Melissa Burgess, Sam Houston State University

1. Optimal Experience and Reading Achievement in Virtual Environments Among College-level Developmental Readers Melissa Burgess, Sam Houston State University

2. Literature Review Learner attitudes and outcomes regarding technology use match or surpass instruction which does not use technology (Petrides et al., 2006; Prensky, 2005) Importance to equip today’s students with technology skills/new literacies (Leu, Kinzer, Coiro, & Commack, 2004) Developmental reading students often have cognitive and affective deficiencies (i.e., motivation, self-regulation, time management skills (Boylan, 2002) Developmental reading students prefer hands-on and visual instruction (Canfield, 1976; Lemire, 1998) Also evidenced in this study through informal observation was the high level of focused engagement.

3. Literature Review • Junco and Mastrodicasa (2007) found high levels of social technology use in today’s students • Millennial generation is coined digital natives (Van Eck, 2006) • In response to social networking skills many digital natives possess, virtual environments should be part of the educational research agenda (Steinkheuler, 2006; Prensky, 2005) • Barab, Hay, Barnett, and Keating (2000) and Barab, Hay, Barnett, and Squire, (2001) reported that students acquired conceptual understanding and practical skills in 3-D modeling utilization • In a mixed methods study conducted by Mayrath, Sanchez, Traphagan, Heikes, and Trivedi (2007).Second Life was implemented in an English course where students’ learning experiences were significantly enhanced when course learning goals and students’ needs were carefully considered.

4. Research Questions • RQ1: To what extent are college-level developmental readers digital natives? • RQ2: To what extent do college-level developmental reading students experience Flow in Second Life?

5. Theoretical framework • Theory of Optimal Experience is: • the mental state of operation in which the person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.

6. methodology • Sample & Participants • Criterion-based sampling (LeCompte & Preissle, 1993) • This study included 11 college-level developmental reading students at a four-year university in rural southeast Texas.

7. Methodology • This study is a methodological study soliciting emic viewpoints in order to determine meanings and purposes that people use to explain actions (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Strauss & Corbin, 1990). • The research paradigm is from a constructivist stance.

8. Methodology • Sample and Participants • This research project included 11 college-level students enrolled in a developmental reading course • College-level developmental reading course was taught at a rural southeast Texas university. • College-level developmental reading students often have cognitive and affective deficiencies in: • self-regulation • effective reading strategies • reading comprehension skills • analytical thinking skills, • time management skills • interest in reading • motivation (Boylan, 2003)

9. Instruments • Qualitativedata will include open-ended questions measuring perceived: • comfort/skill with social technologies (Technology Knowledge Questionnaire) • optimal experience (Optimal Experience Questionnaire) • reading achievement (Optimal Experience Questionnaire)

10. Instruments • Technology Knowledge Survey (Caverly & Delaney, 2008) • This survey measures developmental students’ perceptions on how comfortable/adept they are with social technologies. This instrument is comprised of 10 open-ended questions. • Example 1. How comfortable are you with each of these forms of social technologies on a scale of 1 (very uncomfortable) to 4 (very comfortable)? E-mail, instant messaging, text-messaging discussion boards, blogs, chat, Facebook or MySpace, Virtual Worlds Describe how you became comfortable. (Qualitative)

11. Instruments • Optimal Experience Questionnaire (Researcher developed) • This questionnaire measures the extent to which developmental reading participants experience optimal experience in the following categories: • Enjoyment/Interest • Personal Relevance • Sense of Control • Positive challenge • Sense of loss of time • Perceived reading achievement

12. Qualitative Procedure • The researcher sought, and was granted IRB approval • The researcher sought written permission to conduct research from participants. • The Technology Knowledge Questionnaire was administered as soon as IRB approval was granted. • The Optimal Experience Questionnaire was explained to participants before administration to ensure a thorough understanding of what optimal experience is by providing examples. The questionnaire was given immediately after the Second Life reading activity.

13. Data Collection • Optimal Experience Questionnaire Data • The data gathered from this instrument were placed into a prioricategories (i.e., enjoyment/interest, personal relevance, sense of control, positive challenge, sense of loss of time, and perceived reading achievement. • Data were analyzed using classical content analysis Holsti (1969) offers a broad definition of content analysis as, "any technique for making inferences by objectively and systematically identifying specified characteristics of messages" (p. 14).

14. Data Collection • Technology Knowledge Survey • The data gathered from this instrument were placed into a prioricategories: technology use, knowledge, comfort, interest and value • Data were analyzed using classical content analysis Holsti (1969) offers a broad definition of content analysis as, "any technique for making inferences by objectively and systematically identifying specified characteristics of messages" (p. 14).

15. Categories for RQ #1RQ1: To what extent are developmental readers digital natives?

16. Categories for RQ#2 To what extent do developmental reading students experience Flow in Second Life?

17. Results • Technology Knowledge & Optimal Experience Survey Results • Developmental reading students in this study use some form of Internet/social networking technology on a weekly basis, if not a daily basis • Developmental reading students are comfortable using and value using social networking tools. • Developmental reading students experienced components of flow

18. Discussion • Further studies in virtual environments need to be undertaken with this population • Studies involving other social technologies coupled with Second Life • Studies involving developmental writing and virtual environment

19. Bearkat Island Second Life Second Life

20. Second Life as on Online Distance Learning platform--think about the possibilities…

21. What do Learning Spaces in SL Look Like? • Formal, academic-style spaces • Informal Learning Spaces • Libraries, Museums, Art Galleries, Dojo • Personal Library, Jazz concert, Religious information • Immersive Spaces • Role-play in costume encouraged

22. Formal, Academic Spaces Designed for familiarity and comfort • EdTech Island, Treehouse conference area • Bearkat Island, Dan Rather Communication Auditorium/Lecture Hall

23. Educational Uses • Science Originally developed by Professor Mary Anne Clark aka Max Chatnoir, a Professor at Texas Wesleyan University, Genome Island (SLurl) is concentrating on using Second Life to teach genetics. Genome Island

24. Educational Uses • Science Launched in November 2007, the Abyss Museum of Ocean Science (SLurl) was created by Second Life artists Rezago Kokorin and Sunn Thunders, and is designed to provide a multi-sensory and multi-dimensional exhibition of the planet's oceans, which combines art, science, and education.

25. Educational Uses • Literature, Composition and Creative Writing The goals of Literature Alive! are:to help faculty create ethical and immersive learning environments that provide added value to students in composition, professional writing, and literature courses http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCTFoP54P8o • The SL Globe Theatre: The most historically accurate rendition of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on the Internet made into a working theatre venue for live Shakespearean plays and other theatrical works performed by the SL Shakespeare Company and other artists.

26. Educational Uses • Language Learning Language Lab uses Second Life to create immersive language learning opportunities for students, in a realistic environment with native-speaking teachers. They completed their beta phase and delievered their first course to fee-paying students in 2007.English Village (SLurl) founded by Fire Centaur, an ESL teacher in real life, is an immersive 3D simulation for language learners and teachers across the globe.

27. Educational Uses The Nutrition Game • Health/Nutrition Recognizing the growing role of fast food in our culture, researchers at the VITAL Lab at Ohio University developed Nutrition Game, a simulation game that exists in the online virtual world of Second Life that allows users to virtually experience the effects that fast food can have on their short- and long-term health.

28. Educational Uses History • Witnessing the Holocaust • Tombstone (role-play)

29. For More Educational Resources

30. Thank you for attending! Contact Information: Melissa Burgess, Clinical Professor Email: mlb024@shsu.edu In Second Life, please visit SHSU’s virtual university, Bearkat Island!