A Use Case Analysis for Learning in 3D MUVE: A Model Based on Key e-Learning Activities

Indika Perera1, Colin Allison1, Alan Miller1

(1) School of Computer Science, University of St. Andrews,

North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SX, Scotland, United Kingdom E-mail: indika@cs.st-andrews.ac.uk

Abstract

Virtual learning has already become a mainstream educational methodology, making academic institutions to use a variety of virtual learning techniques with different scales to fulfil their requirements. E-Learning is the major form of virtual learning methodology, which has been widely used to improve the learning processes, ranging from primary education to university and research based education. However, there have been strong criticisms on the e-Learning competence to cater for societal and human needs within the context of learning, backed with behavioural, cultural, and pedagogical constraints. 3D Multi User Virtual Environments (MUVE) show a promising future as better platforms for diverse virtual learning activities, in which some of those would not have been possible with existing methods, including e-Learning. Despite being used as dynamic and engaging environments for learning, 3D MUVE are also capable of complementing blended learning methods with collaboration. However, the present use cases of learning in 3D MUVE are not well defined, and educationalists tend to practice and expect the exact e-Learning use cases in 3D MUVE, creating inconsistencies and loosing the significance of 3D MUVE for learning. This paper proposes a novel approach to consider effective 3D MUVE learning use cases. The use case analysis has been done on a blended perspective of virtual learning. Moreover, the paper critically argues about ineffective learning activities in 3D MUVE that are better off with e-Learning. Security management models for learning in 3D MUVE will be developed based on this use case analysis as the future work of this research.

Keywords: e-Learning issues, learning in 3D virtual worlds, learning use cases, Second Life, Open Simulator, learning environment integration

Introduction 3D virtual worlds are getting into various segments of our society day by day. Virtual worlds with simultaneous interactions of thousands of people in a shared 3D space, show frontier and critical implications for business, education, social and technological sciences, and society at large (Messinger et al., 2009). The world’s leading universities have been researching on how to use this novel technological medium for their learning processes. They provide more intuitive activities for learning complex and advanced concepts. In fact, virtual worlds are likely to become a mainstream feature of UK education (Kirriemuir, 2008). They are particularly appropriate for educational use due to their alignment with the Kolb's (Kolb et al., 2001) concept of experiential learning, and learning through experimentation as a particular form of exploration (Allison et al., 2008). Dalgarno (et al. 2009) described how researchers have argued that interactive 3D virtual environments demonstrate a great educational potential due to their ability to engage learners in the exploration, construction and manipulation of virtual objects, structures and metaphorical representations of ideas.

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Accordingly, many higher education courses when looking for novel and engaging approaches to conduct their practical coursework are interested in the potential of virtual worlds in academia. With the interest for extensive use of 3D MUVE for learning, we believe that the understanding of appropriate learning use cases is essential for its success. As a result, in this research we have focused on identifying key use cases for learning with 3D MUVE supported learning environments. For our research and learning activities, we choose Second Life (Linden Labs, 2003) and Open Simulator (2007) MUVE; more details about the work we have done with these environments will be discussed later. Furthermore, as an e-Learning solution, we consider Moodle (Moodle, 2004) for this research.

This paper is arranged into the following sections: in section 2 we describe background details along with our experiences on learning in 3D MUVE; section 3 explains the high level model we use to analyse 3D MUVE supported learning in the context of existing learning methods. Section 4 elaborates appropriate learning use cases for 3D MUVE learning while considering the research environments we have used as preliminary studies. Section 5 describes the relevance of findings for security policy development as the future research work, before concluding.

Background and Related Work Despite the advantages of using e-learning, which anyone would agree without a doubt, there have been criticisms on using e-learning as a mainstream method of education. In fact, this was highly examined and commented by Graf and Kinshuk (2009), through their work on e-Learning adaption to standard learning styles. Teo and Gay (2006) have mentioned that trying to map traditional models of learning into e-learning has resulted in few weaknesses that we experience with today’s e-learning solutions. Importantly, monotonous ways of interacting students, without their preferred personalization has resulted to poor engagement to learning activities. McGill and Klobas (2009) have studied on e-Learning impact for successful learning activities using an approach of task-technology fit. They have found the perceived benefits of e-learning utilization are higher than that of the actual outcome in the form of student grades. They argue that the technical constraints and underutilization of the possible use cases could have resulted in such observation, through poor collaboration and irrational learning methods, due to overwhelming technology perception of the users. Moreover, technological limitations to provide learning content and activities in rich formats with 3D support can play a significant role for a failure of a learning activity.

Weippl (2005) has also considered an extensive set of factors and use cases for e-Learning security management, which has been used for this analysis in a blended approach. Rich collaboration and user friendliness are expected norms on multiple platforms in blended learning (Brenton, 2009). Blended learning refers to instructional approaches with multiple learning delivery methods, including most often face-to-face classroom with asynchronous and/or synchronous online learning. It is characterized as maximizing the best advantages of face-to-face and online education (Wu et al., 2010). This indicates the possibility of incorporating 3D MUVE as a complementary learning platform with existing learning environments, as we have shown in this paper. However, the new blended learning paradigm should only consist of key learning use cases of 3D MUVE to avoid redundancies and suboptimal practices.

Previous Work Various educational projects at the University of St Andrews have used virtual environments in their course delivery. These include LAVA (Getchell et al., 2007) and WiFiSL (Sturgeon et al., 2009). MMS, the Module Management System, is an online learning management system which interoperates with Second Life in order to maintain an association of institutional and virtual world

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identities as one of its many features. The Laconia Acropolis Virtual Archaeology (LAVA) project allows students to engage with a simulated archaeological excavation, and then explore a recreation of the site in Second Life. The WiFi Virtual Laboratory in Second Life project (WiFiSL) aids teaching and learning about wireless networking by using virtual world interfaces to collaboratively explore and visualise simulations of wireless traffic. Further, we have successfully used Second Life (Perera et al., 2009) and OpenSim for teaching Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Recently, Second Life network traffic has been examined as a validating study of previous researchers' findings and to offer new insights of traffic management. It was performed as a client side measurement, considering Second Life users' actual experiences (Oliver et al., 2010).

Figure 1: Students’ coursework for HCI in Second Life and OpenSim – Dijkstra’s shunting yard algorithm simulations, and interactive door systems for enclosures.

The university is in the process of introducing Moodle for its course management in replace of

WebCT. Once the transition is completed, the Single-Sign-On based Moodle-MMS e-learning platform will provide a seamless course management service for teaching. With the experience on using 3D MUVE for teaching, we suggest that incorporating 3D MUVE along with existing blended learning environments would generate better outcomes for students and teachers.

Learning with 3D MUVE – Strategic View The following abstract model indicates learning environment approaches and possible technology applications with a high level perspective. The model is used to analyse how 3D MUVE fit into the existing learning environments, and to evaluate feasible solution stacks to form a productive learning environment. This model analysis will be considered for the use case analysis, later in this paper.

Figure 1: High level model to analyze 3D MUVE

integration with learning practices

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The model uniquely identifies three core areas of learning methods: traditional learning methods, e-Learning methods and 3D MUVE learning activities. According to the model, for a productive blended learning experience, 3D MUVE should be introduced in a complementary nature to the existing e-Learning and traditional learning system suites. Let us briefly discuss typical characteristics and issues on each of the different combinations that teachers can practice along with selected system environments. Moreover, for this analysis, we presume the individual methods, i.e. traditional learning or e-learning or 3D MUVE learning alone, would only provide suboptimal learning experience; hence trivial to understand and shall not elaborate the issues associated with each case.

Most of the present virtual learning supported educational activities can be seen as complementary approaches of e-Learning and traditional learning combinations. Unless for a pure e-Learning based distance learning activity, all the other learning practices have traditional learning methods such as classroom teaching, in person interactions, practical and laboratory projects, assessment and feedback. Even though e-Learning methods provide learning process optimization through automation and usable content reusing approaches, it cannot entirely replace traditional learning activities that require user collaboration and physical engagement. On the other hand, beyond video content support, e-Learning does not provide simulation facilities to streamline 3D aspects to the virtual learning experience. A learning environment with MOOLDE support can be considered as an example scenario for this category.

No doubt traditional learning is benefited by using 3D MUVE as a supportive tool for 3D simulations and user engagement. Specially, when it comes to explaining complex concepts such as computing algorithms, natural and physical science phenomena, and 3D modelling, 3D MUVE provide unequal features for traditional learning. Moreover, 3D MUVE can be used as an alternative simulation tool to train students virtually, before their actual laboratory experiments. In some instances, this can be the only possible option due to various constraints on real experiments. However, we do not see a comprehensive integration with the learning processes, as 3D MUVE are used as supportive tools. Second Life or Open Simulator virtual region based learning support can be considered as example scenarios for this.

Thirdly, the combination between 3D MUVE and e-Learning also show better results, but it misses the important aspects of traditional learning such as classroom participation, examination and physical engagement. The data consistency and content integration between the two environments have made this option the most effective out of the three, yet it is not the optimal scenario. SLOODLE (2007) integration between Moodle and Second Life/OpenSim is the best example for this type. However, we will further discuss certain inappropriate use cases designed in SLOODLE, which could have been practiced productively with e-Learning systems than in 3D MUVE.

Therefore, it is understandable that for a successful learning experience, there should be complementary facilitation of these three learning environments; we further analyse effective use cases for 3D MUVE learning with that stand, in the next section.

Use Case Analysis for 3D MUVE Learning

Comprehensive use case analyses on virtual learning have not been performed in a larger scale, so far. The main reason for that may be the intrinsic properties of virtual learning use cases that directly map with the pedagogical and traditional learning processes, which have resulted in researchers to consider those as they are. However, this lack of analytical understanding on appropriate use cases for a given learning environment creates difficulties for integrating 3D MUVE with existing learning environments. Furthermore, it results in educators to expect inefficient activities from 3D MUVE, and often makes them to practice such use cases in a meaningless manner.

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The following table 1 summarises the default user roles in the Moodle e-Learning environment while indicating the appropriate corresponding roles from Second Life and OpenSim 3D MUVE. It shows the abstract user role definition in 3D MUVE, compared to Moodle or similar e-Learning systems, results in poor granularity on defining learning use cases in 3D MUVE. Learning activity management for complex use cases with distinct roles can be a challenging task to achieve in 3D MUVE. Furthermore, access control and permission models in 3D MUVE are designed for 3D content and land access (Perera et al., 2010), which may not be possible to map directly with e-Learning system access control models. This creates further discrepancies when users expect exact e-learning use case behaviours in 3D MUVE.

Table 1: The comparison of default user roles in Moodle with 3D MUVE

Moodle Role Description Second Life OpenSim Administrator system administration (all courses) Linden Labs System Owner

Course creator create courses, teach in them

Land owner / Resident user

Land owner / Resident user

Teacher teach in and modify assigned courses

Land owner / Resident user

Land owner / Resident user

Non-editing teacher teach in assigned courses Resident user Resident user

Student resource access and course participation Resident user Resident user

Guest observation only Visitors Visitors Although we can consider all major user roles in the table 1, due to the limited space, let us

consider only the student role for the use case analysis, here. In fact, for 3D MUVE, beyond administration tasks of the system and the virtual environment, most of the other use cases are common to different roles; hence the common user role would be ‘Resident User’ in the virtual region. Therefore, default student role is taken as a resident user, and considered common use cases available for a resident user in default, which are compared in the figure 3 with the Moodle student role.

Figure 3: The comparison of learning use cases for the student role in Moodle (version 1.9.9) and generic 3D MUVE. (UML 2.0 use case standard)

With the system support for rich text based content management and integration, e-Learning environments such as Moodle can incorporate a diverse set of student activities as shown in the figure 3. Moreover, these activities can be extended easily with additional functions to form comprehensive end-to-end learning processes. On the other hand, 3D MUVE user activities are more abstract and emphasis on 3D simulation and dynamic nature through programming than

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advanced textual features. The 3D MUVE student use cases shown in figure 3, indicates this abstract nature and gives a clear view on how difficult to achieve e-Learning use cases as they are, in 3D MUVE.

This validates the proposed blended learning model and the arguments, as 3D MUVE should be incorporated with its competent learning use cases, whilst e-Learning and traditional learning practices being considered for the rest. Moreover, inappropriate use case integration between e-learning systems and 3D MUVE can result to inconsistent data and critical security issues on role based access control. The following section elaborates the use case comparison with a set of unproductive learning features implementation in 3D MUVE through the one-to-one mapping of e-Learning use cases.

Unproductive practices in 3D MUVE These practices can be seen in two types. First, the popular use cases of using 3D MUVE for trivial learning activities such as mere gatherings or to impose 3D flavour on existing 2D learning contents. However, these activities do not induce additional inefficiencies to learning process, but variety and dynamism, although the learning activities are not practiced to the optimum potential. On the other hand, the second type of unproductive practices is somewhat crucial and can obstruct the other activities, even though these practices are becoming popular.

SLOODLE learning features include 11 activities to map selected Moodle activities such as chat, forum, glossary, choice and content display. Synchronised user communications and Moodle content display in 3D MUVE are rational features that add value to learning. However, using 3D MUVE chat channels to publish student compositions in Moodle forum, glossary and wiki, can be a question as those entries supposed to be with rich text and content, which cannot be supported through 3D MUVE interfaces, at present. Furthermore, asking students to participate in quizzes, assignments and text based learning activities in 3D MUVE instead of Moodle can introduce further difficulties to student work. In most of the instances, students require re-login to Moodle afterwards of their initial submission, to enrich the entries that have been done while they were inside 3D MUVE.

Therefore, trying to achieve all learning use cases of e-Learning systems in 3D MUVE is not advised for serious learning requirements. Moreover, students should be encouraged to use the e-Learning environment for its competent functions while the 3D MUVE for its best functions, in a mutually independent manner. The system infrastructure should ensure the seamless data integration between the environments underneath for a smooth learning experience.

Conclusion and Future Work Identifying appropriate use cases for learning in 3D MUVE will support the future work of this research. 3D virtual worlds have a great potential for engaging students in innovative, immersive learning environments. With this research, we are looking forward to provide comprehensive security management policies for generic learning requirements in 3D MUVE. The proposed security policy models will be implemented at the application level, independent of the underlying platform constraints to ensure seamless customization and reuse, as required.

This paper has briefly, yet comprehensively, rationalized the use case issues associated with learning in 3D virtual worlds, when users expect identical use cases as they practice with e-Learning activities. Either the situational approaches for utilizing 3D MUVE for learning, or forceful integrations of inappropriate use cases of e-Learning systems with 3D MUVE, would not yield sustainable solutions; this paper has introduced a strategic model to analyze these issues considering prime aspects. The brief analysis on use case comparison here would only guide the

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pathway, but further research is encouraged for standardizing and applying productive use cases for various learning requirements with 3D MUVE.

Acknowledgement This research is supported by the UK Commonwealth Scholarship programme and the Scottish Informatics and Computer Science Alliance (SICSA). Second Life region rental was supported in part by the University of St Andrews Fund for Innovations in Learning, Teaching and Assessment (FILTA). The Higher Education Academy for Information and Computer Sciences (HEA ICS) supported part of the work on OpenSim.

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