This chapter explores the process of preparing BC teachers in the use of 3D virtual world technologies to design personalized learning and flexible learning environments. It aims to prepare teachers to effectively use 3D virtual worlds as a pedagogical and professional tool to achieve greater educational outcomes. Numerous studies have explored technology and teacher education. But few of them have examined preparing teachers for challenging technologies such as 3D virtual worlds. This chapter provides a practical framework related to technology and teacher education. Looking across the process, we discern teachers' external and internal barriers that may influence teachers' willingness of the use of 3D virtual worlds in education. We argue that both teachers' external barriers and internal barriers are critical to successful technology integration.
TopBackground
Among ICTs, 3D virtual worlds have been widely used in supporting flexible personalized learning (Compton, Davis, & Correia, 2010; Edirisingha, Nie, Pluciennik, & Young, 2009; Good, Howland, & Thackray, 2008; Omale, Hung, Luetkehans, & J, 2009). 3D virtual worlds distinguish themselves from other types of computer applications by replicating a hypothetical real-life simulation in a graphically rich and dynamic environment (Dalgarno & Lee, 2010; McLellan, 2004; Mennecke, Hassall, & Triplett, 2008; Mikropoulos & Strouboulis, 2004).
Numerous studies explored the beneficial aspects of 3D virtual worlds (Bers, 2001; Brey, 2009; Dalgarno & Lee, 2010) and the effective use of 3D virtual worlds in teaching (Guasch, Alvarez, & Espasa, 2010; Natalie, Kevin, & Kevin, 2014; Storey & Wolf, 2010). However, teaching in these environments has not become mainstream and the numbers of educators using this environment for teaching is in fact decreasing (Gregory et al., 2015). Gregory’s research group (2015) has identified a number of issues to overcome before virtual worlds become a mainstream teaching tool, including technological issues, potential student difficulties, institutional issues and personal perceptions. A number of problems in Dalgarno’s study have been analyzed in relation to integrating virtual worlds into teaching and learning, such as lack of technology support, funding and time, usability and familiarity, equity and ethics, inherent limitations of virtual worlds, acceptance of virtual worlds, and management and planning (Dalgarno, Gregory, Carlson, Lee, & Tynan, 2013).