Content area
Abstract
The inclusion of three-dimensional (3D) virtual tools has created a need to communicate the engagement of 3D tools and specify learning gains that educators and the institutions, which are funding 3D tools, can expect. A review of literature demonstrates that specific models and theories for 3D Virtual Reality (VR) learning do not exist per se. There is a need to determine if constructivist theory, when used as part of the instructional design process, engages learners in a 3D virtual world. Instructional designers would benefit from a research base that clarifies whether constructivism is an integral part of the 3D VR design process. The descriptive study was conducted observing learners in a Spanish 101 Post-secondary course that used the Second Life platform to learn and interact with the content materials. The instructor created a 3D virtual world entitled Mi Casa Es Su Casa, based on a Mexican village where students represented as avatars could interact in the learning environment. From a population of eighteen learners, seven chose to be surveyed using the Survey of Student Engagement tool upon completion of the Mi Casa Es Su Casa project. The study established that males are better at engaging in the 3D VR environment for educational purposes than females. The study also established that the 3D VR tool Second Life could stimulate learner participation and support mental activities such as skill development, knowledge recall, idea formation and synthesis. Both primary and secondary data and information corroborated in answering the study questions that 3D VR in learning material designs and disseminations.
