(Re-posting with the correct links!)

Announcing the publication of the following title (now available for pre-order):

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VIRTUAL WORLDS FOR ONLINE LEARNING: CASES AND APPLICATIONS

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Edited by:
Sue Gregory, University of New England, Australia
Mark J. W. Lee, Charles Sturt University, Australia
Barney Dalgarno, Charles Sturt University, Australia
Belinda Tynan, The Open University, UK

Published by Nova Science Publishers

http://bit.ly/1FtzlxK (Hardcover - ISBN: 978-1-63482-149-0)
http://bit.ly/1G4Ny8a (Ebook - ISBN: 978-1-63482-194-0)

* Description *

This book showcases contemporary examples of three-dimensional virtual world use for Internet and web-mediated tertiary education from across the globe that cut across a range of disciplinary contexts and settings. By doing so, it seeks to promote scholarly dialogue as well as to assist the development and dissemination of good practice and best practices in the field. While there have been a number of other volumes published on virtual worlds and learning, many were written prior to the existence of mature applications and thus consist largely of early proof-of-concept reports; a number of practical or “how-to” guides for teachers considering using virtual worlds in their teaching have also been produced that have to do with either the technology or learning design. In general, much of what is available in the area is “show and tell” and does not engage deeply with theory or with key researchable questions and issues.

This book is unique in the way it combines analysis and discussion of recent theoretical and empirical research with descriptive accounts and evaluations of exemplary and innovative discipline-based applications, all of which are focused on factors influencing the successful uptake and use of virtual worlds in online learning at universities and colleges.

The book is a useful resource for educators with an interest in virtual worlds, irrespective of their level of experience and/or proficiency. The collection of exemplars presented will not only expose newcomers to the potential and possibilities of the technology but will also alert them to the problems and pitfalls of whose existence they need to be mindful of as they make their foray into the educational virtual worlds arena. Potential solutions and mitigating strategies for many of the common problems are suggested as well. For those who are more seasoned virtual world users, they will benefit from the evidence-based perspectives offered and from opportunities to situate their practice within the scholarly knowledge base, comparing their own experiences with those of others and learning from the stories, vignettes, insights, and reflections being shared. Novices and veterans alike will find the book valuable in helping them manufacture a sustainable business case to put forth to their managers and in their quests to champion investment in virtual worlds at their institutions.

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"While ... more work is clearly needed to make learning-led design in virtual worlds even more effective, this important volume brings together the most up-to-date research and shows incremental advances in our knowledge base ... Learning is no longer a case of regurgitating facts and figures; today, we can be more creative and ambitious in what our students can experience, and we can make things come alive. This volume helps us to evaluate how important education is to us and the many ways in which we can craft learning experiences to support an individual’s development."
- Professor Sara de Freitas FRSA, Pro Vice-Chancellor Learning and Teaching, Murdoch University, Australia 
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* Topics Covered *

- Virtual worlds in pre-service teacher education
- Virtual worlds in foreign language learning
- Virtual worlds in library and information science
- Virtual worlds in ethics training
- Virtual worlds in emergency management training
- Virtual worlds in technical communication education
- Virtual worlds in academic staff/faculty development
- Virtual worlds in music education
- Virtual worlds in psychology education
- Virtual worlds in architectural design education

For more information about Virtual Worlds for Online Learning: Cases and Applications, and to view the Table of Contents, go to https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_idS765 (Hardcover version) or https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_idS820 (Ebook version).

* About the Editors *

Sue Gregory is an Associate Professor and Chair of Research in the School of Education at the University of New England, Australia, where she lectures in ICT education. She is responsible for leading and driving research within the School and training education students on how to incorporate technology into their teaching. She is a long-term adult educator and her research is focused on adult learning, authenticity, engagement, immersion, impact, and the efficacy of virtual worlds for education.

Mark J. W. Lee is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer with the School of Education at Charles Sturt University, Australia and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow with the School of Engineering and Information Technology at Federation University Australia. He has published widely in the areas of educational technology, online learning and teaching, and innovative pedagogy in higher education, with 70 refereed publications to his name. From 2012 to 2014 he served as the editor-in-chief of MERLOT's Journal of Online Learning and Teaching.

Barney Dalgarno is a Professor and Co-Director of uImagine, a Digital Learning Innovation Laboratory at Charles Sturt University, Australia. His research interests are captured by the overarching question, “How can learning be improved through the use of technology?”. As well as being awarded a number of research and teaching grants, he has received national recognition through awards for innovative teaching and learning design using leading-edge technologies. He is a co-editor of the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology.

Belinda Tynan is Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) at The Open University in the United Kingdom. She has held numerous managerial positions at universities and colleges in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., and Singapore, and she has attracted considerable grant funding and been responsible for multiple innovation projects. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications and is on the Editorial Board of Open Learning: the Journal of Open Distance and e-Learning.

* Contributors *

Thierry Chanier, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Andrew Cram, Australian College of Physical Education, Australia
Robert Crow, Western Carolina University, USA
Barney Dalgarno, Charles Sturt University, Australia
Geoff Dick, Georgia Southern University, USA
John David N. Dionisio, Loyola Marymount University, USA
Allan Ellis, Southern Cross University, Australia
Anne-Laure Foucher, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Patricia C. Franks, San Jose State University, USA
Brande Hall Gex, San Jose State University, USA
Richard L. Gilbert, Loyola Marymount University, USA
Angela Giovanangeli, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
Maree Gosper, Macquarie University, Australia
Sue Gregory, University of New England, Australia
John G. Hedberg, Macquarie University, Australia
Lisa Jacka, Southern Cross University, Australia
Dan Keast, University of Texas of the Permian Basin, USA
Vicki Knox, University of New England, Australia
Yvonne Masters, University of New England, Australia
Rochell R. McWhorter, University of Texas at Tyler, USA
Charlene A. Merritt, Western Carolina University, USA
Nora A. Murphy, Loyola Marymount University, USA
Caroline Newton, University College London, UK
Meg O’Reilly, Southern Cross University, Australia
Burak Pak, KU Leuven, Belgium
Cindy M. Raisor, Texas A&M University, USA
Torsten Reiners, Curtin University, Australia
Christine Rodrigues, Université Blaise Pascal, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Ciara Rachel Wigham, Université Lumière Lyon 2, France

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Please consider recommending Virtual Worlds for Online Learning: Cases and Applications to your librarian.
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