Virtually, new learning expands by using virtual worlds and chat rooms using text or text and avatars (graphic representation of chat room participants). Virtual learning has great potential for the variety and types of training and for the many different ways it could be used.
Simulation, meetings, distance learning and more realistic online chat rooms are just a few areas virtual learning can be implemented. Medical, industrial, service, accounting, education, government and non-profit training can use the virtual learning model.
Virtual Game Worlds
Virtual technology got its start in the computer gaming world. Online games such as SimCity can be used to teach real-world skills. SimCity, first published in 1989 and sold worldwide, is an open-ended game that requires players to build cities and communities.
Players are given the task of forming a city and keeping its citizens happy and secure all the while maintaining a budget for roads and utilities. Players have to find the right mix of zoning for residential, commercial and industrial to keep their cities on the path to growth and prosperity.
This one virtual game alone teaches management, budgeting, teamwork, leadership and the ins and outs of running a city government. There are other 3-D virtual world games such as the free online Second Life®. This game came online to the public in 2003 and is currently inhabited by millions of virtual residents.
Second Life’s web site tells visitors, “From the moment you enter the world, you’ll discover a vast digital continent, teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity.”
Simulations training in virtual worlds have expanded beyond the gaming world and have entered into high level classrooms for uses such as medical and surgical room training.
Virtually Evolved Chat Rooms
Chat rooms have been around in one form or another since 1979 (John C. Dvorak, PCMAG.com, 12/11/2007) and have served many purposes. Chat rooms are technically described in Wikipedia as any form of synchronous or asynchronous conferencing ranging from real-time online chats, online forums, instant messaging or graphical social environments that use 2-D or 3-D avatar’s to represent people.
Online college degree programs use chat rooms rather extensively to gather students together at a specific time from all over the world. Many chat rooms have a recording facility that allows all of the conversations to be recorded so that students who couldn’t join the chat can access the discussions at a later date.
Google is getting into the chat room business with its recent introduction of Lively by Google. Users can create avatars and design their own virtual rooms. Avatars can walk around the rooms and talk with other avatars.
The ability to build virtual classrooms using the chat rooms is generally used in combination with other online learning tools such as posting podcasts, vidcasts, slideshows at flickr and the extensive use of e-mail.
Online Learning
Online classes have evolved to include continuing education, professional development and online degree programs in accounting, management, human resource management, technology and information technology. Master’s degree and MBA programs are also available online.
Some learners select online learning because of its convenience and the reduction of classroom time – many learners like the independent nature of online learning. When virtual worlds and chat rooms are integrated or blended with classroom learning, the participants have the best of all worlds.
The Future of Virtual Learning
Current technologies will be improved and expanded while new technologies will be added. The proliferation of online degree programs is proof that virtual learning is effective, in demand and here to stay at least for the foreseeable future.
