Social Presence in a Three- Dimensional Virtual World Used for Distance Education

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in social presence among students who had participated in a traditional video conference environment and a 3D virtual world for distance education. Also, characteristics of the 3D environment most affected their social presence, and the users’ opinions concerning the 3D environment were revealed. For this purpose, an exploratory, mixed research method was used in this study. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect and analyze the data. The participants included 40 distance education university students, of which 20 in an experimental group (using a 3D virtual world) and 20 in a control group (using traditional methods). The results indicate that students who used the 3D virtual environment reported notably higher social presence. They perceived 3D virtual world as more social than video conference environment. Also, they found the 3D virtual world warm, interesting, and flexible, and that they were active and sociable within such environment. These results showed that 3D virtual worlds can be used effectively in educational environments for distance education students because they provide a rich social presence.