%A Kung Wong Lau
%K (1) Design Thinking and Creativity; (2) Virtual Stimulation; (3) Shared Virtual Reality;
and (4) Game-like Learning Environment
%X Learning Design Thinking Online:
Studying Students' Learning Experience in Shared Virtual Reality
My study attempts to deepen understanding about the learning experiences of design
students in undertaking design-thinking exercises in a shared virtual reality. This
study has identified the areas of an appropriate pedagogy for E-Learning and the use
of a shared virtual environment for students in tertiary design education. Specific
questions arising ji"Om this research are: (1) in what ways can the virtual environment
release the creative potential of design students? (2) how does the virtual space affect
the students' learning experience? and (3) what is the role of computer and virtual
technology in design education? I started with the premise that virtual technologies,
particularly shared virtual reality, have potential to enhance design students' learning
experiences during their creative thinking processes. TWO directional hypotheses in
the areas of computer-simulated learning environments and collaborative learning
were introducedfor the multimodal interaction research in Phase FOUR and the postlesson
online interviews in Phase FIVE. Multimodal interaction analysis,
conversation analysis and textual analysis were employed to analyze diverse data
from different phases. In addition, a tailor-made shared virtual reality was established
in Active World ©for the multimodal interaction research. Surprisingly, the preset two
directional hypotheses were not fitlly supported by the findings, whereas THREE new
study domains which have been found useful in enhancing design students' creative
thinking, namely (1) stimulated virtual environment, (2) game-like learning approach
and (3) role-playing simulation. Similarly, this research found that design students
learning experiences are enhanced by virtual stimulation, game-like learning and
role-playing practices.
%D 2010
%I Institute of Education, University of London
%L discovery10006494
%T Learning design thinking online : studying students' learning experience in shared virtual reality
%O Leaves 359-381 are appendices.