Computer Assisted Assessment within 3D Virtual Worlds

Proceedings of: iED Summit Madrid 2011: 1st European Immersive Education Summit. Leganés-Madrid, Spain, 28-29 November 2011.3D Virtual Worlds are currently been explored as learning environments due to their capabilities to promote learner motivation. Most of the research has been focused on the deployment of learning strategies on them. However, a crucial component of the teaching-learning process: the assessment has been neglected. In this work, we present an architecture that integrates an engine QTI-compliant with a 3D virtual world platform. The rich set of interactions that can occur in a 3D virtual environment is mapped onto the 2D format of the QTI-specification. As result, our solution allows a computer assisted assessment into a 3D virtual world using metaphors adapted to this rich interface. We present an assessment experience deployed on our architecture. The results of the evaluation show satisfaction of learners in using test assessment questions within 3DVWs and improvement in learning outcomes.This research is partially supported by the Spanish National projects Learn3 (grant No. TIN2008-05163/TSI), EEE (grant No. TIN2011-28308-C03-01) and the Madrid regional project eMadrid (grant No. S2009/TIC-1650).Publicad