel study that will evaluate the hypothesis that a virtual world-based LMS, using personal Avatars and virtual social interactions combined with traditional face-to-face experiences will provide a richer and more effective learning experience compared to a combined face-to-face approach and online LMS only without any virtual world based interactions. This study is important to further our understanding of how to best utilise technology as we strive to create effective tertiary education experiences within constrained fiscal environments.

This is the first New Zealand study to evaluate the impact of virtual world-based learning experience. As a by-product of this research, a virtual world-based learning management system will be developed for a general postgraduate student community to support self-education, collaborate with colleagues, and take advantage of the numerous research tools available on the world wide web. The learning management system will also enable students to connect with a wider learner community through a common portal. Studies on the use of virtual worlds as a blend of learning and social networking media have been conducted in United States. However, no New Zealand studies have provided data on the comparative effectiveness of teaching and learning using virtual-world and online learning environments.

To test the hypothesis, the researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial of the effectiveness of virtual worlds in fostering learning research methods over regular online learning management systems. The investigators will create a course titled “Research methods: Theory and Practice” aimed at postgraduate students enrolled in a variety of health and education studies at New Zealand Universities. Students will be randomized to either a regular research methods study portal based on an open source standard virtual learning management system Moodle, or SLOODLE -- another online, virtual world based research methods study portal built on the top of Moodle using a popular virtual world server known as Second Life. A control group of students will be allocated to a group combining face-to-face and online teaching and learning. § Could we use the ‘Assist’ questionnaire as a quantitative measure? § perhaps more specifics on course content and course outputs/ measures/ survey instruments to test hypothesis – recording/ analysis of conversations/ audit trail of system use § will we include face-to-face classroom sessions – training of students prior to study – to develop Avataar skills etc. Yes, we shall have to do that to get the students up and running with the system.
 * Do we need a Power analysis to guide desired number of students

In essence, there will be three different iterations of the same course – one, based on Moodle which is online but does not have any component of virtual world in it; exactly the same materials (ie lectures, etc) will be provided in Sloodle which provides an additional “hood” of Second Life, the virtual world over Moodle, and finally, there will be a control group of students, who will be shown the same recorded lectures (ie, the lecturers will not deliver any lecture in person to the third control group of students) in a classroom setting and allowed to interact. Question: we need to think about what we’d like to do about the third group Interactions of each group will be recorded and their knowledge, attitude and learning experience will be identified by a survey questionnaire. We can use Assist or we can use the student survey questionnaire included in the Moodle and designed by Martin Dougiamas to study the social constructivist aspect of an online course (however, whether that will be applicable to our control group of students is a question that we need to decide). Additional questionnaires that may be of ue include – Course Experience Questionnaire (Ramsden, 1991; Wilson, Lizzio, & Ramsden, 1997), The e-Learning Experience Questionnaire (Ginns & Ellis, 2007).

//we may need to tabulate these different other questionnaires and argue why we want to use ASSIST as opposed to others//

The primary difference between the two courses offered in Moodle and Sloodle will be about the opportunities of real time collaboration and negotiation of the spatial identity of the learners that is facilitated in Sloodle but not available in Moodle. All other features in the two implementations are comparable, and students will be provided the same study materials developed in the same learning environment by the same faculty members and administered over the same time frame (ie, chat sessions are simultaneously cast in Moodle and Sloodle). The performances of the students in terms of deep learning will be evaluated at the end of the course using student evaluation tools developed in Moodle. Since Sloodle is an implementation of Moodle based on the same architecture, the same tools will be used to assess student performances for those subset of participants in Sloodle as well. The score performances will be analyzed using ANOVA (analysis of variance) for the two randomized study groups and compared statistically. In addition, the quality of the discussions in both the virtual world enriched learning environment and the virtual world non-enriched environment will be qualitatively compared.

The strength of this research is built on some New Zealand specific situation and use of forthcoming technology in education. While New Zealand government has recently invested in virtual world based technology and several educational institutions have either set up their "campus" or made their presence known in implementation of virtual worlds like Second Life or OpenSim, student participation in these virtual worlds is not appreciable and compared to the rest of the world for instance, the United States and Australia, the student participation is poor. However, implementation of virtual worlds present untapped opportunities for a country like New Zealand with distributed and diverse land mass and a population that is innovative and oriented to practical hands on learning. It is possible that while virtual learning environment are widely deployed in New Zealand, their effectiveness is limited because these were not initially designed to take advantage of the new modalities of social learning that has enriched teaching and learning processes worldwide. However, marginal benefits of virtual worlds on the top of traditional virtual learning environments are still being investigated. This study provides a first of its kind to be conducted in New Zealand to identify and produce a real world course in communications and health sciences to cater to post graduate students to fill an important gap.

Although increasing levels of courses offered by New Zealand tertiary education environments are being delivered (partially or fully) via online platforms, no local data is available to examine the effectiveness of these different delivery methods (??? Is this true?).

A mixed methods design will be employed to examine our hypotheses. These include quantitative measures of student development and achievement (teaching and learning tools?) Adaptation of ??????. Qualitative interviews will also be conducted with students to ensure the students’ learning experiences are recorded and complement quantitative data.

Benefit and Potential Impact for learners: If our hypothesis is confirmed, learners will have access to tertiary teachers that are better informed on the need to ensure online course include elements of social interaction. This will ensure learners are provided the best possible experiences to facilitate their learning.

References: U.S. Department of Education, (2009). Evaluation of evidence-based practices in online learning: A meta-analysis and review of online learning studies. Washington, D.C.: Author. Retrieved on 30 July, 2009, from www.ed.gov/aboutoffices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html