The document discusses the benefits of learning in virtual world environments. It notes that learning was enhanced through features like social interactions, testing hypotheses, relevance to real world, using multiple abilities and skills, stimulating imagination and creativity, and a sense of presence. Gamification is also discussed, with studies finding that simulation games led to greater learning improvements compared to traditional methods, and that games are a natural way to learn that improves critical thinking. Games are appealing as they provide goals, rules, sub-goals that build learning, and success depends on skill levels. They allow obtaining rewards, failing and repeating, building on knowledge, and controlling time investment.

1. Lessons from the Literature

2. Major Characteristics

3. Learning was enhanced by several of SL’s features
combined with the project-based instructional design
and included
(a) the capacity to host social interactions
and collaborations,
(b) the capacity to allow users to test
hypotheses actively,
(c) the relevance of their project to the
real world,
(d) the opportunity for students to use multiple
abilities and skills,
(e) the stimulation of imagination, exploration
and creativity, and
(f) an increased sense of personal presence
and tangible experiences.”

4. Benefits of learning in virtual world environments

5. Benefits of learning in virtual world environments

7. Benefits of learning in virtual world environments

8. Does it work?

9. General advice

10. General advice

11. General advice

12. Instructional Design

13. Selecting the appropriate platform

14. What works well in MUVES

15. GAMIFICATION

16. GAMIFICATION

17. GAMIFICATION
 Aldrich (2009, p.5) reports two cases
where students learnt by simulation games
while a control group learnt by the
traditional methods. Testing revealed
significantly greater improvement for those
who learnt by simulation games over those
who did not. In one of the cases cited, the
students who learnt using the simulation
had significantly greater recall and
application after 6 months.

18. GAMIFICATION
 “Games are a more natural way to learn
than traditional classrooms and are the
‘most ancient and time-honoured vehicle
for education’” (Aldrich, 2009b, p. 5).

19. GAMIFICATION
 “Maybe the most compelling reason to
adopt gaming technology is that is
improves critical thinking and literacy.
Players must take on new identities, solve
problems through trial and error, and gain
expertise or specific types of literacies to
be successful in a game. A player learns to
think critically while at the same time
gaining embodied knowledge through
interactions with the
environment.”(Annetta, Folta, & Klesath,
2010, p. 31)

20. GAMIFICATION
Annetta et al (2010) also give reasons why
games are so appealing and successful:
 Provide specific goals
 Clear rules
 Sub-goals (or levels) that, once completed,
lead to success
 Final task builds on previous learning
obtained through achievement of sub-goals
 Ultimate success depends upon
demonstrating a specific learning/skill level
that enables them to achieve the ultimate
goal

21. GAMIFICATION
Games based learning allows the
participant to (Annetta et al (2010) :
 Obtain rewards based on achievements
 Fail, evaluate and repeat
 Build on previous knowledge
 Control their time investment - stop and
continue later from the same or an
appropriate place

22. GA