I am here - are you there? Sense of presence and implications for virtual world design

We use the language of presence and place when we interact online: in our instant text messaging windows we often post: Are you there? Research indicates the importance of the sense of presence for computer-supported collaborative virtual learning. To realize the potential of virtual worlds such as Second Life, which may have advantages over conventional text-based environments, we need an understanding of design and the emergence of the sense of presence. A construct was created for the sense of presence, as a collaborative, action-based process (Spagnolli, Varotto, & Mantovani, 2003) with four dimensions (sense of place, social presence, individual agency, and mediated collaborative actions). Nine design principles were mapped against the four dimensions. The guiding question for the study\u27s exploration of the sense of presence was: In the virtual world Second Life, what is the effect on the sense of presence in collaborative learning spaces designed according to the sense of presence construct proposed, using two of the nine design principles, wayfinding and annotation? Another question of interest was: What are the relationships, if any, among the four dimensions of presence? The research utilized both quantitative and qualitative measures. Twenty learners recruited from the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University carried out three assigned collaborative activities in Second Life under design conditions foregrounding each of the two design conditions, and a combination of the two. Analyses from surveys, Second Life interactions, interviews and a focus group were conducted to investigate how various designed learning environments based in the virtual world contributed to the sense of presence, and to learners\u27 ability to carry out collaborative learning. The major research findings were: (a) the construct appears robust, and future research in its application to other virtual worlds may be fruitful; (b) the experience of wayfinding (finding a path through a virtual space) resulted overall in an observed pattern of a slightly stronger sense of place; (c) the experience of annotation (building) resulted overall in an observed pattern of a slightly stronger sense of agency; and (d) there is a positive association between sense of place and sense of agency

Innovative Learning Environments in STEM Higher Education

As explored in this open access book, higher education in STEM fields is influenced by many factors, including education research, government and school policies, financial considerations, technology limitations, and acceptance of innovations by faculty and students. In 2018, Drs. Ryoo and Winkelmann explored the opportunities, challenges, and future research initiatives of innovative learning environments (ILEs) in higher education STEM disciplines in their pioneering project: eXploring the Future of Innovative Learning Environments (X-FILEs). Workshop participants evaluated four main ILE categories: personalized and adaptive learning, multimodal learning formats, cross/extended reality (XR), and artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). This open access book gathers the perspectives expressed during the X-FILEs workshop and its follow-up activities. It is designed to help inform education policy makers, researchers, developers, and practitioners about the adoption and implementation of ILEs in higher education

An Investigation of Teacher Candidate Perceptions: Using 21st Century Tools and Clinical Medical Model Practices to Teach Classroom Management Skills

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by Helen J. Rader James P. Rader David R. Riel on March 13, 2014

The role of social networks in students’ learning experiences

The aim of this research is to investigate the role of social networks in computer science education. The Internet shows great potential for enhancing collaboration between people and the role of social software has become increasingly relevant in recent years. This research focuses on analyzing the role that social networks play in students’ learning experiences. The construction of students’ social networks, the evolution of these networks, and their effects on the students’ learning experience in a university environment are examined

Attention and Social Cognition in Virtual Reality:The effect of engagement mode and character eye-gaze

Technical developments in virtual humans are manifest in modern character design. Specifically, eye gaze offers a significant aspect of such design. There is need to consider the contribution of participant control of engagement. In the current study, we manipulated participants’ engagement with an interactive virtual reality narrative called Coffee without Words. Participants sat over coffee opposite a character in a virtual café, where they waited for their bus to be repaired. We manipulated character eye-contact with the participant. For half the participants in each condition, the character made no eye-contact for the duration of the story. For the other half, the character responded to participant eye-gaze by making and holding eye contact in return. To explore how participant engagement interacted with this manipulation, half the participants in each condition were instructed to appraise their experience as an artefact (i.e., drawing attention to technical features), while the other half were introduced to the fictional character, the narrative, and the setting as though they were real. This study allowed us to explore the contributions of character features (interactivity through eye-gaze) and cognition (attention/engagement) to the participants’ perception of realism, feelings of presence, time duration, and the extent to which they engaged with the character and represented their mental states (Theory of Mind). Importantly it does so using a highly controlled yet ecologically valid virtual experience

Digital Teaching and Learning: Technology-Empowered Pedagogy in American Education

This research involved a collected case study of use of technology and digital tools by practitioners in an upper-Midwest, American, education cooperative in the areas identified by International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). This included the knowledge and skills to: (1) facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity, (2) design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments, (3) model digital age work and learning, (4) promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility, and (5) engage in professional growth and leadership (ISTE, 2014). Exemplars for technology-based pedagogy are described in relation to the ISTE framework and an appendix included for application to practice. Analysis results indicated technology use across all standards and in the format of substitution, augmentation, modification and transformation of teaching. Emergent themes included teacher choice and redefining possibilities through access to devices and technology-rich learning experiences

The how of blended instruction : current practices of North Carolina teachers in one-to-one schools

With an increasing number of students experiencing blended instruction, understanding how instructors blend their face-to-face and online teaching is important. This study explores current practice in blending instruction through a researcher-developed survey, which was administered to educators who work in North Carolina’s public pre-kindergarten to grade 13 schools with a one-to-one student to-instructional computer ratio. Descriptive statistics, such as frequency and proportion, and a category system of common responses for open-ended questions were used to analyze the data. Participants’ ratings and comments are shared, providing a better picture of who in North Carolina’s public pre-kindergarten to grade 13 schools is blending instruction, which hardware and online tools are being used, with what frequency, by whom (instructors and/or students), and what barriers are encountered when implementing this model. This study establishes a starting point for additional research on blended instruction. Recommendations for further study, including the investigation of how the hardware and online tools are being used in context to assess best practices, are presented. Administrators in schools and school systems, the Regional Education Service Alliances, the Department of Public Instruction, professional associations, and teacher education programs could benefit from the data collected

A Pulse on Language Equity in First-Grade Urban Classrooms

Students of color are the majority in many U.S. urban public schools, yet U.S. education policy and practice continue to be centered largely on White, middle-class, monocultural, and monolingual norms of educational achievement (Alim & Paris, 2017). The purpose of this phenomenological study was to learn more about the teacher decision-making process and the extent to which first-grade mainstream teachers include culturally and linguistically sustaining practices during literacy instruction. Evidence using the foundations of the critically conscious teacher framework (Joseph & Evans, 2018) and of the role of language and culture as a medium in teaching and learning (de Jong & Harper, 2008) were used to analyze the progress in teacher development and practice during literacy instruction. Three findings emerged from the data: (a) Teacher decision making was oriented in a variety of self-selected professional growth experiences; (b) Teachers leveraged the online setting to enhance a culturally sustaining learning environment; (c) Teachers sought validation for decision making in their work with culturally sustaining practices. The findings of this study inspired the development of the Teacher Habits of Culturally Sustaining Practice Model, which contributes to research focused on the education and support of teachers’ effective literacy practices in culturally and linguistically diverse classrooms