Announcing the release of:

LEARNING IN VIRTUAL WORLDS: RESEARCH AND APPLICATIONS

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

With a Foreword by Chris Dede, Harvard University, USA

Part of the "Issues in Distance Education" series
(Series Editor: Terry Anderson, Athabasca University, Canada)

Published by Athabasca University Press as an open-access publication—
Free PDF download available at: http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120254
Also available for purchase in Paperback and ePub formats


*** Description ***

Three-dimensional (3D) immersive virtual worlds have been touted as being capable of facilitating highly interactive, engaging, multimodal learning experiences. Much of the evidence gathered to support these claims has been anecdotal but the potential that these environments hold to solve traditional problems in online and technology-mediated education—primarily learner isolation and student disengagement—has resulted in considerable investments in virtual world platforms like Second Life, OpenSimulator, and Open Wonderland by both professors and institutions. To justify this ongoing and sustained investment, institutions and proponents of simulated learning environments must assemble a robust body of evidence that illustrates the most effective use of this powerful learning tool.

In this authoritative collection, a team of international experts outline the emerging trends and developments in the use of 3D virtual worlds for teaching and learning. They explore aspects of learner interaction with virtual worlds, such as user wayfinding in Second Life, communication modes and perceived presence, and accessibility issues for elderly or disabled learners. They also examine advanced technologies that hold potential for the enhancement of learner immersion and discuss best practices in the design and implementation of virtual world-based learning interventions and tasks. By evaluating and documenting different methods, approaches, and strategies, the contributors to Learning in Virtual Worlds offer important information and insight to both scholars and practitioners in the field. 


*** About the Editors ***

- Sue Gregory, associate professor and chair of research in the School of Education at the University of New England, Australia, lectures in ICT education, conducts research on the use of virtual worlds for learning and teaching, and leads the Australia and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group.

- Mark J.W. Lee, adjunct senior lecturer with the School of Education at Charles Sturt University, Australia and honorary senior research fellow with the School of Science, Information Technology and Engineering at Federation University Australia, has broad interests in learning sciences and technology, with a current focus on creative and playful pedagogies that transcend multiple spaces, temporalities, and/or modalities. He was previously editor-in-chief of MERLOT's Journal of Online Learning and Teaching.

- Barney Dalgarno, professor/co-director of the uImagine Digital Learning Innovation Laboratory at Charles Sturt University, Australia and co-lead editor of the Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, has received national and international recognition for his innovative research, teaching, and learning design using leading-edge technologies.

- Belinda Tynan, pro vice-chancellor (learning and teaching) at The Open University in the United Kingdom, has held management positions at higher education institutions in four countries across three continents and over the years has attracted considerable grant funding as well as been responsible for multiple, large-scale innovation projects.


*** Contributors ***

- Paul M. Baker, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
- Francesca Bertacchini,Università della Calabria, Italy
- Leanne Cameron, Australian Catholic University, Australia
- Chris Campbell, The University of Queensland, Australia
- Helen S. Farley, University of Southern Queensland, Australia
- Laura Fedeli, University of Macerata, Italy
- Sue Gregory, University of New England, Australia
- Christopher Hardy, ENER-G Holdings Plc, UK
- Bob Heller, Athabasca University, Canada
- Vicki Knox, University of New England, Australia
- Shailey Minocha, The Open University, UK
- Jessica Pater, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
- Margarita Pérez García, UK
- Mike Procter, Athabasca University, Canada
- Torsten Reiners, Curtin University, Australia
- Paul Resta, University of Texas at Austin, USA
- Corbin Rose, Canada
- Miri Shonfeld, Mofet Institute and Kibbutzim College of Education, Israel
- Ann Smith, Cardiff University, UK
- Layla F. Tabatabaie, BarterSugar, USA
- Assunta Tavernise, Università della Calabria, Italy
- Robert L. Todd, Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
- Steven Warburton, University of Surrey, UK
- Stephany F. Wilkes, West by Midwest, USA


*** For More Information ***

A flyer containing further details about the book, including a copy of the Table of Contents, is attached. The full text of the entire book and of individual chapters can be downloaded for free in PDF format at http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120254 . The PDF and ePub versions can also be purchased from this site.
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