The Design and Use of Educational Games in 3D Virtual Worlds

Abstract

3D Virtual Worlds have gained popularity in the resent years. The use of 3D VLEs has also extended the variation in the distance and online education. Another concept that sweeps the current educational practices is gamification. To converge both concepts Istanbul University has created its own virtual campus on a 3D VLE, and has been creating applications and games for foreign language and mathematics education. In this study, those applications and games will be presented and discussed. The designing phase, application of those games with learners, the experience with the learners, and the results of this process will be evaluated. The examples are 1) “Machinima Project” to equip foreign language teachers with digital literacy and “Language Park” to teach Turkish learners Italian, 2) “Coordinate System Robot” game to teach 7th grade learners the coordinate system, and 3) “Snow Dogs” game to teach 5th grade learners the fractions in their Maths class.