![]() In summary: The NXT program’s ‘building blocks’ were created and maneuvered within SL On the SL space walls were the various options for each block. Each task design aimed to facilitate the process of communication leading to a successful outcome, and to garner feedback on the use of the SL learning space for conducting learning activities. Once the learning space had been built six tasks were implemented. ![]() He later uploaded via USB the resultant program to the LEGO robot and tested. Student B (avatar: Hotaru Kurmin) simultaneously programmed NXT as instructed. Student A (avatar: Soka Naidoo) re-arranged the NXT bocks in SL (see Figure 3) to replicate the Mindstorms program (see Figure 4). The activities were conducted using voice and text. Students were remotely located, so used avatars for communication. The use of NXT program blocks as manipulative, interactive images was included on the horizontal floor of the SL learning space while NXT block variables were represented as vertical images (see Figure 2). Once the learning space had been built, six tasks were implemented. During this Phase 1 the four LEGO related tasks further enabled Student A to modify the learning space resulting in the desired tools for effective communication (see Figure 1). One was given to Student A, the student who had to program the robot to follow a pre-determined circuit as instructed by Student B through communication in SL. Meanwhile, Student B had constructed and duplicated a LEGO robot. All scenarios were later presented to Student A who then selected one design to initially build within SL. To begin the design process a class of design students taught by one of the researchers digitally create a classroom of the future that could then be built within a virtual world. The remit for Student B (avatar name - Soka Naidoo) was to teach LEGO NXT Mindstorms programming by communicating in the designed Second Life learning space. The remit for Student A (avatar name - Hotaru Kurmin) was to design a learning space within leased land in Second Life. The two participants involved in this research project had no prior experience of virtual worlds or LEGO NXT Mindstorms programming. Stage 2 consisted of four tasks with the aim of communicating a LEGO NXT Mindstorms program. Stage 1 consisted of two tasks with the aim of developing a design of a learning space within Second Life. Tasks in Second Life were then undertaken by two Japanese students from remote locations. Prior to implementing the science communication and robot programming, a virtual learning space was formally designed in Second Life (SL). Combining both quantitative and qualitative data sets aims to reduce bias. Task Effectiveness (TE) - the number of commands successfully programmed into the robot, and Interaction Effort (IE) – the amount of time required to interact with the robot (Olsen & Goodrich, 2003)) is merged with personalized ‘meaning' of data collected via a qualitative data set, in other words the follow-up interviews and digital capture of participants on task. All communication is digitally captured, transcribed and analyzed as described in Vallance (2007). Communication between the student is undertaken using synchronous interactive virtual technologies. The metrics proposed for assessing the experiment will be Task Effectiveness (TE), Interaction Effort (IE), the number of times the course was navigated, and the time requirement for completing the course. students program robots to navigate courses designed by other groups, and subsequently modify the program to improve navigation on successive attempts.
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