Vad är Second Life? En värld på Internet som fungerar likt ett socialt nätverk men till skillnad från andra virtuella världar är det inte ett spel. Det är en förlängning av verkligheten. Man vinner ingenting i Second Life, förutom nya bekantskaper och fascinerande upplevelser i en vacker tredimensionell miljö. Den uppdaterade versionen av Internet har suddat ut gränserna mellan användare och producent. Second Life är ett resultat av samspelet mellan virtuell värld och verklighet. Den virtuella världens genombrott på webben är här.

Virtual reality-based instruction such as virtual worlds, games, and simulations are becoming very popular in K-12 and higher education. Three manuscripts that report the results of investigations of these increasingly prevalent instructional media were developed for this dissertation. The purpose of the first study, a meta-analysis, was to analyze the instructional effectiveness of virtual reality-based instruction when compared to the traditional methods of instruction. In addition, this study also explored selected instructional design features of the virtual learning environment that moderated the relationship between instructional method and the academic achievements. Analyses of 63 experimental or quasi-experimental studies that studied learning outcomes of virtual reality-based instruction in K-12 or higher education settings yielded a mean effect size of g = 0.47 (SE = 0.02) suggesting that virtual reality-based instruction is an effective medium of delivering instruction. Further analyses examined factors that influence its effectiveness. The purpose of the second study was to examine a model of the impact of a 3-D desktop virtual reality environment on the learner characteristics (i.e. perceptual and psychological variables) that can enhance chemistry-related learning achievements in an introductory college chemistry class. A theoretical model of the relationships of features of 3-D virtual reality environments and students' experiences in the environments to outcomes on a chemistry learning test and measures of spatial ability and self-efficacy was tested using structural equation modeling. Usability strongly mediated the relationship between 3-D virtual reality features, spatial orientation, self-efficacy, and presence. Spatial orientation and self-efficacy had a statistically significant, positive impact on the chemistry learning test. The purpose of the third study was to investigate the potential of Second Life (SL), a 3-D virtual world, to enhance undergraduate students? learning of a foundational chemistry concept, spatial ability, and self-efficacy. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used. A total of 387 participants completed three assignment activities either in Second Life or using 2-D images. The difference between the scores of 3-D virtual environment-based group and the 2-D images-based group was not statistically significant for any of the measures.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-102).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, May, 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Σκοπός της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η παρουσίαση ενός σοβαρού εκπαιδευτικού ηλεκτρονικού παιχνιδιού και η αξιολόγηση από τη χρήση του από Έλληνες χρήστες και συγκεκριμένα από μια διαδικτυακή ελληνική κοινότητα του Second Life. Αυτή η εργασία ξεκινάει αναλύοντας θεωρίες για περιβάλλοντα μάθησης και μιας γενικότερης θεωρίας μάθησης στην έννοια των εν λόγω περιβάλλοντων μάθησης. Οι απαιτήσεις που παρουσιάζονται, συγκεντρώνονται σε μια ολοκληρωμένη λίστα για ένα εκπαιδευτικό περιβάλλον. Παρουσιάζονται εκπαιδευτικές θεωρίες, μοντέλα και μεθοδολογίες, μαζί με μερικούς πιθανούς τρόπους όπου το ηλεκτρονικό παιχνίδι θα μπορούσε να ενισχύσει την εφαρμογή τους. Αναφέρονται διαφορετικοί τρόποι μάθησης και οι απαιτήσεις από την έρευνα για τα μαθησιακά περιβάλλοντα. Στη συνέχεια αναλύεται η καταλληλότητα των ηλεκτρονικών παιχνιδιών ως εκπαιδευτικά εργαλεία με μεγαλύτερη αξιοπιστία σε συνδυασμό με τις απαιτήσεις για τα μαθησιακά περιβάλλοντα. Αναφέρονται οι κοινωνικές πτυχές των εν λόγω παιχνιδιών που λαμβάνουν περισσότερη προσοχή κατά την αξιολόγηση των εκπαιδευτικών τους προσόντων. Έπειτα, παρουσιάζεται το σοβαρό εκπαιδευτικό ηλεκτρονικό παιχνίδι Second Life, τα τεχνικά χαρακτηριστικά του, το περιβάλλον του, ο τρόπος λειτουργίας του καθώς και το μοντέλο μαθητή που εμφανίζεται μέσα στο παιχνίδι. Τέλος, παρουσιάζονται τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας που έγιναν για Έλληνες χρήστες του Second Life, τα βασικά χαρακτηριστικά τους μέσα στον εικονικό κόσμο αλλά και πως ο εικονικός αυτός κόσμος αποτελεί ένα ιδιαίτερο χώρο ανάπτυξης κοινωνικών σχέσεων, ο οποίος εκφράζοντας μια δική του δυναμική, ως χώρος έκφρασης της ελεύθερης φαντασίας, στη συνέχεια επηρεάζει και έχει αποτελέσματα και στο φυσικό κόσμο και τις εκεί κοινωνικές σχέσεις και την εκπαίδευση. / The aim of this thesis is to present a serious educational computer game and the evaluation of its use by Greek users and specifically from a Greek online community of Second Life. This master thesis begins by analyzing theories about learning environments and a general learning theory in the sense of these learning environments. The requirements which are presented, they are collected together under a comprehensive list for an educational environment. There are presented educational theories, models and methodologies, with some possible ways in which computer gaming could strengthen their application. There are mentioned different ways of learning and the requirements from the research on learning environments. Then, the suitability of computer games is analyzed as educational tools with greater reliability combined with the requirements for the learning environments. Also, are mentioned the social aspects of these games where we give more attention in the evaluation of their educational qualifications. Also, it is presented the serious educational computer game Second Life, its technical characteristics of its environment, the way it works and the student model that appears in the game. Finally, there are presented the results from research of Greek users of Second Life, their basic features within the virtual world and how this virtual world is a particular area of development of social relations, which expressed its own dynamic, as a space that can be expressed the imagination and then influences and have effects on the natural world, in social relationships and in education.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boise State University, 2009. / Title from t.p. of PDF file (viewed June 22, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 97-102).

Univ., Magister- und Diplomarbeit, 2010--Frankfurt (Main). / Engl. Übers. des Hauptsacht.: "Social reality in "virtual worlds""

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Texas at Dallas, 2008. / Includes vita. Accompanied audiodisc contains files for a variety of sounds. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-176)

abstract: We live in a world of rapidly changing technologies that bathe us in visual images and information, not only challenging us to find connections and make sense of what we are learning, but also allowing us to learn and to collaborate in new ways. Art educators are using one of these new technologies, virtual worlds, to create educational environments and curricula. This study looks at how post-secondary art educators are using Second Life in their undergraduate and graduate level curricula and what perceived benefits, challenges, and unique learning experiences they feel this new educational venue offers. This study uses qualitative and participant observation methodologies, including qualitative interviews, observations, and collection of generated works, to look at the practices of six art educators teaching university level undergraduate and graduate courses. Data are compared internally between the participants and externally by correlating to current research. Art education in Second Life includes many curricula activities and strategies often seen in face-to-face classes, including writing reflections, essays, and papers, creating presentations and Power Points, conducting research, and creating art. Challenges include expense, student frustration and anxiety issues, and the transience of Second Life sites. Among the unique learning experiences are increased opportunities for field trips, student collaboration, access to guest speakers, and the ability to set up experiences not practical or possible in the real world. The experiences of these six art educators can be used as a guide for art educators just beginning exploration of virtual world education and encouragement when looking for new ways to teach that may increase our students' understanding and knowledge and their access and connections to others. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Art 2014

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T23:14:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo436_1.pdf: 3649340 bytes, checksum: 39931745f7e8b41d1496a29f575aff28 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Jornal Folha de Pernambuco / Esta dissertação tem como objetivo estudar as novas configurações que o corpo humano assume no ciberespaço e que questões isso traz para pensarmos as identidades dos sujeitos no mundo contemporâneo. Partimos das experiências propiciadas por um jogo de computador o Second Life (SL) para tentar compreender como os jogadores vêm projetando seus corpos e traços identitários através de avatares. Para tanto, realizamos uma etnografia com observação participante e entrevista em profundidade com 16 indivíduos. Entendemos que tanto o corpo quanto a identidade são produzidos simbolicamente e constatamos que na internet, uma das dimensões constituintes de nossa sociedade, não tem sido diferente. O consumo do corpo e as mutações identitárias que ocorrem em um ambiente simulado como o SL são processos sociotécnicos que nos falam sobre a experiência de estarmos no mundo, transformando e sendo transformados continuamente. No fim da análise, verificamos que o jogo nos oferece uma oportunidade para que possamos customizar plenamente nossos corpos no ritmo e ao sabor dos nossos desejos, sem que seja necessário esforço físico ou cirurgia plástica. Brincamos de ser outra pessoa nos projetando na forma de um avatar, com o benefício de podermos enxergar essa projeção num ângulo de 360 graus e num ambiente tridimensional. Podemos reproduzir padrões de beleza dominantes, mas também podemos questioná-los, regidos unicamente pela imaginação e pela fantasia. Entretanto, seja na dimensão real ou virtual, a sensação de controle absoluto e de rompimento dos limites do corpo é apenas ilusória. Enquanto jogo, o SL é envolvente e nos estimula a fazer coisas que de outro modo não seriam possíveis, como voar e se teletransportar para o outro lado do mundo em questão de segundos. Ou fazer aquilo que não nos permitimos na vida off-line, como encher o braço de tatuagens, usar um cabelo azul, de maneira lúdica e podendo extrair dali algum aprendizado. O jogo acaba sendo um espelho através do qual vivenciamos uma segunda vida e nos lançamos em todo tipo de experimentações corpóreas e identitárias