ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between student preference in virtual environment and learning outcomes. It talks about an instrument used to gauge student class-based learning preferences, the Classroom Learning Environment Instrument (CLEI), testing its ability to predict variability in student learning outcomes. Over the past decade many teachers and researchers have designed and employed computer-assisted instruction (CAI) based curricula in classrooms. Past research has shown that multi-media CAI significantly helps students to grasp earth science concepts and greatly improves their attitudes toward science. Ramasundaram found that students who used a virtual field trip (VFT)-based learning platform in a college earth science class were able to overcome many of the aforementioned spatio-temporal issues. As outlined by E. Dieterle and J. Clarke, multi-user virtual environments have been used in pre-teacher service training; as tools to leverage pro-social behavior; in immersive history instruction; in moral and social development; as a shared space for programming; collaborative mathematics teaching; and science inquiry.
