Exploring collaborative working of undergraduate students through virtual worlds: A study conducted in a Sri Lankan context

Somaratne, Rathnayake

Abstract

Collaborative work is a type of learning activity given to students. This type of learning activity encourages students to work actively with their group members. Therefore, the participation of group members is important during group-based activities. When delivering collaborative work, not only a face-to-face environment but also a computer-supported environment can be used. Virtual worlds are one such computer-supported environment that can be used to deliver group-based activities. A virtual world is a synthetic environment where participants communicate and navigate using avatars. The present study investigates the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate students at a Sri Lankan Higher Education Institute regarding their participation in collaborative work delivered in their courses and the virtual world.

An interpretivist paradigm was adopted to explore the phenomenon in greater detail. Both qualitative and quantitative data tools were used to provide credibility to the findings. The findings indicate that two factors influence Sri Lankan students’ participation in collaborative work. The first is the amount of exposure to group-based activities the study participants had prior to entering higher education. On entering higher education, those students who had less exposure, find it challenging to participate in collaborative work as they do not know how to work as a group. The second factor is that belonging to a post-colonial community influences the way students work in the activities. Introducing virtual worlds to conduct collaborative work was novel to the study participants. The findings highlight that the concern raised by belonging to a post-colonial community is mitigated when the students work in virtual worlds. However, their understanding of working interactively is not resolved as virtual worlds alone cannot address the situation. Thus, the Sri Lankan school system needs to develop its curriculum to bridge the gap between school education and higher education.

This study contributes knowledge to fill the gaps identified in the literature review by identifying the root causes of passive participation of Sri Lankan higher education students when they engage in collaborative work. Further, it identifies to what extent virtual worlds can mitigate these issues. Finally, this study proposes a conceptual framework for academics in Sri Lankan Higher Education Institutes to use when they deliver collaborative work.

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Aug 5, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 12, 2022
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/7604202
• Award Date: Apr 12, 2022