Journal Two- "Real-Life Migrants on the Muve"

By Ross A. Perkins

A multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) is a communication and collaborative interface in which the user controls an animated character in a virtual environment. These programs, which have been around as early as the 1970s, allow interactions between not only peers but with the environment by allowing users to explore and build virtual landscapes, building, and objects. Many educators are beginning to use these programs to support the curriculum. Instead of traditional presentations, students are being asked to build virtual environment on the topic chosen by the teacher. This new technological development is allowing students to take more control over the learning experiences by enabling them to incorporate their passions, needs, and personality into their work while still thinking critically about the world.

Questions

1. What is one possible explanation that supports the research showing that a students' use of MUVES is related to greater self-efficacy and motivation?
2. After reading this article, do you feel it is important to incorporate MUVE into the classroom?

Answers

1. The author believes that virtual environments help keep the students' focus and attention better than previous disengaging material. This ability to focus leads to better retention of information and better performance in school. Students with non-traditional l styles of learning and those with learning disabilities, are able to learning the information better then when purely reading from a textbook. When the students feel they are no longer struggling, their self-esteem increases.
2. After reading this article, I feel MUVE would help student with disabilities and students' who learn by interactions. I myself have never used a program like MUVE so I finally as an educator, I would like to experience the program before I state whether I feel it will be successful or not.