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Virtual Constructivism: Avatars in Action

Virtual Constructivism: Avatars in Action

Laura M. Nicosia
Copyright: © 2009 |Pages: 16
ISBN13: 9781605666549|ISBN10: 1605666548|ISBN13 Softcover: 9781616925772|EISBN13: 9781605666556
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-60566-654-9.ch009
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MLA

Nicosia, Laura M. "Virtual Constructivism: Avatars in Action." Information Technology and Constructivism in Higher Education: Progressive Learning Frameworks, edited by Carla R. Payne, IGI Global, 2009, pp. 130-145. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-60566-654-9.ch009

APA

Nicosia, L. M. (2009). Virtual Constructivism: Avatars in Action. In C. Payne (Ed.), Information Technology and Constructivism in Higher Education: Progressive Learning Frameworks (pp. 130-145). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-60566-654-9.ch009

Chicago

Nicosia, Laura M. "Virtual Constructivism: Avatars in Action." In Information Technology and Constructivism in Higher Education: Progressive Learning Frameworks, edited by Carla R. Payne, 130-145. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2009. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-60566-654-9.ch009

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Abstract

Contemporary educators have been reassessing pedagogical frameworks and reevaluating accepted epistemologies and ontologies of learning. The age-old debate whether knowledge is gained or constructed seems drawn to a consensus in the 21st Century: those who seek knowledge are active participants in the learning process and they have uniquely 21st Century attributes. Web 2.0+ technologies, various social media (Facebook, MySpace, Blogger, YouTube) and online virtual reality environments (Second Life, World of Warcraft, Sims) have influenced today’s students in ways that constructivists should explore, embrace and exploit. This essay explores how Second Life (SL) effectively employs and distills the principles of educational constructivism. SL offers endless opportunities for immersion within user-constructed environments and activities. Educational use of SL may facilitate learner-led activities and yield learning that is prompted by desire and curiosity rather than learning for learning’s sake. By exploiting these qualities with constructivist pedagogies, educators create environments that challenge and enable students to engage in the deepest kinds of learning.

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