Interesting article from the International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education:
“Presence Pedagogy: Teaching and Learning in a 3D Virtual Immersive World.”
Based on experiences in Appalachian State University’s AET Zone, their own virtual learning environment, the authors describe how they maintain a pedagogy for student and faculty use of the space. Their Presence Pedagogy is a model of teaching and learning strategies that promotes a constructivist approach to learning through interactions, collaboration, etc.
The space itself is described as “a visual metaphor . . . of the course content” (65). Terrific concept!
Bronack, et al., remind us working in VWs that the space itself will not create community; attention must be paid to designing activities, creating tools that foster intereaction and reflection, creating situations where chance meetings can occur with both students and faculty.
There is a lot that we can take from this article into our own SL spaces to make them work for our students.
Wandering 