Topic: Learning by Immersion in an Online Community
T. Andrew Yang
1/7/04
I. Rationale
Computer-Aided Learning has been well studied in the past two decades. Since early 90s, learning by using a virtual reality environment such as MOO (Multi-User Domain Object Oriented) [Purdue ] [TECFA ] has triggered extensive research in interactive immersed learning, where learners may participate at an online game by assuming the role of a player, who may create new rooms and/or objects for an online conversation with other players. With the introduction of World Wide Web (WWW), web-based online community has been created and used for educational purposes [TECFA eduVR ]. The MOOSE Crossing project, for example, is a web-based virtual reality online community that allows kids 13 and under to build together a learning community, by doing which kids expand creative writing skills and learn to program at the same time [GATECH ].
Bruckman has conducted a series of research on learning using online communities, based on the constructivist theory and the sequence of MOOSE based virtual online learning environments [Bruckman/Resnick 1995] [Bruckman 1998] [Bruckman 1999] [Bruckman etc. 2000] [Bruckman 2002].
As observed by Owston, “There is promising indication that the Web is a viable means to increase access to education. Evidence on how it can promote learning is not as forthcoming.” [Owston 1997] More researches on the effectiveness of web-based learning environments are needed.
Our research goal is to extend the constructivist learning theory to the development of courseware using a web-based open content community (OCC). The underlying rationale is that, while contributing to the development and critiques of courseware, a learner constantly constructs and re-constructs his/her knowledge about the subject. As reported by online learning participants in the Australia Online web site, “… student participation and contribution are one of the key points in success in online courses”. There exist issues such as management of the online environment, design of participants’ interface, available time to participate, etc., which must be solved in order to render a successful online learning experience. While our main focus is not the effective offering of online courses, but rather the online composition of courseware modules by teachers and students, similar issues must be studied and resolved in our work.
[research model] To be filled in.
[research plan] To be filled in.
II. References
A. MUD / MOO
§ [Purdue ] Beginner's Guide to MOO http://pw.english.purdue.edu/technologies/MOO/guide/BeginGuide.html
MOO (Multi-User Domain Object Oriented) is a computer program that allows multiple users to connect via the Internet to a shared database of rooms and other objects and interact with each other and the database in synchronous time.
§ Explanation of MOO http://www.vroma.org/help/
The acronym MOO stands for Multi-User Dimension (or Dungeon) Object Oriented. MOOs, originally adapted from online games (MUDs), enable people in disparate locations to communicate in real time in the manner or chatrooms, but the conversations in MOOs take place in an “online place” with different spatial locations, objects which can be manipulated, and extensibility (i.e., users can add to the environment by building new rooms and creating new objects). Pure MOOs are completely text-based, but virtual environments such as VRoma add a web window that is interlocked with the telnet connection in order to display images and perform other web functions.
§ The MOO Project http://tecfa.unige.ch/moo/book1/tm.html
o Introduction http://tecfa.unige.ch/moo/book1/node2.html#SECTION00200000000000000000:
In Multiple-User Dungeons/Dimensions (MUDs), text-based virtual realities accessible via Internet, thousands of people share fantasy space, or "live" electronically. They walk and talk, build and destroy, hug and have sex while sitting at isolated computer terminals scattered throughout the world. [Young, 1994, http://tecfa.unige.ch/moo/book1/node68.html#YOUNG94, Opening Screen]
o [TECFA ] MOO Learning Environments http://tecfa.unige.ch/moo/book1/node32.html#SECTION00620000000000000000:
Moos can be used to implement various sorts of interactive learning environments, not just sophisticated text-based virtual classrooms. [Fanderclai, 1995] for instance makes this point very clear: ``I am hopeful, therefore, that the near future holds more of these changes. MUDs are places for self-directed learning, learning that blends work and play, that often looks chaotic but that is uniquely effective. A MUD is not an environment that can be controlled; to use MUDs effectively, educators must replace control with structure.”
§ [TECFA eduVR ] MOOs for Education
A comprehensive collection of MOO projects for education/research http://tecfa.unige.ch/edu-comp/WWW-VL/eduVR-page.html#Educational
B. Constructionism and Constructive Learning
o [GATECH ] MOOSE Crossing, Kids building learning community http://www.cc.gatech.edu/elc/moose-crossing/
MOOSE Crossing is an excellent way for kids 13 and under to expand creative writing skills and learn to program at the same time. Kids can create objects ranging from magic carpets to virtual pets to even a pokémon; a world based on your imaginations. They can also build virtual rooms and cities, such as King Tut's Pyramid, the Emerald City of Oz, or Hogwarts. Kids can meet and interact with other kids from all around the world. The world of MOOSE Crossing is built by kids, for kids.
o Related Papers by Amy Bruckman (http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Amy.Bruckman/papers/)
[Bruckman/Resnick 1995] Amy Bruckman and Mitchel Resnick. “The MediaMOO Project: Constructionism and Professional Community”. The journal Convergence, 1:1, Spring 1995. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~asb/papers/convergence.html
[Bruckman 1998] Bruckman, Amy. “Community Support for Constructionist Learning”. The journal CSCW 7:47-86, 1998. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~asb/papers/cscw.html
[Bruckman 1999] Bruckman, Amy. "The Day After Net Day: Approaches to Educational Use of the Internet." Convergence 5:1, pp. 24-46, spring 1999. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Amy.Bruckman/papers/convergence-day-after.pdf
[Bruckman etc. 2000] Bruckman, Amy, Elizabeth Edwards, Jason Elliott, and Carlos Jensen. "Uneven Achievement in a Constructionist Learning Environment." Proceedings of ICLS 2000. Ann Arbor, MI, June 2000. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Amy.Bruckman/papers/icls2000.pdf
[Bruckman 2002] Bruckman, Amy. "Co-Evolution of Technological Design and Pedagogy in an Online Learning Community." To appear in Designing Virtual Communities in the Service of Learning. Editors: Sasha Barab, Rob, and James Gray. Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2002. http://www.cc.gatech.edu/fac/Amy.Bruckman/papers/bruckman-co-evolution.pdf
[Bruckman etc. 2002] Bruckman, Amy; Carlos Jensen, and Austina DeBonte. "Gender and Programming Achievement in a CSCL Environment." Long talk, Proceedings of CSCL 2002, Boulder, CO, January 2002. http://newmedia.colorado.edu/cscl/63.pdf
C. Principles of Designing Online Communities
§ Papers
Nine Principles for Community Design by Amy Jo Kim http://www.naima.com/CS377B/template.html
Design Principles for Online Communities by Peter Kollock http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/soc/faculty/kollock/papers/design.htm
Nine Principles for Making Virtual Communities Work by Mike Godwin http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/2.06/vc.principles.html
Making Virtual Communities Work by John Suler http://www.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/commwork.html
Maximizing the Well-Being of Online Groups - The Clinical Psychologist in Virtual Communities, by John Suler, http://www.rider.edu/~suler/psycyber/clinpsygrp.html
§ Courses on Designing Online Communities
The Design of Online Communities, taught by Amy Bruckman at Georgia IT http://www.cc.gatech.edu/classes/AY2003/cs6470_fall/
Designing Online Communities, taught by Amy Jo Kim at Stanford University.
The Psychology of Cyberspace, taught by John Suler at Rider University
The Sociology of Cyberspace, taught by Peter Kollock at UCLA
The Virtual Society: Identity, Interaction and Interface Design, taught by Judith Donath at The MIT Media Lab
Online Communities, taught by Jennifer Preece at University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Information in Society, taught by Barry Wellman when he was visiting UC Berkeley
D. Online Cooperation and the Open Source Movement
The Cathedral and the Bazaar, by Eric S. Raymond, http://www.catb.org/~esr/writings/cathedral-bazaar/cathedral-bazaar/
E. Virtual Community
§ Online books
The Virtual Community, by Howard Rheingold 1998 (complete copy on the web, http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/)
§ VRoma – A Virtual Community for Teaching and Learning Classics http://www.vroma.org/
F. Other Online Community Learning Sites
Community Learning Network http://www.cln.org/
The Learning Space Online Teacher Network http://www.learningspace.org/
1st Century Community Learning Centers http://www.ed.gov/21stcclc/
Paint Shop Pro Users Group: An Online Community for users of ... http://www.pspug.org/
Education with New Technologies: Networked Learning Community http://learnweb.harvard.edu/ent/home/index.cfm
Learning Centre - Online Learning - Community Learning & Change http://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/g4s42.html
G. Management and Evaluation of Web-Based Courseware
§ Structure and Management of Online Web Courses, slides by Ian Graham http://www.utoronto.ca/ian/talks/23sep1999/courseware2.ppt
“[T]here is promising indication that the Web is a viable means to increase access to education. Evidence on how it can promote learning is not as forthcoming.”
– [Owston 1997] Owston, R.D. The World Wide Web: A technology to enhance teaching and learning?, Educational Researcher, 26, pp 27-33 (1997)
H. Teacher/Students’ Perspectives upon Online Learning
§ [Australia Online web site] Australia Online (http://www.tcc.rmit.edu.au/): a collection of teacher/student “witnesses” about online learning
http://www.tcc.rmit.edu.au/filiz.htm: “As an online student, I feel confident in saying that student participation and contribution are one of the key points in success in online courses. The more you participate and contribute towards discussions online, the more you will learn since this is the opportunity for the learner to develop knowledge and pathways to new ideas and discussion topics.”
http://www.tcc.rmit.edu.au/leonie.htm: “A key success factor was available time to participate. It quickly became evident that those trainees with time to get involved did so and enjoyed the experience however many did not have sufficient time to contribute regularly and engage with the group.”
http://www.tcc.rmit.edu.au/khursheed.htm: “Lurking is a popular pastime, and when you take the plunge and the passion takes over, then you can reflect and see what you have gained from the whole experience. The immersion theory is applied.”
I. Effective Learning by Having Students Immersed in Constructing Online Courseware
Any existing work ??
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