Educational virtual worlds, learning styles and learning effectiveness: an empirical investigation

Abstract

Virtual Worlds is a promising new medium for educational activities that should address several learning styles and preferences. Learning styles has long been considered a very crucial parameter for designing effective learning experiences. In this study, two learning modalities, i.e. a scenario-based virtual world and a simple web site have been employed in order to investigate their effects on students’ learning effectiveness with respect to their learning style in the Felder-Silverman taxonomy. A randomized controlled crossover study is presented and the main findings and implications are discussed.