pedagogical foundations of virtual worlds

virtual worldsA REVIEW OF PEDAGOGICAL FOUNDATIONS

THE RESEARCH PROBLEMIs there really learning

going on in VIRTUAL WORLDS? •are VWs designed for

learning grounded in research and theory?

• if so, to what extent?

• if so, what theories are they grounded in?

THE Literature SEARCH

•EbscoHOST (ERIC, PsychInfo, Academic Search Premier) -103 articles

•EdITLib (Journals & Conference Proceedings) - 161 articles

• Interviews, emails - 4

•Search Parameters• “Virtual World”, “Learning Environment”, (pedagogyor theory or framework or “learning theory”), between 2000-2010

Reviewing Multivocal Literature• The problem: VW literature is all over the

place…case studies, reports, presentations, some empirical studies

• A wide range of literature can be a valuable source of information and insight, especially in situations like this

• Issues to be overcome: exclusion of data, selective use of information in documents, ambiguity in data collection and analysis procedures.

• Rigor: adherence to principles and procedures, methods and techniques that minimize bias and error in the collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting of data.

SOURCE: OGAWA & MALEN, 1991

Exploratory Case Study

SOURCE: OGAWA & MALEN, 1991

•Construct validity: establish clear definitions, accurate measures, and indicators of what is under study•Construct categories: identify “bins”, “partitions”•Chart relationships: establish connection between research questions & data components•Elicit themes and patterns (create a database)

Coding Criteria for Review• Research shows that four conditions must

exist for designs to be grounded in pedagogy:

• The design must be based in a defensible theoretical framework

• Methods must be consistent with the outcomes of research conducted (if “social constructivist”, then show those traits)

• Must be generalizable –can be applied more broadly than only to a specific setting or problem

• Validated iteratively through successive implementation

SOURCE: HANNAFIN, HANNAFIN, & LAND, 1997

Course: North-South Interdependence

Example: MURIAS projectHow well does this virtual world meet the conditions?

• The design must be based in a defensible theoretical framework

• Methods must be consistent with the outcomes of research conducted (if “social constructivist”, then show those traits)

• Must be generalizable –can be applied more broadly than only to a specific setting or problem

• Validated iteratively through successive implementation

References• Girvan, C., & Savage, T. (2010). Identifying an

appropriate pedagogy for virtual worlds: A communal constructivism case study. Computers & Education, 55(1), 342-349

• Hannafin, M., Hannafin, K., & Land, S. (1997). Grounded practice and the design of constructivist learning environments. ETR&D, 56(2), 161-27.

• Ogawa, B., & Malen, B. (1991). Towards rigor in reviews of multivocal literatures: Applying the exploratory case study method. Review of Educational Research, 61(3), 265-286.