"The Relationship Between Identity and a Students' Ability to Learn Within the Virtual. How Will

this Change in the Future?"

By Megan Tyrrell

Identity/ in the Virtual World

• Identity is the characteristics that determine who a person is. It is the fact of being and incorporates

all the aspects that come together to make a person who they are.

• Communicating Understanding Evaluating Projective Identity.

Creating a projective identity involves the reflection of one’s existing values onto a second life character. (2003 p.55).

“Projective identity is externalised on the screen, in the form of what the virtual identity says and does” (Wankel & Kingsley, 2009,p.190)

But, what is Projective Identity?

Education and the Virtual World

Education in the virtual world are a part where students can

conduct learning…

but is a two sided coin:

De Freitas argues that learning

through an immersive space

helps students to engage in

experiences and gain a sense of

empowerment (2009 p.4)

WHEREAS Buckingham believes it is important to

consider that we live in a society that has a digital

divide and that the use of technology in schools

may often an advantage to some and deteriorate

the equality school should provide (2007 p.96)

KEY WORDS/PHARSES that bring IDENITY and EDUCATION together.

TEAM WORK

ENGAGMENT:

* In relation to the virtual world engagement refers to, in effect, being presence even if not in reality. In education it is students taking part in

learning and communicating through a simulated world.

TELEPRESENCE: * This refers to the virtual presence of

somebody in the virtual. It is the communication of actions through signal using technology.

INNOVATIVE SKILLS:

* New, creative way of doing something.

* Creating a new identity that the student then uses to communicate in a new, inventive environment.

Buckingham discusses that

the growing digital culture has

led to a struggle for control in

the “socialisation and

enculturation of children

during their time in school”

(2007, p.9).

Affordances of the use of virtual worlds in education and the link identity:

Issues with the use of virtual worlds in education and the link with identity:

Examples:

It is believed that second life

offers all students the opportunity

to use the technology to learn

from each other and all become

technological experts through

teamwork (Prensky, 2010 p.64).

Despite any problematic areas, Advancements in both digital technologies and learning theories are transforming the way we teach

and learn and those advantage are refining our views of what it means to learn in a contemporary

post-industrial age (Wankel & Blessinger, 2012 p.3).

All advancements in technologies and the way students learn

relate back to IDENTITY!

“Increase higher order thinking and

decision making” (Wanker & Blessginer,

2010 p.4)

Different skills necessary “to function

effectively in a globalised world” (Wanker &

Blessginer, 2010 p.4)

The use of the virtual world in education

exposes students to a diversity of

worldwide views and opinions. (Peachey

and Childs, 2011, p.15)

The use of the virtual world in education, places emphasis on a new type of social interaction. All social

interaction connects back to identity. It is natural a human beings social interaction with each other to be

affected by identity. For example:

Both the above are printed screen examples of virtual worlds used as educational tools. One is from

a higher education virtual learning environment for Newman University. The second one is a virtual

education resource known as ‘Minamiopia’ that young children can use to develop their Maths,

English and Science from home.

Information:

* Identity in the virtual educational world is about information.

* The Virtual is “made up of information rather than matter” (Kollock & Smith, 1999,

p.29)

* “Information spreads and diffuses; there is no law of the conservation of

information” (Kollock & Smith, 1999, p.29)

* The identity in the virtual world is based on the energy, time and effort that is put into

the creation.

Special Education, Empowerment and Identity

A sense of empowerment is given through using the virtual world to express the

self you feel you truly are inside (Peachey and Childs, 2011, p.4).

“Free from the body’s

unifying anchor” (Kollock &

Smith, 1999, p.29)

* Students can interact with other users without

being considered in anyway different because of

their disability

* The students in special education can interact

with tasks in their own time dependant on their

rate of ability in different areas.

* Escapism from their real life struggles.

If a student has will power they will be successful. The will power to achieve

will result in success, no matter how they are being taught. The will to learn

will carry students forwards into any new pedagogical situation. (Barnett,

2007 p.15)

Also, Barnett (2007) text, ‘Being a Student in an Age of Uncertainty’ argues:

* Using a virtual representation of one’s self to interact with others, learn and submit work is

currently a new pedagogical situation.

* Such uncertainty is a positive way of preparing students for the intellectual uncertainty which is

fundamental to a life.

*Such academic ways of thinking and practising prepares the students for the future.

In Conclusion – Current Positive and Negatives:Positive for students identity and education because…

1. Everyone has a voice in there

2. Communication with a teacher outside of the classroom so no fear of being judged publicly by peers on answers.

3. Allows self exploration of material

4. Allows for self development at own pace

Problematic for identity and education because...

1. Can be anonymous for the student

2. Misses key classroom interactions

3. Can be a place for learners to "hide"

4. Learning may be quicker with a good teacher/facilitator

My Predictions for the Future

1. Access via Smartphone's

2. 1 to 1 laptop programs

3. VLE catered to ability. For example school may have several levels of the one unit. The student types their name in and has a personalised VLE based on your APS (Academic Point score)

4. The use of environments that a student can be inside of in schools. The use of head sets, the student can actually move around and learn this way.

5. Manipulation of it with a smart 3D TV used in classrooms.

Negative Future Social Factors…

Finally despite what I think will happen in the future believe

the ultimate goal should be, regardless of the technology

used or the instructional methods employed, to start

students down the path of becoming lifelong learners

through the help of immersive, empowering activities.

Reference List * Gee, J (2003a) What Video Games have to teach us about Learning and Literacy. New York: Palgrave MacMillan

p.55

* Wankel, C,. Kingsley, J (2009 ). Higher Education in Virtual Worlds - Teaching and Learning in Second Life. . Bingley : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. P190.

* Buckingham (2007) Beyond Technology: Children’s Learning in the Age of Digital Culture. Cambridge: Polity Press.

* De Freitas (2009) Serious Virtual Worlds: A scooping study. Bristol: Joint Information Systems Committee [Online]. Available at http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/seriousvirtualworldsv1.pdf (Accessed: 14th Apr 2013)

* Wankel,C,. Blessinger, P (2012). Increasing Student Engagement and Retention Using Immersive . Bingley : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. p.3-4

* Childs, M. (2011a) ‘Identity: A Primer’, in Peachey, A. & Childs, M. (eds.) Reinventing Ourselves: Contemporary Concepts of Identity in Virtual Worlds. London: Springer

* Kollock,P,. Smith, M (1999). Communities in Cyberspace . London: Routledge . p29.

* Barnett, R (2007). A Will to Learn: Being a Student in an Age of Uncertainty. England: Open University Press. p3-6.