2016-10, 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.

2014-01, 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.

2014-06, 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.

2014-04, 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.