Electronic Journal on Virtual Culture v4n01 (February 26, 1996) URL = http://hegel.lib.ncsu.edu/stacks/serials/aejvc/aejvc-v4n01-contents Electronic Journal on Virtual Culture _____________________________________________________ ISSN 1081-3055 February 26, 1996 Volume 4 Number 1 EJVCV4N1 CONTENTS Table of Contents ______________________________________________________ Creating Connections: An Internet Training Program for Rural K-12 Teachers (available as EJVCV4N1 BLACK) Dianna Lawyer-Black and Lorraine Sherry RMC Research Corporation, Denver, Colorado lsherry@carbon.cudenver.edu Abstract: Our purpose is to present a training model which emphasizes innovative teaching strategies, ongoing support and advanced technology, and whose components are easily replicated due to its effective use of peer teachers and existing lab facilities. The project was designed to enable rural teachers to navigate the Internet, communicate with their peers, and enhance their effectiveness in teaching science and math through Internet-based resources. ______________________________________________________ Achieving Focus, Engagement, and Acceptance: Three Phases of Adapting to Internet Use (available as EJVCV4N1 JAMES) Dr. Leon James, Prof. of Psychology, Univ. of Hawaii http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/club/leonj/leonpsy/leon.html "Thoughts are from affections." E. Swedenborg AE1146 leon@hawaii.edu Dr. Diane Nahl Assistant Professor School of Library and Information Studies University of Hawaii - The Mall Honolulu, HI 96822 e-mail: nahl@hawaii.edu ABSTRACT A group of 20 college seniors were enrolled in a seminar on "The Social Psychology of Learning Internet." They were all novices at telecommunications though the majority described themselves as comfortable at using a wordprocessor or searching the onlin e library catalog. Students received no individual or group instruction but were directed to the computer lab where they had access to lab attendants for help with logon procedures. In actuality, they had to rely on independent trial and error experimen tation and on the use of online Help on Internet and UNIX. Weekly two-hour class discussions were used to assign homework, hand in reports, share information, solve individual problems, build solidarity, and maintain a high level of motivation. Biweekly lab reports were required consisting of the self-witnessing notes students kept of each Internet session to which they scheduled themselves at the computer lab. These formative journal entries left a copious trail of objective data on the affective and cognitive behaviors of novice end-users learning to navigate Internet over a three- month period. Content analysis of archived records showed (a), the importance of group facilitation and solidarity in overcoming initial bewilderment and affective resista nce, quickly followed by acceptance and enthusiasm; and (b), a specification of the range of cognitive acquisition in a few weeks of experience regarding access, operation, navigation, and searching. A taxonomic inventory was derived from the leraner rep orts listing three levels of affective and cognitive acquisitions (skills and errors) making up the process of becoming a regular user of Internet. ______________________________________________________ The Effect of the Virtual Reality on Improving Learner's Intrinsic Motivation and Interest (available as EJVCV4N1 NORTH) Sarah M. North Human-Computer Interaction Group & Virtual Reality Technology Laboratory Computer and Information Science Department Clark Atlanta University, Atlanta GA 30314 E-mail: Sarah@acm.org Abstract The Virtual Reality (virtual environments) offers a new Human-Computer Interaction paradigm in which users are no longer simply external observers of data or images on a computer screen but are active participants within a computer-generated three- dimensional virtual world. Virtual reality differs from traditional displays in that computer graphics, various displays and input technologies are integrated to give the user a sense of presence or immersion in the virtual reality (Held & Durlach, 1992; Sheriden, 1992; North & North, 1994). Consistent with piagetian thinking, research suggests that children's interactive experiences with computers provide opportunities for them to actively explore, test, create, invent new activities and observe the outcome of their efforts (Schetz, 1994; Clements, 1991; Haugland & Shade, 1988). Researchers (Shade & Watson 1988) postulate that when children have meaningful interactions with discovery-oriented, open- ended software, the computer becomes an important teaching tool. A recent virtual environment application of psychological disorders has demonstrated that a person's perceptions of physical- world situations and behavior in the physical world may be modified by their experience in the virtual world. (North & North, 1994; North, North & Coble 1995). The primary purpose of this research was to carry out a study of the effectiveness of virtual reality on improving and maintaining learners' intrinsic motivation or interest. By providing virtual environments that stimulate curiosity, interest, and a sense of control, learners can be taught to generate their own motivational strategies. Since the virtual environment provides a sense of presence and intuitive interaction techniques, it may be possible to create scenarios to stimulate the learners' curiosity and interest. _____________________________________________________ The Cyberspace Monitor (News and Reviews) Karen McComas, Editor mccomas@marshall.edu (available as EJVCV4N1 MONITOR, lines) _____________________________________________________ Articles and Sections of this issue of the _Electronic Journal on Virtual Culture_ may be retrieved via http://rdz.stjohns.edu/ejvc.html or via e-mail message addressed to LISTSERV@KENTVM.KENT.EDU (instructions below) Articles may be submitted at anytime by email or send/file to: Diane K. 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(Ted) Jennings, University at Albany, SUNY jennings@albany.edu Michael Joyce, Vassar MIJOYCE@vaxsar.vassar.edu Jay Lemke, City University of New York JLLBC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU Carl Eugene Loeffler, Carnegie Mellon University cel+@andrew.cmu.edu Willard McCarty, University of Toronto editor@EPAS.UTORONTO.CA James (Jim) Milles, Saint Louis University millesjg@sluvca.slu.edu Algirdas Pakstas, Adger College, Norway a.pakstas@ieee.org A. Ralph Papakhian, Indiana University PAPAKHI@@IUBVM Bernie Sloan, University of Illinois, Champaign bernies@pcmail.pb.uiuc.edu Allucquere Roseanne Stone, University of Texas, Austin success@emc.cc.utexas.edu Kali Tal, Viet Nam Generation kali@access.digex.com Associate Editors Robert J. (Bob) Beebe, Youngstown State University ad219@yfn.ysu.edu Kathleen Burnett, Rutgers University kburnett@gandalf.rutgers.edu G. Phillip Cartwright, Emeritus Professor, University of California-Davis PCARTWRI@KENTVM.KENT.EDU Paulo A. 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