Case Study - Virtual Worlds and Learning Analytics

A Case Study inside Virtual WorldsUsing Analytics for immersive spaces

Short Paper submitted at LAK13 Vanessa Camilleri, Sara de Freitas, Matthew Montebello, Paul McDonagh-Smith

Overview

• Building the case

• VWs: Immersion & Engagement

• Using Models for Predictions

• Analytics: Tracing the Steps

• Making Sense out of Data

• Implications

• Conclusion10/04/2013 LAK13 2

Introduction: building the case

• Pre-service teachers and technology

• Attitudes & beliefs

• Experience or lack of

• Teacher training programs

• Our problem: Engage through activity

• Our proposal: Immersion through use of 3D spaces

10/04/2013 LAK13 3

VWs: Immersion & Engagement

• Immersion: Dede & Barab (2009) – more focused on learner experience, less on tools

• Immersion: Calleja (2011) – not overly dependent on fidelity but more on emotions generated

• Immersion: Dede (2009) & Freedman (2011) – situated, authentic learning experiences

10/04/2013 LAK13 4

VWs: Immersion & Engagement

• Engagement: Csìkszentmihàlyi (1991) – reaching the optimal ‘flow’ between challenge and boredom

• Engagement: Portelli & McMahon (2004) – learner achieves a deeper level of critical inquiry; learner is autonomous and responsible for learning

10/04/2013 LAK13 5

Using Models for Predictions

• Virtual Worlds – building on the exploratory framework model (de Freitas & Oliver, 2006)

• Technology acceptance – building on the TAM (technology acceptance model) (Davis, 1993)

10/04/2013 LAK13 6

TAM (Davis, 1993)

Exploratory Framework (de Freitas & Oliver, 2006)

Analytics: Tracing the steps

• Analytics: Siemens (2010)learner-produced data to discover information and social connections

• Our case study: With a degree of flexibility, and just in time learning environment, what connections have our learners established?

10/04/2013 LAK13 7

Analytics: Tracing the steps

10/04/2013 LAK13 8

Making sense out of data

• Social Connections + Interactions (analytics)

• Changes in Attitudes (pre/post-test surveys)

• Reflections (focus groups)

• Assessment (theoretical reflective paper)

10/04/2013 LAK13 9

Implications

• How do we measure and predict engagement at a ‘deeper’ level given the notions of autonomous learning, using an exploratory learning framework inside an immersive 3D environment?

10/04/2013 LAK13 10

Conclusions

• How can we use data to monitor how the learner progresses inside the 3D space, and how can the 3D space adapt itself to the data generated by the learner?

• Finally can we design a predictive model, that would enable us to determine changes in real world behavior arising from the virtual world interactions?

10/04/2013 LAK13 11

Thank youContact: [email protected]

10/04/2013 LAK13 12

References

Calleja, G. (2011). In-Game: from immersion to incorporation. London, UK: MIT Press.

Csìkszentmihàlyi, M. (1991). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York, USA: HarperCollins Publisher Inc.

Davis, F. (1993). User Acceptance of Information Technology: system characteristics, user perceptions and behavioural impacts. International Journal of Man-Machine Studies , 475-487.

de Freitas, S., & Oliver, M. (2006). How can exploratory learning with games and simulations within the curriculum be most effectively evaluated? Computers & Education (46), 249-264.

Dede, C. (2009). Immersive Interfaces for Engagement and Learning . Science , 323, 66-69.

Dede, C., & Barab, S. (2009). Emerging Technologies for Learning Science: A Time of Rapid Advances. Journal of Scientific Educational Technology , 18, 301–304.

Freedman, T. (2011). Authentic Learning and ICT. Retrieved June 2011, from ICT in Education: http://www.ictineducation.org/home-page/2011/6/16/authentic-learning-and-ict.html

Portelli, J., & McMahon, B. (2004). Why Critical-Democratic Engagement? . Journal of Maltese Education Research , 2 (2), 39-45.

Siemens, G. (2010). What are Learning Analytics? Retrieved 2012, from ELEARNSPACE: http://www.elearnspace.org/blog/2010/08/25/what-are-learning-analytics/

10/04/2013 LAK13 13