Abstract
Role-playing is a useful technique educators have assigned with the
hope of preparing their students for situations they encounter in
their careers. Role-playing serves as important activity for student
counselors developing interviewing and diagnosis skills. The use
of role-playing in counselor education provides instructors and students
with a useful method in practicing various scenarios and the development
of a strong interviewing and diagnosis skill set. Instructors and
students need an environment that enables them to
meet, discuss, role-play, practice, and complete activities and that
enables instructors to present more authentic didactic examples and
supervise students without interference (Walker, 2009, p. 1). Finding
an authentic environment with patients who emulate clients that counselors
may encounter in their careers can be difficult as educators are
limited by the available technologies and mediums to produce settings
where such active learning can take place.
Research on the challenges facing counselor educators to provide effective
learning opportunities and the development and use of 3D virtual
environments in education was used as the conceptual framework for
this study. The purpose of this study was to evaluate student perceived
learning benefits of a 3D virtual environment for counselor skill
development. Students completed three activities during each unit
in their course. While practicing their skills in the 3D virtual
environment Second Life during two units in their course, students
completed role-playing activities in a virtual counselor training
facility interviewing customized avatars emulating a mental illness.
Research questions for this study include: Is there a difference
in perceived learning based on learning activity? Do students perceive
the use of a 3D virtual environment for role-playing as an effective
method to develop their counseling interviewing and diagnosis skills?
Study results were obtained by the administration of a student perceived
learning instrument after each activity completed in two different
units during the course and the administration of an attitudinal
survey after both units and all activities in those units were completed.
An analysis of the results of this study determined students perceived
using a 3D virtual environment for role-playing activities as beneficial.
The quantitative perceived learning survey results found a statistically
significant difference when comparing student perceived learning
between the three learning activities; with the 3D virtual environment
obtaining the highest student perceived learning scores. Specifically,
students perceived they learned more during their activities in the
3D virtual environment than other activities used during the same
course units.
Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data from the attitudinal
survey determined students perceived the use of a 3D virtual environment
for role-playing as an effective method to develop their mental health
interviewing and diagnosis counseling skills. Students felt the 3D
virtual environment was realistic, interactive, fun, and engaging.
In addition, students felt the environment improved collaboration,
communication, and cooperation among students. The findings of this
study have implications for future educational practice as counselor
instructors in both traditional and distance education courses seek
to find better methods to assist their students in developing their
skills.
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