Cross-University Collaborative Learning: Extending the Classroom Via Virtual Worlds

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Author(s): Anne P. Massey (Indiana University, USA), Mitzi M. Montoya (Arizona State University, USA)and Valerie Bartelt (Indiana University, USA)
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 15
Source title: Multi-User Virtual Environments for the Classroom: Practical Approaches to Teaching in Virtual Worlds
Source Author(s)/Editor(s): Giovanni Vincenti (Towson University, USA)and James Braman (Towson University, USA)
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60960-545-2.ch021

Keywords: Education / Educational Technologies / Information Science Reference / Virtual Learning Environments

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Abstract

Over the last two decades, communication and collaboration tools to support student project work have evolved significantly, with an expanding array of options. Most recently, 3D virtual worlds (VW) have emerged. This chapter explores the use of collaborative tools in a cross-university course where student (“virtual”) teams engaged in a multi-week project. The student project teams had access to a collaborative toolkit that included Web 1.0 (traditional) and Web 2.0 tools, as well as collaboration spaces in a VW. Findings suggest that more successful student teams were better able to match Web 2.0 and VW collaborative technologies to project activities, while other lower performing teams defaulted to more familiar Web 1.0 technologies. The VW played a key role in facilitating relationship building in the collaborative learning process. The findings are particularly relevant to instructors seeking to integrate and use VWs in the classroom for collaborative project work and distance learning settings.

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Cross-University Collaborative Learning: Extending the Classroom Via Virtual Worlds

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