Open Access18. Avatars: Usefulness in Collaborative Online Learning Environments
Author(s) -
Lesley Wilton,
Tonya Noël
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
collected essays on learning and teaching
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2368-4526
DOI - 10.22329/celt.v4i0.3282
Subject(s) - creativity , avatar , computer mediated communication , collaborative learning , psychology , online learning , graduate students , educational technology , mathematics education , computer science , the internet , multimedia , pedagogy , world wide web , human–computer interaction , social psychology
Digital technologies that enhance computer-mediated communications are provoking change in the way educators interact with learners. As online course offerings expand and enrollment numbers increase, the challenges of effective online learning call for innovation and creativity. It is beneficial to introduce activities which establish trust and engagement in online learning communities. This paper describes the positive effects of an avatar activity that engaged the authors and their peers during two graduate-level collaborative online classes.