3D virtual reality, including the current generation of multi-user virtual worlds, has had a long history of use in education and training, and it experienced a surge of renewed interest with the advent of Second Life in 2003. What followed shortly after were several years marked by considerable hype around the use of virtual worlds for teaching, learning and research in higher education. For the moment, uptake of the technology seems to have plateaued, with academics either maintaining the status quo and continuing to use virtual worlds as they have previously done or choosing to opt out altogether. This paper presents a brief review of the use of virtual worlds in the Australian and New Zealand higher education sector in the past and reports on its use in the sector at the present time, based on input from members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. It then adopts a forward-looking perspective amid the current climate of uncertainty, musing on future directions and offering suggestions for potential new applications in light of recent technological developments and innovations in the area.
Conference proceeding
Virtual worlds in Australian and New Zealand higher education: remembering the past, understanding the present and imagining the future
Proceedings: 30th Ascilite conference 2013: Electric dreams, pp.312-324
Electric dreams: 30th ASCILITE ConferencE (Sydney, NSW, 01/12/2013 - 04/12/2013)
2013
Metrics
26 Record Views
Abstract
Details
- Title
- Virtual worlds in Australian and New Zealand higher education: remembering the past, understanding the present and imagining the future
- Creators
- Sue Gregory - University of New EnglandAli FardinpourLisa Jacka - Southern Cross UniversityScott Grant - Monash UniversityJay Jay Jegathesan - University of Western AustraliaFrederick Stokes-Thompson - University of South AustraliaChris Campbell - University of QueenslandSweeKin Loke - University of otagoNing Gu - University of NewcastleAnton Bogdanovych - University of Western AustraliaCaroline Steel - University of QueenslandLindy McKeown Orwin - University of Southern QueenslandBrent Gregory - University of New EnglandMathew Hillier - The University of QueenslandDes Butler - Queensland University of TechnologyMerle Hearns - Manukau Institute of TechnologyDavid Ellis - Southern Cross UniversityBelma Gaukrodger - Nelson Marlborough Institute of TechnologyXiangyu Wang - Curtin University of TechnologySheila Scutter - James Cook UniversityStefan Schutt - Victoria UniversityThomas Trescak - University of Western AustraliaPenny Neuendorf - Canberra Institute of TechnologyTom Kerr - Macquarie UniversityTorsten Reiners - Curtin University of TechnologyMark JW Lee - Charles Sturt UniversityDavid Holloway - University of WollongongKim Flintoff - Curtin University of TechnologyMarcus McDonald - RMIT UniversityJason Zagami - Griffith UniversityJamie Garcia Salinas - University of QueenslandChristine Newman - Queensland University of TechnologySimeon Simoff - University of Western AustraliaMatt Bower - Macquarie UniversityIan Warren - Deakin UniversityDenise Wood - University of South AustraliaDale Linegar - OztronRoss Brown - Queensland University of TechnologyAngela Giovanangeli - University of Technology, SydneyEimear Muir-Cochrane - Flinders UniversityIan larson - Monash UniversityCharlynn Miller - University of BallaratVicki Knox - University of New EnglandGrant Meredith - University of BallaratArin Basu - University of CanterburyShane Mathews - Queensland University of TechnologyYvonne Masters - University of New EnglandClare Atkins - Nelson Marlborough Institute of TechnologyAndrew CranMichael Jacobson - University of Sydney
- Publication Details
- Proceedings: 30th Ascilite conference 2013: Electric dreams, pp.312-324
- Conference
- Electric dreams: 30th ASCILITE ConferencE (Sydney, NSW, 01/12/2013 - 04/12/2013)
- Publisher
- Macquarie University; Sydney, NSW
- Number of pages
- 312-324
- Identifiers
- 2091; 991012820727402368
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Education; School of Education; Centre for Teaching and Learning
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Conference proceeding