Auflistung nach Autor:in "Oh, Kevin"

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A systematic, inquiry-based 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training
(SAGE, 10/2016) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin
Eighteen special education teachers explored one prominent example of three-dimensional virtual worlds, namely Second Life. This study aimed to (a) determine their perception of the effectiveness of a systematic 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training workshop in terms of enabling them to make informed decisions about the usability of virtual worlds for students with social skills challenges and (b) determine whether there was a teacher change of attitude resulting from engagement in this systematic workshop. The seven steps are described in detail. The teachers’ change of attitude was statistically significant with a large effect size. The teachers’ feedback on the effectiveness of the training program resulted in 14 practical guidelines, which informed the revised 4-Step VirtualWorlds Teacher Training model that can be used both in general and special education with minor adjustments depending on the teacher and student population.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
An international immersion into co-teaching: A wake-up call for teacher candidates in general and special education
(24.07.2017) Oh, Kevin; Murawski, Wendy; Nussli, Natalie
This case study explored the short-term international co-teaching experience of pre-service general education teachers who were paired up with intern special education teachers (N = 8) to provide English language instruction to students in South Korea. Pre-, during-, and post-data were collected to investigate how the participants experienced their co-teaching. The narratives of two participants were chosen for phenomenological analysis, reflecting an overwhelmingly positive and a rather negative co-teaching experience. The key ingredients to a successful partnership were identified as open communication, the willingness to accept both positive and negative feedback, the willingness to learn from or get inspired by someone who may have less teaching experience, mutual respect and trust, compatibility of personal characteristics, and frequent check-ins. The potential threats to a positive relationship were identified as mismatched personalities, incompatible teaching goals, the lack of co-planning, conflicting approaches to lesson planning, unequal roles, infrequent check-ins, and lack of trust and respect. Despite these challenges, the findings indicate that immersing teacher candidates in co-teaching experiences resulted in positive perceptions of co-teaching and increased the participants’ skills related to collaborative teaching for all but one candidate. The findings have led to recommendations for the successful set-up of co-teaching experiences.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Avatar-based group discussions in virtual worlds: Facilitation, communication modalities, & benefits of participation (Book Chapter Enhancement)
(IGI Global, 07/2018) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin
This article focuses on developing guidelines for the effective facilitation of avatar-based group discussions. This qualitative inquiry is guided by an investigation of (1) social affordances of avatar-based discussions, with an emphasis on social and physical presence, (2) strategies to help establish rapport with other avatars, and (3) the complexities of communication modalities (voice vs. text) in avatar-based discussions. Guidelines for the effective moderation of avatar-based discussion groups are presented throughout the chapter, such as, creating a feeling of acceptance and non-judgment, communicating synchronously to support immediacy, demonstrating virtual sharing acts, using voice for humanized communication, showing social emotionality, and observing real-life social norms.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Capturing the successes and failures during pandemic teaching: An investigation of university students’ perceptions of their faculty’s emergency remote teaching approaches
(SAGE, 21.12.2022) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin; Davis, Jason P.
This research investigates teacher candidates’ experiences during two semesters of imposed remote instruction during a pandemic. Through qualitative research interviewing, the perceptions of a purposeful sample of five preservice teachers were captured to investigate the faculty’s emergency remote teaching approaches. The theory-based interview guide was developed based on six concepts, namely, feedback, care, student engagement, choices, collaboration, and autonomous learning. The results present factors affecting the quality of feedback. Several challenges were identified in the way and the timing in which content was structured, presented, and released. The interviewed participants’ engagement levels were determined by regular synchronous interaction, highly structured learning platforms, and precise communication. The challenges of collaboration, a lack of social cohesion, and a lack of adaptations made to the digital curriculum affected students’ motivation, engagement, and efficiency levels. Distinct structures, clearly communicated purposes, and a well-defined organization were considered to be key to ensuring learning autonomy. The study contributes to refocusing efforts with a view towards post-pandemic teaching.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Challenging, eye-opening, and changing. U.S. teacher training in Korea: Creating experiences that will enhance global perspectives
(Indiana University Press, 10/2014) Oh, Kevin; Nussli, Natalie
This study explored the short-term international experience of pre-service teachers to create and enhance global perspectives. These teachers (n=5), all female graduate students at a university in the U.S., were fully immersed in a foreign culture for three weeks while teaching English to primary and secondary students in Korea. Pre-, during-, and post-data were collected using surveys, interviews, and journals to investigate how the participants work and live while being completely immersed in a new culture. Overall, teachers expressed a transformation in both their teaching philosophy and cultural perspectives despite the short duration of the experience. They also reported that this linguistic and cultural immersion had not only advanced their global perspective but had also provided them with the necessary tools and understanding to work with diverse populations more emphatically and effectively. The findings suggest that additional teacher training is needed to best prepare new teachers for today’s classrooms.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Collaborative science learning in three-dimensional immersive virtual worlds: Pre-service teachers' experiences in Second Life
(07/2014) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin
The purpose of this mixed methods study was to enculturate pre-service teachers into Second Life (SL), a three-dimensional immersive virtual world, and to measure their change in attitude towards the potential of SL for education. By completing collaborative assignments in SL, nineteen pre-service general education teachers explored an educational, marine biology island in SL and evaluated its potential for incorporation in general and special education curricula. A pre- and post-survey inquired about the participants’ perception of the usability of virtual worlds for education. Participants collaboratively explored the marine ecosystem of the Abyss Observatory (Nishimura, Lim, & Koyamada, 2012), reflected on its unique affordances, and designed activities for an inclusive classroom, framed by a pedagogical rationale. The difference between the participants’ two attitude scores generated by the pre- and post-survey was calculated and was found to be statistically significant with a large effect size. Results suggest that this 7-Step Virtual Worlds Teacher Training Workshop had a positive impact on the participants’ attitude towards integration of SL into teaching. Five themes emerged with regards to the unique affordances of the Abyss Observatory’s deep-sea area. Finally, the “Teacher-Prep Virtual World Six-Step Model” for effective pre-service teacher preparation for teaching in SL was developed.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Creating a “Space In-Between”. Learning on the Physical–Hybrid–Virtual continuum
(SAGE, 03.05.2024) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin
This mixed-methods study captures multiple stakeholders’ voices and experiences of a hybrid-flexible (HyFlex) learning environment. It juxtaposes different perceptions of learning experiences, equivalency, and interactions. Tutor strategies to facilitate communication across space are explored. Thirty-six undergraduate students experienced the HyFlex model with two synchronous participation modes (i.e., on-site vs. synchronous remote) and an asynchronous option. The study explores the HyFlex setting from three different perspectives. A survey captured students’ perceptions of their motivation, learning, engagement levels, ease of communication, and collaboration experiences within or across spaces. An observation report sheds light on strategies to mediate the transition between the physical and virtual space. A tutor’s journal provides the perspective of teaching on the physical–hybrid–virtual continuum. Meeting students’ needs equally well in the physical and virtual space emerges as a key challenge. The article contributes to the research about hybrid education environments and the intentional planning of versatile interactional spaces.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Creating a global second language acquisition classroom using a virtual environment
(IARIA, 03/2014) Oh, Kevin; Nussli, Natalie; Marquand, Michelle; White, Stephen; Lakhani, Murtuza Ali
This study reports on the findings of a case study with English language learners and special education teachers who met in Second Life for conversation practice. The English language learners had a much more positive attitude towards the usability of Second Life for language learners than the special education teachers. Findings suggest that language instructors teaching in a three-dimensional immersive virtual world must be equipped with unique teaching skills. Interaction among conversation partners must be maximized to ensure a successful language learning experience. The lesson design must be carefully planned to take full advantage of the potential of virtual worlds and their relatively authentic and contextualized settings. A virtual world may be conducive to oral fluency enhancement, provided that activities are set up appropriately and there is ample support from the instructor. Extensive challenges inherent to the lesson design and audio quality were identified. Guidelines on how to address these challenges are addressed. These findings will be relevant to other language instructors who plan to use Second Life for oral fluency enhancement.
04B - Beitrag Konferenzschrift
Culturally responsive pedagogy, Universal Design for Learning, ubiquitous learning, and seamless learning. How these paradigms inform the intentional design of learner-centered online learning environments
(IGI Global, 02/2021) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin; Panconesi, Gianni; Guida, Maria
The purpose of this theoretical chapter is to develop a one-stop checklist that assists educators in providing online teaching grounded in the principles of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), ubiquitous learning (u-learning), and seamless learning. The authors explore how these paradigms inform the intentional design of learner-centered approaches in online learning environments and what an integrated approach could look like. This chapter will be relevant for faculty in higher education aiming to offer online curricula that emphasize active, collaborative, constructive, authentic, and goal-directed learning.
04A - Beitrag Sammelband
Discussions in three-dimensional virtual worlds: Benefits of participation and strategies for the facilitation of in-world discussions
(11.05.2016) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin
Social interactions in three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds are examined from two perspectives: the benefits of virtual discussion group participation and best practices in terms of virtual discussion group facilitation. The objectives of this qualitative study were to identify what makes a virtual discussion or support group in a 3D platform appealing and how these discussions can be facilitated effectively, with a special focus on developing a sense of community. The content analysis of 18 observation events (total of 17 hours), three field notes, one text-chat log, two interviews, and an ethnographic fieldwork journal has generated three major themes: benefits of participation, facilitation strategies, and social cues. Identifying the way people communicate virtually helps design these spaces to support social needs. The society can take advantage of this mode of communication to pursue various objectives, such as using 3D virtual discussion groups for educational purposes, promoting mental health support groups, and as a practice platform for people with social skills challenges.
06 - Präsentation
Does short-term international immersion have a sustainable impact on teachers’ cultural competence? Follow-up interviews eight years after a teaching experience in South Korea
(Indiana University Press, 10/2021) Oh, Kevin; Nussli, Natalie
This qualitative study was conducted with teacher candidates studying in a Masters program at a university on the west coast in the United States. The main goal was to capture if immersion in a foreign culture and the short-term teaching of primary and secondary school students in South Korea had any sustainable impact on the participating teachers’ perception of their cultural knowledge, competence, and awareness almost a decade after their immersion experience. The researchers interviewed four teachers who had participated in one of two immersion projects conducted in 2010 and 2011. A questionnaire on teachers’ self-efficacy regarding culturally responsive teaching (modified from Chu & Garcia, 2014) was administered prior to the interview giving the participants a tool to reflect on what it means to be a culturally responsive teacher and to self-assess their own cultural competence and teaching practices. Four themes emerged from the interviews, namely, perspective taking ability, relationships, teaching strategies, and cultural knowledge. The findings indicate that international immersion not only offers an effective way for pre-service teachers to receive intercultural training. It also has the potential to create transformative learning experiences by immersing students in cultural contexts unfamiliar to them. The findings from this study will be interesting to teacher educators who consider integrating international immersion projects into their teacher education programs.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Effective teacher training in the use of three-dimensional immersive virtual worlds for learning and instruction purposes: A literature review
(04/2014) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin
The overarching question that guides this review is to identify the key components of effective teacher training in the use of three-dimensional (3D) immersive virtual worlds (IVWs) for learning and instruction purposes. The process of identifying the essential components of effective teacher training in the use of 3D IVWs will be described step-by-step. First, the need of virtual teacher training will be established (why), followed by the identification of the required teaching skills. Next, existing empirical guidelines for teaching in 3D IVWs will be presented from which the skills required for effective teaching in 3D IVWs will be extrapolated (what). The final step (how) will consist of presenting teachers with compelling evidence of the unique affordances of 3D IVWs for education, with the goal to promote teachers’ commitment to the use of 3D IVWs. Implications will be relevant for teacher educators, pre- and in-service teachers, administrators, principals, and instructional designers.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Facilitation strategies to moderate synchronous virtual discussion groups in teacher training
(IGI Global, 2021) Oh, Kevin; Nussli, Natalie; Kaye, Melisa; Cuadro, Nicole Michele; Choi, Dong Hwa; Dailey-Hebert, Amber; Simmons Estes, Judi
This chapter reports on an exploratory case study investigating strategies to facilitate group discussions in Second Life, a three-dimensional virtual world. The purpose was to identify best practices for discussion facilitation in-world from the perspective of a virtual host and a discussion facilitator. A host and a facilitator moderated four virtual group discussions with 16 in-service teachers enrolled in a graduate technology class. The chapter discusses several themes that emerged from the host’s and the facilitator’s debriefings. Key themes include the need for a careful selection of the communication modality (text or voice or a combination), strategies to promote interactivity among the participants, the critical need for at least one facilitator in addition to the host, the need for clear ground rules for the participants, and clear guidelines for the host and the facilitator. Several challenges experienced during the process of facilitating these virtual events are discussed and recommendations are made to address these difficulties. This chapter is of interest to educators who are planning to substitute in-class group discussions with synchronous group discussions in-world.
04A - Beitrag Sammelband
Field research in Second Life: Strategies for discussion group facilitation and benefits of participation
(IGI Global, 07/2017) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin; Panconesi, Gianni; Guida, Maria
This chapter explores the educational potential of discussion groups situated in three-dimensional (3D) virtual worlds. Virtual discussion groups are examined from the following perspectives: the benefits and challenges of participation and the best practices in terms of effective discussion group moderation. The authors start by describing the benefits of online discussion groups and continue by identifying strategies on how to facilitate such meetings effectively, with a focus on techniques promoting a sense of community. The authors will discuss the major themes that emerged from the content analysis of field notes, an ethnographic journal, and interviews with a discussion group member after immersion in various discussion groups in Second Life. An understanding of the communication modalities (voice and text-chat) and the principles of social interaction may help educators use virtual learning environments effectively. Guidelines for discussion group moderation are presented throughout the chapter.
04A - Beitrag Sammelband
Intentionality in blended learning design: Applying the principles of meaningful learning, u-Learning, UDL, and CRT
(IGI Global, 07/2020) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin; Inoue-Smith, Yukiko; McVey, Troy
The purpose of this theoretical chapter is to develop a tool that helps educators develop digitally mediated learning (DML) episodes by systematically applying the principles of four paradigms, namely meaningful learning, ubiquitous learning (u-learning), universal design for learning (UDL), and culturally responsive teaching (CRT). The goal is to harness the affordances of each paradigm and combine them into an approach that systematically enhances and enriches DML. This chapter will be relevant for teachers in higher education wishing to complement their face-to-face teaching with carefully designed digitally mediated content capitalizing collaboration, interaction, personal relevance, and projects that can provide creativity-enhancing learning.
04A - Beitrag Sammelband
Lectures and discussions in semi-immersive virtual reality learning environments: the effect of communication modality on learner satisfaction and mental effort
(IGI Global, 04/2019) Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin; Cuadro, Nicole Michele; Kaye, Melisa; Yang, Kenneth C. C.
This chapter describes a study that was conducted in a semi-immersive desktop virtual reality environment. The study investigated teacher trainees' perceptions of their mental effort in Second Life, their satisfaction with the communication modalities, and their perceived social behavioral changes. In the first event, only the instructor (host) used voice to communicate while all participants as well as the in-text facilitator (co-host) used text chat only. In the second event, not only did both hosts use voice, but the participants also had the option to use voice rather than text. The majority of teacher trainees appreciated the freedom to choose either modality. The integration of voice was perceived as humanizing the discussion, increasing the flow, and making the conversation more engaging. However, the addition of multiple voices was believed to increase their mental effort. While some teacher trainees felt more relaxed and more open in a virtual discussion, others reported a lack of attention and honesty as well as a tendency to ignore social conventions.
04A - Beitrag Sammelband
Strategies to support teachers in designing culturally responsive curricula in online learning environments
(IGI Global, 04/2019) Nussli, Natalie; Guan, Yu; Oh, Kevin; Kyei-Blankson, Lydia; Blankson, Joseph; Ntuli, Esther
The purpose of this theoretical chapter is to identify strategies that help educators develop online learning curricula to meet the needs of culturally diverse students. The first part of this chapter offers insights into culturally responsive teaching (CRT) from multiple perspectives. Specifically, the authors explore the importance of CRT in teacher education programs, how to evaluate teachers' cultural competencies, how to initiate the transformation process into culturally responsive educators, how teachers perceive the value of CRT programs, what pre-service and novice teachers typically struggle with in their attempts to teach diverse student populations, and how students perceive cultural diversity. The second part of the chapter is dedicated to an in-depth discussion of practical approaches to developing culturally responsive online curricula for both 2D and 3D learning environments, how to prepare faculty to meet the needs of diverse students in online courses, and how to stimulate pre-service teachers' reflections on CRT.
04A - Beitrag Sammelband
Teacher training in the use of a three-dimensional immersive virtual world: Building understanding through first-hand experiences
(Indiana University Press, 06/2014) Oh, Kevin; Nussli, Natalie
This study offers recommendations and a model for other teacher educators who are interested in training teachers in the use of three-dimensional (3D) immersive virtual worlds (IVWs) for their own teaching. Twelve special education teachers collaboratively explored the usability of Second Life (SL) for special education by completing a full inquiry cycle to develop the ability to make informed decisions about the affordances and challenges of virtual world teaching and to help identify effective components for virtual worlds teacher training. Ten educational SL islands were explored critically. Mixed-methods data analysis and triangulation were based on the analysis and synthesis of a preliminary survey, a mid-reflection after several virtual explorations, the collaborative analysis of an existing SL lesson plan, the collaborative development of a SL lesson plan, a post-reflection, and a post-survey. Several key benefits of 3D IVWs for special education students emerged from the qualitative analyses, namely social skills practice, collaborative learning towards a joint goal with a competitive element, and increased motivation to participate, especially for topics that would otherwise be perceived as boring. The qualitative data informed the development of guidelines for virtual worlds teacher training and the elements of an ideal SL island designed for special education. The change of attitude towards the usability of virtual worlds in education as a result of the workshop was not statistically significant.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Technology-enhanced language learning: A case study of a global classroom in Second Life
(01/2014) Oh, Kevin; Nussli, Natalie
This study reports on a case study about conversation practice in Second Life, a three-dimensional (3D) virtual environment, between 12 English language learners and 18 special education teachers. The purpose of the study was to examine participants' perceptions of the usability of virtual worlds as a language learning platform and to identify the unique skills required for successful teaching in a 3D environment. Specifically, the anxiety-reducing features of the virtual, anonymous environment in which oral language skills can be practiced through avatars were investigated. Extensive challenges inherent to the lesson design and audio quality were identified in this study. Guidelines on how to address these challenges as well as ideas for alternative, more effective learning designs, such as the discussion group format, are outlined. The study resulted in nine suggestions for virtual conversation practice in 3D environments. These findings will be relevant to other language instructors who plan to use Second Life or a similar virtual world for oral fluency enhancement in collaborative language practice.
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Using video-aided self-reflection to prepare novice special education teachers: Meeting the diverse needs of students
(IGI Global, 08/2017) Davis, Jason P.; Oh, Kevin; Nussli, Natalie; Djoub, Zineb
The growing diversity of America’s public schools has created pressure for universities and teacher preparation programs to develop strategies to aid novice teachers in meeting a variety of student needs. In addition to cultural and linguistic differences, special education teachers must also be prepared to meet the variety of academic, social, and emotional needs of students identified with disabilities. To accomplish this, studies investigating the potential of video based reflection to impact novice and pre-service teachers’ ability to implement pedagogical theory into practice have increased. This chapter examines the use of video as a tool to engage novice special education teachers’ reflection on the implementation of culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), differentiated instruction (DI), and universal design for learning (UDL).
04A - Beitrag Sammelband