%0 Journal Article
%T The Role of the ”°Inter-Life”± Virtual World as a Creative Technology to Support Student Transition into Higher Education
%A Alison M. Devlin
%A Vic Lally
%A Brian Canavan
%A Jane Magill
%J Creative Education
%P 191-201
%@ 2151-4771
%D 2013
%I Scientific Research Publishing
%R 10.4236/ce.2013.47A2025
%X The shape of Higher Education (HE) in the UK and internationally is changing, with wider access policies leading to greater diversity and heterogeneity in contemporary student populations world-wide. Students in the 21st Century are often described as ”°fragmented”±; meaning they are frequently working whilst participating in a full time Degree programme. Consequently, those in the HE setting are required to become ”°future ready”± which increasingly involves the seamless integration of new digital technologies into undergraduate programmes of teaching and learning. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of the ”°Inter-Life”± three-dimensional virtual world as a suitable Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) tool to support the initial stages of transition from school into university. Our results demonstrate that Inter-Life is ”°fit for purpose”± in terms of the robustness of both the educational and technical design features. We have shown that Inter-Life provides a safe space that supports induction mediated by active learning tasks using learner-generated, multi-modal transition tools. In addition, through the provision of private spaces, Inter-Life also supports and fosters the development of critical reflective thinking skills. However, in keeping with the current literature in the field, some of the students expressed a wish for more training in the functional and social skills required to navigate and experience the Inter-Life virtual world more effectively. Such findings resonate with the current debate in the field which challenges the notion of ”°digital natives”±, but the present study has also provided some new evidence to support the role of virtual worlds for the development of a suitable community to support students undergoing transition to university.
%K Inter-Life
%K Transition
%K Higher Education
%K Virtual Worlds
%K Community
%K Technology Enhanced Learning
%U http://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?PaperID=34926