Week 7 Synchronous Learning

Comparing 2D and 3D Synchronous Learning
Karl Kapp
Friday, July 20, 2007

The video is based on the work Tony O'Driscoll and I did for the e-learning guild's Synchronous Learning 360 Report. For a full discussion of 3D synchronous learning, you want to get your hands on that report, it contains a complete essay describing our view and explains how to create your own interactive synchronous learning as well as providing a maturity matrix of the use of 3D synchronous learning environments within organizations. Also, you can check out a webinar where I co-presented with Steve Wexler and Karen Hyder on the Synchronous report. It is worth taking a look. The webinar is titled Synchronous Learning Report. The webinar provides a great sneak peak into the data contained within the report and shows you the powerful data analysis tool available free to guild members.

The Karl's Blog can be found at the following location:
http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/2007/07/comparing-2d-and-3d-synchronous.html


Tango's Response to Karl

When we talk about synchronous learning environments it has always been in the form of online education and ITV learning environments. However, current technology is also changing even the synchronous environments. Synchronous environment has made its way into the virtual world in where students attend class through having an avatar. Karl Kapp introduces how to use the synchronous platform in a virtual environment. Karl has provided an explanation on when to us 2D versus 3D. I have to say I agree with Karl’s approach that instructors need to not only us 2D. It is easy to have students meet in a location and then present them with a 2D PowerPoint presentation on the course material. One reason for this many individuals are more proficient with PowerPoint than using 3D creating a subject. The 3D environment offers more opportunities for learning because it provides students with an active learning environment instead of a passive one. Using 3D technology inside the virtual world allows students to interact with the lesson.

Karl can easily make this argument because he has the knack for using technology. In other words, Karl and people like him do not have to be persuaded to use or integrate technology in to the classroom and course material. However, there are still a good number of educators as well as their educational leaders out there who are not interested in using this form of technology. As far as these people are concern they are already are using technology by using computers, sending e-mails, using the internet, and using an online system to provide their students with supplemental course information. Karl wrote his blog in July 2007 and today we find many educators are just getting to the point in where PowerPoint is being used in their course material on a daily basis. One reason for this is the learning of new software programs is not as easy as one thinks. This includes learning and using 3D programs. Then to turn the newly created 3D models into an interactive learning environment makes it even more complicated. 3D programs take time to learn which is what few educators have. So for these educators using the 2D PowerPoint in the 3D virtual world, Karl should not knock them. At lease these educators are using the 3D virtual world for their synchronous learning environment. At least these educators are moving in the right direction.

Tango