Improving Learning
Outcomes with
VIRTUAL WORLD
TECHNOLOGY

A Little About Virtual Worlds

When are Virtual Worlds
Appropriate for Learning?
• Practice in context
• Higher order skills
• Complex decision-
making
• Social learning
• Geographical
limitations

Virtual Worlds &
Effective Learning
• Modality principle: audio narration, not on-
screen text, should drive instruction
• Redundancy principle: on-screen text should
key-point the narration, not provide a transcript
• Seductive augmentation principle: don't use
extraneous, distracting sound or visuals
Blog link: http://learningintandem.blogspot.com/2008/10/intersection-of-adult-learning.html

Virtual Worlds &
Effective Learning
• Personalization principle: use a conversational
style
• Practice principle: use interactive learning
exercises to foster comprehension and anchor in
long-term memory
• Spacing principle: interactive learning
exercises should be distributed throughout a
lesson, and ideally spaced out over time
Blog link: http://learningintandem.blogspot.com/2008/10/intersection-of-adult-learning.html

Virtual Worlds &
Effective Learning
• Response contingent feedback principle:
write interactive learning exercise answer
feedback that is tailored to a learner's specific
answer
• Analogical learning principle: use analogies or
comparisons to increase comprehension
• Mnemonic principle: use mnemonics to
encode learning to long-term memory
Blog link: http://learningintandem.blogspot.com/2008/10/intersection-of-adult-learning.html

What Does This Look Like?
• Traditional curriculum
• Immersive curriculum in a virtual world

Virtual Meetings
• IBM recently announced cost savings and
plans for all conferences in virtual worlds
• Opportunities for collaboration and community
building, large and small

Immersive Learning Simulations

Serious Games
• Competitive play in realistic scenarios
• Single or multi-player

Types of Effective Interactive
Content
• Collaboration
• Process Improvement
• Communication Skills

Knowledge Management
• Data tracking as a subset of immersive
learning
• Recording interaction (text, audio, video)
• Analysis for learning needs based on
performance data

To Avatar or Not to Avatar
• Sense of self
• Ease of navigation
• Necessary for the learning goals?

Virtual Learning Communities
• Integration of social media tools
• Participation in events
• Development of shared common experiences

Design Considerations for
Learning in Virtual Worlds
• Adult learning principles are still relevant
• Gender considerations
• Generational considerations
• Privacy/security considerations
• Trust in virtual worlds

Technology Considerations for
Learning in Virtual Worlds
• Instructional design
• Social networking
• Gaming
• Programming/development
• Knowledge management/LMS

Virtual World Platforms
for Learning
• Think beyond Second Life…
– Protosphere
– OLIVE
– Multiverse
– VastPark
– OpenSim
– Lots and lots of others…
• Do you really need a Virtual World?

Obstacles for Implementation
• Cost (or perception of cost)
• Navigation learning curve
• Comfort with traditional learning models
• Technology considerations
• Learner demographics

All About Me
Koreen Olbrish, CEO, Tandem Learning
• koreen.olbrish@tandem-learning.com
• SL: Nina Sommerfleck
• Twitter: @koreenolbrish
• Blog: www.blogspot.com/learningintandem
• Website: www.tandem-learning.com