Learning in Collaborative and Motivational Virtual Environments

In particular in STEM education, disciplines, which require students to understand difficult conceptual concepts such as physical phenomena, different learning strategies have evolved to enhance the students’ learning success and engagement. Many of these strategies include interactive activities such as hands-on experiences, game-based learning, or cooperative assignments. It is challenging to include these methods in an online and virtual environment. My research aims to design, implement, discuss, and compare different forms of motivational and interactive virtual learning environments with focus on game-based and collaborative approaches. This includes virtual learning tools such as multiuser virtual worlds, gamified interactivities, and learning games to teach physics and software engineering