EDMEDIA+2009

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Using Multi Layering to Design Interactions for Teaching and Learning in a Virtual Environment

Penny Neuendorf Flex:ed, Centre for Education Excellence, Canberra Institute of Technology, Australia. Penny.neuendorf@cit.act.edu.au

Designing teaching and learning scenarios for virtual worlds is a relatively new area of expertise. It is a new and exciting area for exploration and provides a valuable environment to challenge educational theories and educational practitioners. The “invite only” virtual world platforms provides a distraction free environment for students and practitioners to explore and learn in a safe environment. This project is using three theoretical approaches; constructivism, legitimate peripheral participation, and cognition. Scaffolding is the backbone of this approach, legitimate peripheral participation provides peer and collaborative learning and debrief allows us to reflect on the learning and teaching encounter during these in world sessions. This three pronged approach, to the development of the environment, the avatars and the scenarios has created a deeply immersive and engaging educational environment. This approach uses authentic learning tasks, professional practitioner engagement and reflective practice to help lessen the strain on practicum placements in the Allied Health Industry. Of the many virtual worlds’ projects that have been conducted, two stand out as being of great value for the VET sector. These are – · GippsTAFE trial of //Second Life// for two teaching areas (//Virtual Worlds - Real Learning// project, 2006) [] · //Eduversal Studios // – Virtual Worlds in VET, Canberra Institute of Technology (http://eduversal-studios.wikispaces.com/) //Eduversal Studios // project defined the need for layering of scenarios consistent with the level of abilities of learners. It also informed the need for layering in Educational Design where various models of support are integrated into one. This project also refined the models for Briefing and Debriefing participants using virtual worlds that GippsTAFE instigated in their trial. This multi layering model is being used in the Canberra Institute of Technologies “Virtual Worlds in Health Education” project, which was funded by TSNR scheme, a COAG initiative. The model being developed for this current project uses a three layered approach including: · Scaffolding layers · Blended and Situated learning layer · <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">and over arching Debriefing layer <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Mycosm.com is an invite only virtual platform, unlike Second Life® where anyone can join; this allows a tight control of the environment and the people/avatars that participate in the scenarios. The virtual environment is used for scenario driven synchronous interactions. These scenarios are learning and assessment specific to a subject or element of a competency and are situated in a workplace setting. For example: a scenario with an Allied health worker in physiotherapy working with a patient, a spouse, and a physiotherapist to implement a stroke recovery program in a rehabilitation centre. Virtual worlds have the added benefit of providing a meaningful, immersive and engaging environment where teachers and students benefit by being brought up to a peer level (elevated) rather than a student teacher interaction. The virtual workplace scenarios provide a level of engagement, similar to a practicum placement in a rehabilitation centre, but there are no distractions in the virtual environment which allows the participants to focus just on the scenario provided. Health professionals are being used to help with the shortage of clinical practicum placement of the Allied Health students, the use of these professionals reinforce the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed in this industry sector. Health professionals benefit by being in a teaching and learning environment and it changes their //modus operandi// from a patient focus to a student focus.
 * Abstract **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Background **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Virtual World Platforms **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Scaffolding in education works like scaffolding in the construction industry; in construction it is used to support a structure as it is being built but is taken away when the building is completed. The object of using a scaffolding model is to develop the students into a self-reliant learner and the achievement of competency (Pahl, 2002). The scenarios are designed in a constructivist model (Darvasi, 2008): <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The scenarios are authentic and the learning goal encourages “ownership” by the learner <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Understanding is developed through interactive experiences in an authentic learning environment <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Knowledge evolves through social negotiation and collaborative learning <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Learners are aided by scaffolding and “just in time” information Wilson (2008) expands on this model with the addition of: <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Extending student understanding – teachers sequence activities, provide individualized support and guidance, and allow students necessary time to process and benefit from the support. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Temporary support – Scaffolds will decrease in level and intensity as students construct their own connections and understanding. <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Focus – Tasks must satisfy curriculum requirements but they must also be designed to meet the needs of a variety of learners at different levels. By starting our scenarios at a basic level and building to an advanced level we have been able to incorporate all of the effective scaffolding criteria (Wilson, 2008). <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Intentionality: The task has a clear overall purpose to the learner requiring individual contribution to the whole <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Appropriateness: Instructional tasks should build upon prior knowledge and should be appropriately challenging to the student <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">3. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Structure: The learning environment is structured to present appropriate approaches to the task and lead to a natural sequence of thought and language <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">4. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Collaboration: The teacher’s primary role is collaborative rather than evaluative as tasks are solved jointly in the course of instructional interaction <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">5. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Internalization: As students internalize new procedures, external scaffolding for the activity is gradually withdrawn. Using a virtual environment with teacher interaction we have used two types of scaffolding (Wilson, 2008). //Designed In Scaffolding// we have sequenced our activities to connect previous knowledge to new knowledge and //Point of Need Scaffolding// our scenarios and interactions are designed that they can be paused if a teacher recognises a “//teacher moment//”, this allows questions to be answered, concepts to be pointed out and assistance given if needed. Keeping within the //Designed in scaffolding// model we have three scaffolding layers: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The first layer is for support with learning scenarios, teaching the participants how to move and function in a virtual environment. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The second layer starts with simple one to one scenarios, these can be with or without teacher participation to help the participants to become immersed in the roles and be able to develop their role playing skills in a safe, non judgemental environment. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">3. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The third level of scaffolding is where the support starts to be removed, the participant gets the opportunity to “show off” these skills and knowledge, in more complex multiplayer scenarios. While all scenarios can be used for assessment purposes, the first two levels can be used to assess elements of a competency. The more complex multiplayer scenarios can be used for whole competency assessment or for the recognition of prior learning. Teacher training to facilitate and train in a virtual environment has also a scaffolding component. This process starts with the teacher participating in simple scenarios, with lots of instructor support, and moving to them designing and delivering multiplayer scenarios.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Pulling apart the layers **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Scaffolding layer (Contructionivism) **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">By designing our virtual environment to be a legitimate workplace the participants will become involved in a “community of practice” (Wenger, no date). A “community of practice” has three crucial characteristics: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The domain: in our environments the participants all have a shared goal, to develop knowledge and skills for a set outcome. All participants come to the domain or the virtual environment with their own sets of skills and knowledge (ranging from beginners to professionals) and as a collective they have the range of skills and knowledge to achieve and outcome <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The community: within the environment and the scenarios the participants engage in joint activities and discussion to help each other. These environments enable all participants to build relationships that enable them to learn from each other. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">3. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The practice: In this case we are bringing together a group of practitioners (who are at different stages in their development, skill and knowledge), who are able to share ideas and resources. The practice is evident in the experiences, stories and tools that are used to help achieve an outcome ergo a shared practice. This is not a new theory Lave & Wenger (1991) called the process “legitimate peripheral participation”. Basically legitimate peripheral participation means that when you put professionals and beginner together, the beginner will learn by watching and working with the professional. One of the driving forces behind this project was the lack of practicum places for the Allied Health Assistant students. By setting up legitimate scenarios in a workplace environment and inviting professionals from around the country to participant in the skill and knowledge development and to help with the assessment process we are going to be able to reduce the hours of practicum in a hospital, private practice or nursing home which in turn reduces the burden on them. This situated learning or experiential learning also encourages serendipitous learning, meaning that while the students/participants are in a world playing in a scenario they will learn and develop skills without knowing it, this is where the debriefing stage is important to highlight these skills and bring them to the students/participants attention. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The virtual world component of learning in this instance is using a blended delivery model. The briefing part, prior to in world activities, is the building of the underpinning knowledge; this can happen in a classroom situation, online or by a distance model. The in brief is where the students are given their role in the scenarios; the student is then required to research the characteristics of their role so they will be able to act appropriately in the role play. The post scenario debrief is the most important part of the learning. This is where critical reflection (Brookfield, 1995) is employed. Brookfield’s model of critical reflection focuses on three interrelated processes; <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">1. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The process by which adults question and then replace or reframe an assumption that up to this point has been uncritically accepted as representing commonsense wisdom <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">2. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The process through which adults take alternative perspective on previously taken for granted ides, actions, forms of reasoning and ideologies, and <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msolist: Ignore;">3. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">The process by which adults come to recognise the hegemonic aspects of dominant cultural values and understand how self-evident renderings of the ‘natural’ state of the world actually bolster the power and self-interest of unrepresentative minorities. This debriefing process will allow the teacher to guide the students through the experiences by focusing on their actions, thoughts, values and beliefs and moving to how this experience and the skills they have developed will change their behaviour and beliefs when dealing with similar situations in the future. The nature of the scenarios that have been developed range from basic workplace behaviour to risky or volatile situations that call into play all of their skills and knowledge so far. We acknowledge that putting students into risky or volatile situations is not without risk to the student’s, to combat this we have developed an emergency exit procedure (Fig 1).
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Situated Learning (Legitimate peripheral participation) **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Briefing (Cognitive) **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Figure 1 **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Emergency Exit || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Conventional Exit ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Every participant – learner, teacher or observer – has the opportunity to make an emergency exit during each scenario. This provides them with a means to remove them from an uncomfortable situation.

The Participant has the opportunity to discuss their experience with the coordinator/teacher at a time that is suitable to both.

It is important to debrief after an immersive and engaging experience as you need to disassociate yourself from the exercise and to be aware that there could be residual effect long after the exercise.

Your coordinator/teacher respects your needs. Please use the debrief, for the purpose in which it is intended, as a means of supporting your own welfare.

To emergency exit either removes your avatar from the area or logs you out of the world. || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">At the end of a scenario the participant will have the opportunity to debrief with the coordinator/teacher.

This is an essential part of the Virtual World experience as you will need to discuss others things such as: <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">How the exercise made you feel <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">What have you learned <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">How your attitudes have been challenged <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">What it was like to role play someone different from yourself <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Things you noticed about being in this simulated environment <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">How this experience helps you prepare for a real workplace environment <span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; msobidifontfamily: Symbol; msofareastfontfamily: Symbol; msolist: Ignore;">· <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">How this experience provides you with feedback on your performance

For a conventional exit, wait until the role play has finished and then meet at the pre arranged venue, either in or out of the world. ||

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">While this approach to virtual environments is not totally new, Gipps TAFE Verbl project (2008) focused on the risky situations virtual world, we have added to this project/research by using scaffolding to engage and develop the students. We consciously chose not to use a virtual environment like Second Life® because we wanted to isolate the students and keep the purity of the scenarios by eliminating the incidental interactions with other avatars. By using a three pronged layered design (Scaffolding, situated learning and debriefing) we are able to create an immersive workplace were students, professionals and teachers can interact in a structured scenario with a specific outcome, that allows all participants to exit the process with more skills and knowledge than when they entered. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">“Communities of practice //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">” Etienne Wenger (no date) [] GippsTAFE trial of //Second Life// for two teaching areas (//Virtual Worlds - Real Learning// project, 2006) [] //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Eduversal Studios //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> – Virtual Worlds in VET, Canberra Institute of Technology (http://eduversal-studios.wikispaces.com/) Pahl,C. (2002). An Evaluation of Scaffolding for Virtual Interactive Tutorials. In G. Richards (Ed.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2002 (pp. 740 – 746). Chesapeake, VA:AACE Darvasi, P. (2008). 3D Virtual Learning Environments. [] Wilson, S. (2008). Componenets of Cognitive Apprenticeship: Scaffolding. [] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Brookfield, S. (1995) Adult Learning: An Overview. In A. Tuinjman (ed.) (1995). International Encyclopaedia of Education, Oxford Pergamon Press.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Conclusion **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">References **