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Avatars and education
Academics are already expanding the use of computer-based role-play in teaching; what’s next?
Whilst computer-based role-playing is never likely to replace traditional real-world practical training experience entirely, the continued sophistication of the medium is slowly revolutionising the way graduates prepare for the professional arena.
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The thinking is sound: students response in a class is often based on the particular relationship with the lecturer. The use of avatar based video instruction for prerecorded lecture material would combine seamlessly with computer simulations, static and video information; and would take the students’ mind off the lecturer relationship. These recordings should be made available to students as a basis of study before face to face tutorials; in a distance education environment, the usefulness to augment study packages is obvious and residency schools could then be used with greater effect. A distance education student has a disadvantage of not knowing their lecturer(s) as well as internal students, and the avatar system might reduce the extent of feeling personally removed, because an avatar is psychologically easier to relate to without first forging relationship trust.