Investigating Student Attitudes Toward a Synchronous, Online Graduate Course in a Multi-User Virtual Learning Environment
Source: Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, Volume 16, Issue 1, 2008, pp. 5-34
This article describes a graduate distance education course at North Carolina State University, which combined science content and pedagogy with video game design.
The course was conducted entirely in a synchronous, online, Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) through the ActiveWorlds™ platform.
Inservice teachers enrolled as graduate students in science education learned to construct video games as a supplement to their science instruction.
The ultimate objective of this course was to advance student achievement and interest in science by providing teachers with a viable source for integrating video game technology into the curriculum.
A case study design suggested positive student attitudes toward course satisfaction.
The implications of these results suggest a positive avenue for technology integration in teacher education that meets the growing demand for engaging students in all content areas.