Costas Tsolakidis

The role of three dimensional virtual environments in the development of Personal Learning Networks

The rate of change of knowledge and information that is required in working and social environments as well as the rate at which knowledge is produced in every sector of human activity creates the need for institutions, companies and people to redefine the strategy of managing knowledge [1]. The aim of this work is to study the role of three-dimensional virtual environment (3DVEs) in the creation and development of Personal Learning Networks (PLNs). More specifically this work focuses on investigating the role of Education Orientated Groups (hereafter “Groups”) in Second Life (SL). It studies the role of Groups in the creation and development of PLNs. The work explores the reasons that urge members of SL Groups in the adoption of 3DVE and the ways in which they use them to create and develop their PLN. For the purposes of the study, a qualitative approach is applied and the model of electronic interviews, Salmons, [2] is adopted. The collaborative and creative social characteristics of these environments encourage access to digital learning communities and contribute to the creation of new PLNs, while participation in activities organized by the Groups not only provides access to excellence and leadership in knowledge but also promotes innovative ideas on a global scale. The development of PLN, in these environments, facilitate professional and personal development, through sharing educational resources and developing good educational practices without spatial and temporal constraint s.

Virtual Reality and Museum: An Educational Application for Museum Education

This paper discusses the development of a virtual reality museum. An effort was made so that the virtual museum represents the Byzantine, medieval museum in Rhodes as closely as possible. Simple and low cost tools were used to allow rapid development of relatively good quality applications. This was attempted to validate our belief that the construction of VR applications is within the abilities of the majority of computer users. In this case and taking into account the well documented educational value of VR, it would be possible to assert that teachers could construct and use VR applications in their everyday teaching.

Education for Sustainable Development through the Use of the Second Life: The Case of a Virtual Museum for Sharks

The present work investigates the virtual world “Second Life” as an educational tool. The work commences with the very first steps of using the software and it ends up at the construction of a virtual building for the study of a subject in the context of Education for Sustainable Development. The subject is the pedagogical treatment of sharks due to the danger of extinction. The use of the term “Virtual Museum” is the proper term to describe the entire effort. Further than the constructional process, the paper focuses on the investigation of how easy it is for any educator to use this software and how likely it is to be used in a modern classroom in an effective way. In order to achieve that, a few internet sites were developed, a number of on line questionnaires were published and a series of virtual meetings were held. The entire effort was attempted through Internet exclusively.