Research Technologies
My research is dealing with the integration of two main technologies:
Virtual Learning Environments
VLE's are also known as Learning Management Systems (LMSs) and Course Management Systems (CMSs). They are commonly used by educational institutions such as universities, colleges, and schools. Some institutions have their own 'in-house' systems created, although most use well-established products, such as:
- Blackboard
- WebCT
- Moodle
- ANGEL
- Desire2Learn
Most of these are propritary systems (meaning you have to pay for them), although a few, such as Moodle, are free and 'open source'. These systems help you to setup and manage an educational website, typically divided into several courses.
Usage varies from one institution to another, and even between different departments and teachers. The idea is that each course contains resources and activities setup by the teacher (or an educational technologist) to help the students in their learning. This can include making lecture notes/recordings available, settings up online assessments and quizzes, providing chatrooms and discussion forums for students to use, and lots more.
My research deals largely with the Moodle VLE, because it is free and easy to modify -- this makes it easier for me to work with, and much easier for educators to get involved in testing and using my research.
Multi User Virtual Environments
This technology allows many individuals on separate computers to share a virtual 'space', for interacting and collaborating. Older examples were purely text-based, although more recently they have become richer environments, many with immersive 3d graphics.
Many examples are games-related, such as "World of Warcraft" and "EVE Online". However, recent years have seen a proliferation of MUVEs which are very generic, allowing users to pursue whatever goals they want. Game playing is still a common goal, but other activities include:
- Business / trade
- Meetings
- Social interaction
- Education
- Virtual sight-seeing
Users in these MUVEs (or 'virtual worlds') are usually known as "avatars", and sometimes as "residents". Over on the right, you can see a picture of my Second Life avatar, called Pedro McMillan.
A great deal of customization is possible, allowing you to radically alter the way your avatar looks and the clothes he/she/it wears (some people prefer to represent themselves are animals, or even as inanimate objects).
My research focuses particular on Second Life, as it is by far the most successful MUVE technology at the moment, and there is a very large educational community in it. It is very versatile, although it is not entirely free or open source.
A related technology, called OpenSim, seeks to be a completely free and open source alternative to Second Life, and it is gaining popularity at educational institutions.