Part 3 of a 4 article series by Irene Boland, PhD.
To start, more than half of the nearly 300 participants I surveyed stated that their favorite part of the experience was how using the interactive model of the accounting equation helped them increase their understanding of accounting and, in their estimation, helped them improve their test scores and overall class performance. Personal learning style played a strong role for many learners. Eighty-two learners reported that because they perceive themselves to be visual learners, it was significantly easier to understand the accounting equation because of the ability to visualize the impact of transactions using the model. Sixteen learners who classify themselves as tactile learners believed their academic performance was boosted by the hands-on nature of the 3D model activities. One learner simply said “it is an interesting way of learning a subject that isn’t necessarily an interesting topic.”
Twenty five learners reported that their favorite part of the experience was the instructional videos which demonstrated how to use the 3D model to practice accounting transactions, combined with the related practice problems they were provided for hands-on practice with the model improved their comprehension. While it might not have been the favorite part for all learners, the reality is that they all had improvements in their learning scores as a result of their work in SL.
While a small number of learners reported annoyance at what they perceived to be forced social interaction, 44 learners reported that they enjoyed the opportunity to interact with other learners for both academic and social purposes. As one learner said: “you can ask peers for help when you don’t understand”.
Twenty six learners reported that being able to use the 3D environment at any time was very convenient for their unconventional work and school schedules. If your learners have been complaining that the training environment is drab or boring, you may be interested to know that 22 learners commented that they found the created environment, which included trees, bonfires, and an ocean with sea turtles to be the best part of their experience. So, now that we know what they hate and what they love—how do we make it better?
In the next article in this series, we’ll explore the advice learners have given about how to improve the virtual world learning experience.
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I’ve really been enjoying these articles. I myself love SL, but realize also that my learning style & temperament are only one of many. Thank you for sharing this research, but also thank you for taking time to present the key findings in a concise format.