I’ve written before (and here) about the value of Second Life and other virtual applications including simulation training, asking whether it improves outcomes – or in other words, results in better decisions and results. Well, my Tech Insider colleague wrote on Wednesday in her blog, The Agile Mind, about some emerging research showing that it just may.
She mentions a blog item by Erica Driver, a former researcher at Forrester Research, citing a "new study suggesting that work-related teaching and learning, collaboration and meetings all can be done effectively in Second Life." Also, as mentioned before, Laurent cites the Stanford Medical School example, in which “researchers have found that ‘virtual [emergency department] environments fulfill their promise of providing repeated practice opportunities in dispersed locations with uncommon, life-threatening trauma cases in a safe, reproducible, flexible setting.’”
Still not all that convinced. But . . .
Laurent cites another, more intriguing example: A Penn State study that found “solving problems in a virtual space might take a bit longer than in the real world, but can come up with better solutions,” according to Laurent. Here’s more of what she wrote:
Researchers set up 10 teams working face to face, 10 teams teleconferencing and 12 teams in Second Life.Using a mathematical problem finding and solving video trainer, the groups had to figure out how to rescue an injured eagle. Even though they could only communicate via text and had to learn how to use the keyboard to move their avatars, the Second Life teams came up with the most accurate answers.
Nothing hugely definitive yet, but lots of intriguing hints that Driver might just be onto something.
Later, Laurent added an addendum to her blog about a new study from McKinsey, which assigned a value to telecommuting and video conferencing, which, although not an immersive environment like Second Life, have similar qualities that can be applied to the virtual training and work environment. According to "How IT Can Cut Carbon Emission,", telecommuting, video conferencing, Internet shopping, and downloading content rather than using paper, CDs, and DVDs, can save 0.5 metric gigatons a year. Laurent points out: “It's not the kind of savings that can come from making manufacturing, electricity grids, buildings and truck fleets more efficient, but it's nothing to sneeze at either!”
Looking good.
COMMENTS
Please, go to
http://www.med-smart.org/downloads/Elsevier_Clinical_Simulation_Book_CH64.pdf
Most of what you talk about has been done (often to several worldwide distributed places simultaneously) a long time ago, implemented on a routine basis, and quantitative efficacy results published on a number of occasions, and significant theoretical basis for it all developed. There is really nothing terribly new or exciting about it, and if you really want to get on a truly revolutionary concept that WILL change learning, knowledge building, collaboration, and the way we do things altogether, learn about the Teams of Leaders concept – currently the rage in the US Army – and something the potential of which will REALLY make your heads spin. To facilitate the process, another link:
http://www.gsnmagazine.com/cms/lib/1181.pdf
(go to page 43), and also do yourself a favor and read Bradford and Brown “America’s Army: A Model for Interagency Cooperation”, Praeger 2008
Dag von Lubitz 10/16/08 07:12 am ET