An investigation of the roles of virtual identity and social constructivism for designing effective learning experiences using a virtual world

Abstract

 This study examined how multi-user virtual worlds can enhance learning, by extending a prior VR-based model to apply to learning within a virtual world, and then refining it to include two new constructs: virtual identity, and the perception of an environment that supports the social construction of knowledge. A self-learning activity was developed in the virtual world of Second Life which attracted over 2000 participants, and 405 respondents completed a self-report survey collecting both quantitative and qualitative data. The fit of the two models was analyzed using structural equation modeling, and the results of the mixed-methods analysis supported both the extension and the hypothesized refined model. Virtual reality features were found to indirectly impact on the learning outcomes, mediated by the perception of usability and the learning experience. The learning experience was measured by seven individual psychological factors: presence, virtual identity, motivation, cognitive benefits, agentic learning, social constructivism, and reflective thinking. These factors mediated the learning outcomes, measured by the perception of learning effectiveness and satisfaction, and may have a range of implications for the instructional design of effective learning activities using the virtual world. This research blended a technology acceptance model with the technology-mediated learning perspective to advance the development of a hybrid theoretical framework as a basis for future research into enhanced learning within a social virtual world.