Exploring Architectures for Fast and Easy Development of Immersive Learning Scenarios

Abstract

Immersive learning scenarios have strong educational potential for life long learning as they can support the acquisition of higher order skills and competence development in an effective, efficient and attractive way. However, existing (multi-user) virtual environments, game development platforms & engines, and social web software applications only partly address the proliferation of immersive learning scenarios. They are often inadequately tuned towards learning, whereas the educational glue between all of them is also lacking. It is a big challenge to define and assemble a flexible architecture to cater for fast and easy development of immersive learning scenarios within Higher Education in the current area of economic breakdown. The Learning Media Programme of the Centre for Learning Sciences and Technologies (CELSTEC) at the Open University of the Netherlands (OUNL) currently explores architectures for fast and easy development of immersive learning scenario’s. Our approach and preliminary outcomes will be presented and discussed at OEB2009.