Avatars: Usefulness in Collaborative Online Learning Environments

STLHE 2010
Thursday, June 24, 2010
12:45pm – 1:15pm at Ryerson University, POD 250

Tonya M. Noel, University of Toronto
Lesley Wilton, York University
Challenges of effective online learning are well documented. Two playful activities attempted to address the issue of creating a community of learners in a collaborative online environment. The first was to create a depiction of oneself using character building tools. Avatars, complete with props, were self-created to represent online identities of class members and to provide opportunities for comment, discussion and engagement. The second activity required participants to creatively express their thoughts on an abstract topic without using text. Participants were then invited to guess the information their peers were trying to portray and intentions vs. interpretations were discussed.
These simple and ludic activities were favourably welcomed with high participation by the group. The outcomes reflected stronger senses of engagement, belonging and trust. Our session is intended to provide an overview of the activities’ benefits and challenges, discuss related literature on online collaboration, sense of community and learner identities, and engage attendees in creation activities of their own.
Digital futures, developing intrinsic desires to create, valuing learning, the teacher’s medium, and curricular design are some of the 2010 streams which will be supported in our session.


Discussion Outline
• Introductions
• Engaging Online Learners
• Social Presence
• Theoretical Framework
• Online interactions
• Descriptions of activities
• Try it yourself

Character Creator programs

• Bitstrips - http://bitstrips.com/landing
• The Hero Factory - http://cpbintegrated.com/theherofactory/
• Spore Creature Creator - http://www.spore2d.com/
• South Park Studio - http://www.sp-studio.de/
• Female Superhero - http://ammotu.deviantart.com/art/Super-Character-Creator-Female-66610994
• Male Superhero - http://ammotu.deviantart.com/art/Super-Character-Creator-Male-67189399
• Picasso Head Creator - http://www.mrpicassohead.com/create.html
• Lego Creator - http://devbook.com/charactercreators/lego/
• Sonic Creator - http://devbook.com/charactercreators/sonic/
• Simpsons Avatars - http://www.simpsonsmovie.com/main.html
• Voki - http://www.voki.com/
• Madmen - http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself/


References

Anderson, T., Rourke, L., Garrison, R., & Archer, W. (2001). Assessing Teaching Presence in a Computer Conferencing Context. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. 5 (2).
Freeman, W. & Brett, C. (2007). Finding the Individual in Collaborative Online Learning Environments. Available at http://tactl.unt.edu/pdf/freeman-brett-TACTL2007.pdf

Kehrwald, B. (2008). Understanding social presence in text-based online learning environments. Distance Education, 29(1).

Kreijns, K., Kirschner, P. A. & Jochems, W. (2007). Identifying the pitfalls for social interaction in computer-supported collaborative learning environments: a review of the research. Computers in Human Behavior, 19 (2003) 335–353.
Lowenthal, P. R. (2009) Social Presence. In P. Rogers, G. Berg, J. Boettcher, C. Howard, L. Justice, & K. Schenk (Eds.) Encyclopedia of distance and online learning(2nd ed). Information Science Reference. Available at http://www.patricklowenthal.com/publications/socialpresenceEDOLpre-print.pdf

Murphy, K. L., Cifuentes, L. (2001). Using web Tools. Collaborating and Learning Online. Distance Education; 2001; 22, 2; Wilson Education Abstracts pg. 285-306
Smith, R. O. (2008). The paradox of trust in online collaborative groups. Distance Education; 29 (3), 325-340.