ERIC Number: EJ1125935
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Mar
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0047-2395
EISSN: N/A
Student Perceptions of Constructivist Concepts in Classes Using Virtual Worlds
Bowers, K. Westmoreland
Journal of Educational Technology Systems, v42 n3 p215-233 Mar 2014
The purpose of this study was to identify constructivist concepts that are important to student-perceived learning outcomes in college courses that use a virtual world, such as Second Life, as an educational tool. Identification of these concepts will help instructors to make the best use of their course design efforts in mediated environments. Subsequently, this will benefit students by matching the learning environment to students' learning needs and potential preferences. This study used a web-based survey that asked respondents about their perceptions of how their experience in a class using a virtual world as an instructional tool represented several constructivist learning concepts. Their responses were compared to how they felt about different learning outcomes. The results indicate that authentic learning context is a major factor in all of the student-perceived learning outcomes measured in this study, while student responsibility and initiative is important to academic learning time and learning progress.
Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Constructivism (Learning), Student Responsibility, Computer Simulation, Preferences, College Students, Comparative Analysis, Online Surveys, Student Surveys, Teaching Methods, Outcomes of Education, Educational Technology, Active Learning, Educational Quality, Regression (Statistics), Class Rank, Gender Differences
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A