Index

2. Index • Introduction • Description of the instructional framework (NUCLEO) and the prototype (Mare Monstrum) • Two Case Studies of Applying Mare Monstrum in Engineering Education • Discussion of the Results and Conclusions

3. Introduction • MUVEs (Multi User Virtual Environments) are gaining attention for educational purposes • E.g., general-purpose MUVEs (Second Life™) and education-specific (River City™, Quest Atlantis™, Revolution™, etc.). • Most frequently cited arguments in favor of educational MUVEs • Digital Natives do not feel attracted by traditional content • MUVEs can enhance the motivation of the students Question: Do MUVEs really enhance the learning experience in terms of student motivation?

4. NUCLEO: A Bridge Between MUVEs and E-Learning Systems • The use of MUVEs is hindered by some issues MUVEs are difficult to integrate in the learning flow • MUVEs work as “black boxes” (it is difficult to know what’s going on there) so the performance of the students cannot be tracked easily • NUCLEO aims to address those issues by integrating MUVEs in Learning Management Systems (e.g. Moodle™, Sakai™, .LRN™) • NUCLEO is a plug-in to be installed on the LMS-side • General ideas behind NUCLEO • Background: socio-constructivism, pedagogical sound approach • Uses a Problem-Based Solving (PBL) approach as the underlying pedagogical trend • Small teams try to reach the solution of real-world, open-ended, ill-structured problems • Real course is represented metaphorically using fantasy

5. Dragon Warrior Candidate Sea Dragons Mare Monstrum: Fantastic Metaphor • Inhabitants of Dragon Island • The Picts • The Dark Lords (want to destroy knowledge) • The Sea Dragons (train the Picts in the weapons of knowledge) • The game simulates a school of warriors trying to get the grade of Dragon Warrior

6. Mare Monstrum: Social Interaction • Interaction is carried out following two different schemes to improve motivation, team dynamics • Collaboration • Competition • Interaction is carried out also at two different levels • Individually • By group • These mechanics are supported with two main resources • Parameters to show social recognition • Rankings • Physical distinctive characteristics according to achievements • Three zones for interaction

7. Mare Monstrum: Social Interaction (II) Group Interaction Global Interaction Student-tutor Interaction

8. Case Studies • Two case studies in order to test how three aspects of Mare Monstrum affect students’ motivation • The role game dynamic of the learning scenario • The immersive 3D MUVE scenario • The fostering of competition by using social recognition strategies.

9. Applying Mare Monstrum to Engineering Education: Case Study 1 (Description) • Teaching “Programming Fundamentals” to Electronic Engineering Students • Problem • Alarmingly increase of drop-out-rates • Gradual decrease of students’ grades • Methods: Compare traditional approach (2 years) Vs NUCLEO-based approach (3 years) • First year: Traditional approach combining lectures, lab sessions and a final test. • Second year: Prototype 1 (MundoNucleo) • Similar to Mare Monstrum but using a 2D GUI • Used by 27 volunteers (from 60) • Third year: Prototype 2 (Mare Monstrum): 56 students.

10. Applying Mare Monstrum to Engineering Education: Case Study 1 (Results) • Student satisfaction survey • Average dropout rate 3rd year 2nd year 1st year

11. Discussion of the Results • The results depict an increase of students’ motivation • Decrease of dropout rates • 65% in first year (traditional teaching approach) • 9.09% in second year (1st prototype: MundoNucleo) – only experimental group • 16% in third year(2nd prototype: Mare Monstrum) – all the students • Two case studies in order to test how three aspects of Mare Monstrum affect students’ motivation • The role game dynamic of the learning scenario. 95.45% of the students found this motivational. • The immersive 3D MUVE scenario. 56.82% of the students found this motivational. • The fostering of competition by using social recognition strategies. 63.64% of the students found this motivational.

12. Summary and Final Remarks • Fantasy and gaming are powerful motivators… • … but immersive 3D multi user interface does not seem to be as important as the gaming or the learning strategies • Boosting competition using social recognition strategies… • works very well for the majority of students • while it is counterproductive for a small minority

13. Thanks for your attention! Javier Torrente jtorrente@e-ucm.es jtorrente@fdi.ucm.es Baltasar Fernández-Manjón balta@fdi.ucm.es Pilar Sancho pilar@sip.ucm.es Don’t forget to visit our web-sites! http://www.e-ucm.es http://www.e-ucm.es/projects/NUCLEO/ http://www.e-ucm.es/people/pilar/ http://www.e-ucm.es/people/javier/

14. Mare Monstrum: Social Interaction (II) Group Interaction Global Interaction Student-tutor Interaction

15. Applying Mare Monstrum to Engineering Education: Case Study 2 (Description) • 24 Selected Users and Experts evaluated the system • 8 teachers. • Were experts in design and development of e-learning applications • Taught modules of computer programming • 16 selected students • Extreme gamers of MMORGs • Completed 2 surveys • Satisfaction survey similar to case study 1 • Measurement of usability of some in-built collaboration tools

16. Applying Mare Monstrum to Engineering Education: Case Study 2 (Results) • Students’ opinion • Teachers’ opinion

17. Integration of Multiverse and Moodle