Improving teaching and learning of computer programming through the use of the Second Life virtual world

Micaela Esteves, Benjamim Fonseca, Leonel Morgado, Paulo Martins
2010 British Journal of Educational Technology  
The emergence of new technologies such as three-dimensional virtual worlds brings new opportunities for teaching and learning. We conducted an action research approach to the analysis of how teaching and learning of computer programming at the university level could be developed within the Second Life virtual world. Results support the notion that it is possible to use this environment for better effectiveness in the learning of programming. The main results are the identification of problems
more » ... mpering the teacher's intervention in this virtual world and the detection of solutions for those problems that were found effective to the success in using this environment for teaching/learning computer programming. We conducted a study observing students' apprenticeship in SL and teachers' experience, with the aim of analysing how the processes of teaching and learning computer programming occur within this virtual world. Thus, some questions come up to our mind: What are the problems, for both teachers and students, in using SL for teaching/learning computer programming? Can these problems be solved, and how? By beginning to address whether the difficulties of using SL for teaching programming can be overcome, the door has been opened for both qualitative and quantitative studies to determine if SL really does improve students' comprehension of basic programming concepts. Hence, the aim of this paper is to present a framework for teaching/learning of computer programming within the SL virtual world, to help students improve their programming apprenticeship, based on rigorous academic research. Essentially, we argue that the advent of teaching/learning of programming within SL brings new opportunities for students to improve their performance. Most conclusions can also be applied to the OpenSimulator environment as it replicates most of SL's functionality, lacking only on social aspects, at least for the moment. This paper is organized as follows: first, our motivation and related work is outlined; then, the project methodology is described; we follow with the findings and the discussion of the framework presented; finally, the paper presents suggestions for using SL for teaching and learning of computer programming and concludes with suggestions for future research.
doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01056.x fatcat:5as47abqffaxrbmm3w5vlpab7a