This study examined participatory simulation-based learning of teaching in a virtual reality (VR) supported learning environment and its affordance for alternative perspectives taking. This VR-supported, embodiment-integrated learning environment is designed to enable collaborative and contextualized microteaching practicing by university teaching…

This study compares online simulation in Second Life® (Linden Labs, San Francisco, California, USA) with equivalent face-to-face activities for three scenarios. The intention was that the three sets of activities would increase participant awareness of how psychology is applied in relation to work-based contexts. These were a Dragons' Den-style…

This paper presents empirical results from an exploratory study conducted in an authentic educational situation with preservice education students enrolled in an undergraduate course, which was partially taught in Second Life. The study investigated the effect of environment design on presence, learning outcomes and the overall experience of the…

The emergence of new technologies such as three-dimensional virtual worlds brings new opportunities for teaching and learning. We conducted an action research approach to the analysis of how teaching and learning of computer programming at the university level could be developed within the Second Life virtual world. Results support the notion that…

In this paper, we review past empirical research studies on the use of three-dimensional immersive virtual worlds in education settings such as K-12 and higher education. Three questions guided our review: (1) How are virtual worlds (eg, "Active Worlds", "Second Life") used by students and teachers? (2) What types of research methods have been…

An experimental study involving 30 undergraduates (mean age = 20.5 years) in mental rotation (MR) training was conducted in an interactive Desktop Mental Rotation Trainer (iDeMRT). Stratified random sampling assigned students into one experimental group and one control group. The former trained in iDeMRT and the latter trained in conventional…