The following is a bibliography, abstract, and select quotes from:
Abstract
Quest Atlantis (QA) is a learning and teaching project that uses a 3D virtual environment to immerse children, ages 8-15, in educational tasks. It allows users to travel to virtual places to perform educational activities known as Quests. The core elements of QA are: 1) a 3D multi-user virtual environment (MUVE), 2) inquiry learning Quests and unit plans, 3) a storyline involving a mythical Council and a set of social commitments, and 4) a globally-distributed community of participants (Barab, Arici, & Jackson, 2005). These inherently engaging environments are natural motivators for this age-level student, who can be considered members of the Club Penguin generation. To determine the perspectives of the users, themselves, a survey was conducted with a group of 35 gifted elementary students. The results, gathered through both closed and open-ended questions, identified the strengths and limitations of this media as a viable pedagogy for teaching more traditional content area subjects. Teacher observations of student behavior both in the real life classroom and in the online environment present additional insights how digital natives engage in and interact with this media. Implications for using virtual worlds such as Quest Atlantis for distance learning of upper elementary students are proposed.
Select Quotes
- “Online learning’s capacity to foster interaction and collaboration among a diverse and geographically dispersed group of students is among its most positive attributes (Watson & Gemin, 2008)” (p. 13).
- “When given the opportunity to work alone or with other students, students in this age group almost always choose to work with others” (p. 13).
- Anderson, C. (2008). Virtual world webquests: Principle elements of research supported learning experiences within virtual learning environments. Lulu. Retrieved from http://www.lulu.com/content/2287172.
- Dede, C., Nelson, B., Ketelhut, D., Clarke, J., & Bowman, C. (2004). Design-based research strategies for studying situated learning in a multi-user virtual environment. Paper presented at the 2004 International Conference on Learning Sciences. Mahweh, NJ.
- Jonassen, D. H., Peck, K. L., & Wilson, B. G. (1999). Learning with technology: A constructivist perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
- Watson, J. & Gemin, G. (2008). Promising practices in online learning: Using online learning for at-risk students and credit recovery. Retrieved from http://www.inacol.org/.