Search Results (4)

As digital technologies continue to evolve, they offer unprecedented opportunities to transform traditional educational paradigms. Virtual worlds offer a dynamic and immersive platform for fostering sustainability education, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. In these interactive environments, students can engage with complex ecological systems and sustainability challenges in a risk-free setting, allowing for experimentation and exploration that would be impractical or impossible in the real world. This study aims to investigate the application of various types of virtual worlds in educational settings, examine their characteristics and potential, and explore how they foster critical 21st-century skills like critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. This paper comprehensively explores various types of virtual worlds—Adventure World, Simulation World, Creative World, Role-Playing World, and Collaborative World—assessing their impact on educational processes and outcomes. Adventure Worlds, with narrative-driven quests, engage students in exploratory learning within a story context. Simulation Worlds replicate real-world environments, allowing students to practice and hone practical skills in a risk-free setting. Creative Worlds provide open-ended, sandbox-like environments where innovation and imagination are paramount. Role-Playing Worlds facilitate empathy and perspective-taking through character-driven scenarios, while Collaborative Worlds emphasize teamwork and problem-solving in group projects. The narrative review methodology was adopted for the comprehensive analysis and synthesis of the literature to assess the impact and integration of virtual worlds in education, focusing on identifying trends, challenges, and opportunities within this domain. The evaluation methodology used in this study incorporates a mix of the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), Concept-Knowledge (C-K) theory, Structure-behavior-function (SBF) modeling, the Framework for 21st Century Learning (P21), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to evaluate the characteristics and educational potential of different virtual world types. Findings indicate that virtual worlds effectively support critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration skills, presenting a comprehensive analysis of how these environments can support, supplement, or transform traditional educational models. The main outcome of the study is the comprehensive exploration of various types of virtual worlds—Adventure World, Simulation World, Creative World, Role-Playing World, and Collaborative World—in education, demonstrating their significant potential to enhance learning experiences and outcomes through immersive, interactive environments that foster critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration skills. Full article

While there is a significant body of research concerning Catholic faith formation in a variety of educational contexts around the world, relatively little attention has been devoted to the notion of missionary discipleship as a foundation for Catholic formation. Recently, the National Catholic Education Commission, in its document Leading Formation for Mission, also elaborates a solid definition of formation and stated: ‘Formation is imaginative, creative and honours adult learning principles […] It engages the ‘intellect’ and is nurtured by appropriate theological content and it engages the ‘Spirit’ and is characterised by contemplation and action for mission’ (2022). This paper seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of formation for missionary discipleship by presenting an evaluation of the efficacy of In Altum, a student-focussed ministry and leadership program developed at the University of Notre Dame Australia in response to the developing magisterial teaching concerning the notion of ‘missionary discipleship’. In particular, we examine participants’ personal faith development, understanding of missionary discipleship on campus, preparation for future ministry, and understanding of contemporary challenges to discipleship. The study progresses in three parts: First, it provides a brief background to In Altum, including the philosophical and sociological context, as well as the key theological principles underpinning the formation offered within the program. Second, following an overview of the mixed-methodology approach taken in the study, which details both the use of qualitative and quantitative data derived from focus groups and an online survey, the paper presents the results of the study, which sought to investigate the efficacy of the program as it pertained to the following: (a) the building of (personal subjective assessment of) faith in participants; (b) the building of participants’ understanding of, and confidence in, the task of evangelisation as missionary discipleship in a secularised context; (c) building a strengthened sense of community amongst the participants. In the third and final section, the reported strengths and weaknesses of the program are examined. The paper also comments on implications for the program on the culture of the university more broadly, including precepts of the program’s findings that may be applied in light of the Australian Catholic Plenary Council’s findings to enhance the future directions of formation programs in the Catholic University Chaplaincy, with possible application to Catholic secondary schools and parish youth groups. Full article

The purpose of this study is to determine the significance of incorporating virtual reality (VR) technology as an additional learning aid in the delivery of architectural theory modules. The aim is to expand students’ horizons by utilizing VR as an immersive blended learning resource, particularly after the COVID-19 epidemic pandemic and the emergent need for new ways of delivering higher education. Empirical samples were drawn from a group of participating students in the History of Architecture module. This study adopted a mixed-methods approach comprising a quantitative inquiry (n = 60), which was complemented by a qualitative focus group discussion (n = 15). For the quantitative inquiry, three activities created virtual environments for three instances of Christian churches and cathedrals from the History of Christian Architecture: Hagia Sofia Cathedral, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral. This was conducted during a 13-week teaching semester, with two groups of students voluntarily taking part in each activity: a VR group and a non-VR group. Following each activity, both groups responded to the same set of questions in order to assess the impact of using VR technologies on students’ cognitive and analytical understanding of the related building. A focus group was formed with the participating students to enhance their understanding of the results of the quantitative inquiry. The findings of the research show an increase in student learning experience and knowledge recollection when using VR in comparison to conventional teaching methods. The findings emphasize the role of digital technologies in enhancing students’ learning experiences, in particular, as a tool for sustainable approaches to teaching. This research expands knowledge and understanding about the use of VR in the History of Architecture pedagogy by examining its effectiveness as a medium of instruction. Furthermore, this study provides recommendations for adopting and incorporating new technologies in higher education for a better learning environment. Full article

This paper examines how Holy Cross missionaries in Bangladesh have interpreted the Catholic Church’s teachings on social justice and inclusive education and have implemented its recommendations at Notre Dame College. The Catholic Church’s documents on education provide direction, purpose, and rationale for Catholics across the globe. These documents advocate Catholic educators toward social justice in education by making education available, accessible, and affordable to all. This leads to the question of how Holy Cross adopts social justice and inclusive education at its elite educational institutions such as NDC, which charges high tuition and enrolls mostly urban meritorious students. The paper is based primarily on a combination of the examination of written documents and fieldwork involving interviews with Holy Cross personnel. The study reveals that the Catholic concept of social justice, social teachings and inclusive education are applied partially at NDC. As recommended by the Catholic Church, Holy Cross educators have taken different educational programs and social projects—both formal and non-formal—to serve the poor and underprivileged at Notre Dame College. However, as the admission policy of the college is based on the results of previous examinations, there is very little scope for the poor and underprivileged groups to get admitted to the college. Furthermore, the institution fails to include children with special educational needs because there are no special opportunities at the college for students with special educational needs. Full article