Changing worlds: Virtual worlds for higher degree research, supervision and networking.
PROCEEDINGS
Lisa Jacka, Southern Cross University, Australia ; Sue Gregory, University of New England, United States ; Frederick Stokes-Thompson, University of South Australia, Australia ; Lindy McKeown Orwin, University of New England, United States ; Helen Farley, University of Southern Queensland, Australia ; Allan Ellis, Southern Cross University, Australia ; Scott Grant, Monash University, Australia ; Merle Hearns, Manukau Institute of Technology, New Zealand
ASCILITE - Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Annual Conference, Publisher: Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education
Abstract
The DEHub Virtual Worlds Working Group (VWWG) consists of Australian and New Zealand higher education academics investigating the role that virtual worlds (VWs) play in the future of education. A sub group of the VWWG that includes Higher Degree Research (HDR) students and supervisors have been meeting regularly in the VW of second life. Many of these HDR students are the only student within their institution researching VWs. In many ways they lack the peer support that is so important to facilitate an expedient and successful completion of PhD candidates’ dissertations. Through the regular VW meetings the HDR VW group have overcome the isolation of working alone and have developed a strong collegial network that extends beyond their individual institutions. These students and supervisors represent a cross section of researchers who are using VWs as a vital resource for their investigations, collegial networking and student-supervisor communication. Meeting with like-minded HDR students has facilitated a range of opinions and debate in relation to supervisor roles, methodologies, VW skills and research techniques. 622
Citation
Jacka, L., Gregory, S., Stokes-Thompson, F., Orwin, L.M., Farley, H., Ellis, A., Grant, S. & Hearns, M. (2011). Changing worlds: Virtual worlds for higher degree research, supervision and networking. In Proceedings of ASCILITE - Australian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education Annual Conference 2011 (pp. 622-623). Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education. Retrieved September 15, 2019 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/43603/.
