Inter-Life: a novel, three-dimensional, virtual learning environment for life transition skills learning

A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge The content must not be changed in any way or reproduced in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holder(s) When referring to this work, full bibliographic details must be given This paper presents the findings from one of the first empirical research studies which has investigated the impact of Inter-Life; a novel three-dimensional immersive virtual learning environment, on learning and development of social and educational life transition skills in a group of looked after and accommodated children. Drawing on social constructivism in which meaningful learning is related to context and situated in practice, we report on a series of Inter-Life workshops that enabled young people to work together and through the processes of participation in authentic learning activities contributed to the development of life transition skills such as self-confidence, empathy, negotiation and mediation skills, teamwork and active problem-solving skills. The novel affordances of the Inter-Life virtual world which contributed to the development of the learning community included the ability to personalise learner engagement and activities from the outset along with 'co-presence' and 'immersion' and the flexibility provided by the innovative, technology-enhanced Inter-Life platform. This study presents some empirical evidence to demonstrate the efficacy of new models of learning that are mediated by innovative malleable technologies that can be shaped by the learner in a participatory manner. Introduction The present study details a novel approach to life transition skills learning using Inter-Life, which is a novel technology enhanced, three-dimensional, immersive virtual learning environment. The Inter-Life research project is an interdisciplinary project funded by the EPSRC/ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme technology-enhanced learning (TEL) phase (http://www.tlrp.org/tel/) in the UK (Lally et al., 2009). Inter-Life is an immersive three-dimensional virtual world based on the Linden Lab Second Life TM platform but has been extensively modified and includes novel integrated automated data collection tools and private spaces for critical reflection (Magill et al., 2009). Since the potential of virtual worlds for learning is now being investigated novel technologies and their role in learning from a critical educational perspective and in situated, authentic learning contexts (Laurillard, 2002; Selwyn, 2010). Transition is no longer considered a linear process and young people require skills for dealing with change, risk, uncertainty and complexity throughout the life-course (Ahier & Moore, 1999). There is also current discourse in the …