Transcript Classroom Expectations

Education in virtual environment
Mihaela Banek-Zorica
Antonija Lujanac
We are...
Mihaela Banek-Zorica, dr.sc.
[email protected]
Antonija Lujanac, student
(Information Science and Pedagogy)
[email protected]
Department of Information Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and
Social Sciences, Ivana Lučića 3, Zagreb, Croatia
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Content
• Forms of education in virtual
environment (VE)
• Implementation of VE in Croatia
• Both sides of VE
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In Croatia in 2002. more than 60% of high school
students spent most of their time on the Internet
Is it good or bad news?
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Forms of education in a virtual
environment
• Today’s ICT supported education is
implemented in different types of classrooms:
• 1. multimedia classrooms,
• 2. interactive multimedia classrooms,
• 3. virtual environments.
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Multimedia classroom
-usually equipped with TV, speakers and an LCD
projector
- teaching mode is still oriented towards teacher
as a “information keeper” i.e. teacher centered
and does not respond to the learners individual
needs.
- only advantage of the multimedia classrooms
versus classical classrooms is in students'
experience which is enhanced due to the
simultaneous activation of several perceptual
organs ultimately leading to a positive
knowledge transfer
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Interactive multimedia classroom
• Interactive multimedia classrooms are the
easiest form of a virtual environment that
endorses full interactivity.
• Each student has his own computer connected
with others and maintain their rhytm of learning
• The most complex type of VE, virtual
classrooms, present a combination of
interactive multimedia classrooms connected to
the Internet and enriched with advanced audiovisual devices and virtual representation of the
world.
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Virtual classroom
• One of the many advantages of learning in such
virtual environment is the interdisciplinary
teaching scenarios in which knowledge is set in
a broader context and becomes more
comprehensive this of better quality.
• The teacher chooses a learning objective and
students themselves select the learning paths
that the system generates. Students can create
new situations, study them, change the method
of trial and error and finally finish the learning
task.
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Figure1. Virtual classrooms should be connected
In these environments high level of interaction is
obtained and physical location of students and
teachers is in not of importance.
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Implementation of virtual
environments in Croatia
Creation of virtual world “Croatia“ (project for the gifted
children)
Using program 3D Construction Kid many children develop
numerous architectural buildings (buildings, wind power,
holiday resorts), set up exhibitions of pictures in
museums, etc.
It was noted that participation in this project develops
creativity and emotional intelligence of gifted children.
Figure 2. Gestures and mimicry bots in virtual worlds
“Croatia” are at a very high level.
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• Some children also participate in the robot
making courses using ROBOLAB system that
expands the range of LEGO sensors,
computer-controlled motors and RCX module
combining LEGO blocks with the right industrial
microcontrollers.
Figure 3.Modul RCX
Figure 4.Creating robot
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Project Knowledge organization,
management and sharing in electronic
learning environment
• Project goal was to test Second Life and create
an extension to the current Faculty of
Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS) elearning environment specifically for the parttime students and their distant learning courses.
• Extending current electronic educational
environment to the virtual 3D space was
motivated by the fact that avatars and virtual
worlds could partially substitute the real life
classes and interaction both between students
and between students and teacher.
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Figure 5. Virtual learning space of Faculty of
Humanities and Social Sciences, University of
Zagreb in Second Life
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• Course was a success, students had learned
how to act in virtual world and were able to
utilize previously learned skills like information
literacy, programming, reference service etc.
• As most of the student, attending this course,
were employed in the school or university
libraries, additional outcome is their introduction
to new technology which they can now
implement in their work environment.
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Do we really need virtual education in our
schools? - both sides of virtual education
• For example, in Germany out of 11 million students 700
thousand experience that their behaviour interferes with
their learning.
•
Out of the 100 students they observed nearly 23%
reported various forms of aggressive behaviour.
•
Teachers and professional staff often complain about the
lack of time and would very gladly spend time doing
more to raise young.
• Many students complain about the overcrowding learning
material that remain on their cognitive level, but do not
penetrate more deeply into their emotional lives.
(Winkel, R. Djeca koju je teško odgojiti. Zagreb : Educa, 1996.
Str.26-27)
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“This study finds that excessive playing of electronic
games is associated with school grades below 3.00”
(Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University
Hat-Yai)
“The overpowering stimulation and excitement that virtual
reality produces can lull the imagination and numb
sympathetic feelings for pain and suffering”
(Soko Education (Santa Monica: Middleway Press, 2001)
“Children exposed to mass media and advertising are
becoming materialistic exploitation. Around three billion
children around the world spending money goes to the
goods, sweets, CDs and games”
(The Parenting Magazine, 2009)
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Control-free environment is more harmful than
useful. Do we need to encourage virtual
education in schools?
There are several reasons for this...
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• Comparing the advantages and disadvantages
of learning in a virtual environment it has
become clear that today's generation wants and
needs information-based education using new
media.
•
All the negative consequences of virtual
education can be avoided when including virtual
learning environment in the regular school
system, because then students will be more
satisfied with the school as an institution.
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Conclusion
• The school system should not strive only for the
intellectual development of youth, but also
moral, emotional and social.
• And finally, through virtual education, it is
possible to achieve a better relationship with
young people. They will surely be grateful if
adults understand their ways of communication
and transform the traditional ways of learning.
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Thank you for your attention!
Questions?