The focus of this chapter has been on exploring and offering a comprehensive paradigm and a conceptual architecture for collaborative e-learning for an educational virtual environment. As a point of departure, the author has started out by portraying the current status of e-learning systems, explaining the evolving role and vision of e-learning. A thorough review of the literature painting a profile of the state of the art has been provided. It has been presented with an eye towards highlighting various approaches to e-learning, along with a critique and an assessment of their shortcomings and weaknesses. This research has revealed that the core weaknesses of current e-learning systems revolve around four major dimensions. These include the lack of project-based learning; current course and learning management systems are all asynchronous; the lack of a multi-user VR technology; and the need for shifting from “technology-centric and instructor-centric” to “learner-centric” paradigms with a strong focus on constructivism.
CEL has been defined as any kind of learning process performed by more than one individual that takes place mainly in a virtual environment. This research helps advance our knowledge and accelerate our understanding of the dynamics of CEL in several ways. First, the criteria, benchmarks, and features of a CEL environment have been refined along with the reasons why VR has been used for supporting education. Second, this research has led to the conclusion that there are significant characteristics of VR which could be leveraged for supporting education. These characteristics along with several research propositions germane to our discussion were examined. Third, a detailed account has been provided representing a pathway consisting of several strategies and mechanisms essential for achieving transformation from “technology-centric” to “learner-centric models of collaborative e-learning”. These mechanisms include the critical need for enhancing collaborative e-learning through social interaction strategies; understanding the foundations and principles of the “learner-centered” paradigm; training instructors in learning and assuming new roles; and the necessity for identifying and addressing the pitfalls for social interaction in collaborative e-learning.
Fourth, exploring and investigating CEL primary functional features is the first step towards designing and implementing an effective e-learning collaborative virtual environment. These functional features should be specific enough in order to differentiate an e-learning environment from other virtual environments. The functional features and primary aspects of a collaborative virtual environment have also been presented, along with the fundamental design elements, and the strategic issues to be taken into account in developing collaborative virtual environments in the future. Fifth, a well-designed set of principles for virtual spaces for collaborative e-learning were discussed. Finally, some action strategies and critical success factors concerning the implementation of the design principles have been presented.
Taken collectively, in line with the overall theme of this chapter - crystalizing the multiple dimensions of collaborative e-learning - the path leading towards designing an innovative architecture for an educational virtual environment has been identified.
This research has a number of important implications- which have been discussed throughout the chapter, and thus, there is no need for repeating them here.
This chapter raises a number of research questions and issues to be addressed by scholars and students interested in further exploration of collaborative e-learning. Some of these questions are presented below in a seven-item future research agenda:
- To what extent does collaborative e-learning increase learning access? (efficiency)
- To what extent does it enhance the quality of learning? (effectiveness)
- Are the benefits cost effective? And how can we measure them? (cost-benefit analysis)
- How does collaborative e-learning compare to other technologies in the area of networked virtual dynamic group environments in terms of functionality, outcomes, and administration?
- In addition to the mechanisms and protocols proposed in this chapter, how can social interaction be further enhanced?
- Apart from the methods and protocols presented in this chapter, how can educational designers go about transforming the proposed set of design principles into modeling concepts and specific concrete functional features?
- How would different technologies and pedagogical strategies change the instructional interaction patterns and help promote community building?
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