Self paced learning and self study

(C.Demeyere & A.Barbitta)

What is it?

Self-paced learning implicates that a student has full control over the pace of the learning program. This would mean he decides when and where (RL !) he takes the lesson. Whether or not he takes the initiative for following the course, can differ Some lessons are part of a more extensive learning-program or social setting, while other lessons are purely optional (stand alone). The need to acquire the knowledge is for the student to be felt or not. Some lessons supply you with a prerequisite knowledge for following lessons, though.

Why it is used?

A key characteristic of this method of teaching is that no person needs to be present on the teacher-side of the course. No one being there to accompany him in his learning activity leaves the decision of pace and quantity to the student.
Organisation of self-paced learning is asynchronously. Follow-up of students by the organizer of lessons goes asynchronously as well.
Self-paced learning through stand alone courses also leaves more initiative to the student. Not imposed are when to learn and if to learn at all. Whether the course will help in acquiring the knowledge needed to solve the specific problem he experiences, is a question the student must answer.

What are its main characteristics?

The student finds at his disposal the course material. The course material holds both the message of the course and the means to deliver it in a convenient way.
A student can contact teachers and organisers of the course, trough devices left to him.
Course design should trigger motivation so students do not lose interest in the process. Challenging activities should be presented so the student gets involved in further exploration of the topic.
Self explanatory material and resources that guide participants to a well defined result.

What are the main challenges
to bring this practice to virtual worlds?

The scene set for self-paced learning must meet the challenge of bringing a lesson in a clear (comprehensible) way. All the while, it must bring a story entertaining enough to keep his interest motivating a student.
Put into a 3D world the correct resources to make a successful course.
To have the time and support to build it up
To find the correct tools for the specific practice

Case studies and examples of (good and bad) practices

Ohio Second Life Campus Learning Kiosks
(Ohio University 20,36,24 or 81,202,27 ?)
The kiosk Ohio State University (rather: tanbou ogg) developed, has a screen for video, three buttons and a banner to give a title to this part of the educational program. Kiosks are a tool to bring an assignment to students. The whole idea is to supply material so the student has a complete idea of what to do, how to do it, the means to do it. Outcome is a notecard. The student can drop his paper/notecard in a so-called drop-ball standing next to the kiosk.
One of the kiosks has a video the student can play: an introduction to the assignment. The first button gives a notecard stating textually the question for the assignment and explaining how to start to work on it. The second button calls a webpage with links to other web pages where information can be found. The third button calls a blog where the instructor has collected articles on the subject.

OSU Medicine 219,176,34 or 218,203,41
The building is made for students to rehearse patient interview techniques so as to make diagnosis afterwards. Footsteps on the floor show the way you need to go.
At the entrance to the interview room, a notecard giver presents a patient chart (medical history etc.): the starting point for the student doing the exercise.
Entering the room; the student/interviewer takes the interviewer seat. He asks questions to a “robot avatar”. The robot avatar gives answers programmed beforehand. He gives usefull information when triggered by key words.
After the interview, the student clicks the screen of the laptop on his desk. Different answers (diagnoses) are projected on the wall. He clicks the right answer, confirms.
The OSU Medicine building also has a chamber for viewing an operating theatre (at work?).
(administration of the assignments: Dr Doug Pennell?)

Jim Gustavson (Pinastri 118,176,21)
The screen Jim Gustavson has hanging on the wall in a shop, is for the user to click on. The user is given a copy. He can then click the next/back buttons to change the texture of the screen to following/previous foto’s in the lesson the maker designed. Changing the photograph sends a message by the chat channel to the owner of the tool (i.e. you). In this way, a combination of text and images builds up the lesson.
These lessons are not free; you can buy one of a series of lessons on building and – scripting skills in SL.

The Ivory Tower Library of Primitives (Natoma 204,70,25)
Entering the tower, a student is confronted with two storeys of stands or
settings. The settings each present an aspect of building in SL. Textual and
visual information on a board, also construction models, situate te subject. An
objectgiver gives a tutorial-like notecard. A sand-box next door to try out No
device to contact teachers and organisers of the course, is left to the student.
The ivory tower is set up as a library of knowledge (rather than books). It is not
an educational setup, aimed at guiding a student in his aquisition of knowledge on building. It does have the self-paced aspect in common with the self-paced
tutorials being studied on this page.
The place is called "Ivory Tower" because it's knowlegde-content is given no
relation at all with the practicalities of second life. The Ivory Tower is about
building as such.

Mi casa es tu casa

(search for Calisto Encinal's profile; you'll find the landmark there)
A house and furniture is built for vocabulary-learning. Knock on the door to enter the house. Answer the question asked to you in chat. In the patio, you'll find a poseball offering you the learning-possibilities available in the house. There are labels hovering over the objects, a test, a HUD triggering speech, a robot chairing a quiz etc. Information on all these possibilities can be found there also.
The learning environment is fully set up. It is ready for use by students, passers-by etc. A teacher in class though, would tell: "first do this, then do that, .., you'll end up with ...". To fully take advantage of the project, some introduction is always necesary. The introduction will also explain about the project aiming at a well defined result.

Inworld resources and tools

• Screen with textures, text in voice chat or IM


• Robot avatars


• Boards describing steps to follow


• Interactive tools

Ideas for a successful practice in virtual worlds

• Assignments for students so they can work on those assignments independently; inviting them to find information anywhere


• Exercises on ways of conduct (not knowledge) for as far as a proper environment can be programmed for that. The robot avatar is a very good tool for this.


• A HUD for mastering use of the SL counterpart of a RL tool
  Case studies where students should have to find out the best choice for a given case, investigating results from different places.


• Development of self guided places where participants should pass certain number of steps so as to continue with the next ones. This will enable them understand that they are advancing in the area that they are participating.