Peter Leong - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Peter Leong

This paper presents case studies of an elementary school class and a graduate college course desi... more This paper presents case studies of an elementary school class and a graduate college course designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore the use of virtual worlds—primarily Minecraft and Second Life—for teaching and learning. Based on the findings, implications for the design of virtual world classes are provided.

Computers and Advanced Technology in Education, 2004

This paper presents the basics of the constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis method... more This paper presents the basics of the constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis methods to research in virtual worlds. Our data sources include video recordings of in-world class interactions; artifacts and documents such as students' blog, and asynchronous discussion postings. For data analysis, we use the constant comparative method as a tool for inductive analysis, and discourse analysis as a tool to discover patterns in discursive practices. The constant comparative method was originally developed for the use in grounded theory methodology, but is now more widely applied as a method of analysis in qualitative research. It requires the researcher to take one piece of data and compare it to all other pieces of data that are either similar or different, gradually identifying the salient differences. In contrast, discourse analysis examines the way in which sentences are combined in larger linguistic units, such as conversational exchanges or written texts. The critic...

This paper examines the process of preparing and coordinating a group of graduate students to wor... more This paper examines the process of preparing and coordinating a group of graduate students to work with faculty in the development of online hybrid courses for

Journal For Virtual Worlds Research

This paper presents the basics of the constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis method... more This paper presents the basics of the constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis methods to research in virtual worlds. Our data sources include video recordings of in-world class interactions; artifacts and documents such as students’ blog, and asynchronous discussion postings. For data analysis, we use the constant comparative method as a tool for inductive analysis, and discourse analysis as a tool to discover patterns in discursive practices. The constant comparative method was originally developed for the use in grounded theory methodology, but is now more widely applied as a method of analysis in qualitative research. It requires the researcher to take one piece of data and compare it to all other pieces of data that are either similar or different, gradually identifying the salient differences. In contrast, discourse analysis examines the way in which sentences are combined in larger linguistic units, such as conversational exchanges or written texts. The critical...

In this paper, we focus on collaborative learning in 3D virtual campuses, i.e. virtual worlds rep... more In this paper, we focus on collaborative learning in 3D virtual campuses, i.e. virtual worlds representing real educational institutions that use the metaphor of a university and provide users with a range of different tools for learning. Analyzing the results of a study conducted across two virtual campuses in Second Life, we discuss how formal and informal learning can be supported in such virtual worlds and how they should be designed to improve student experience. As a result, we provide implications for conducting both formal and informal educational activities in 3D virtual campuses.

Taking an art course often makes many college students anxious. This could be attributed to the f... more Taking an art course often makes many college students anxious. This could be attributed to the fact that students are unable to draw, and because they have not had any "art " since 8th grade or younger. If this is not enough to deter students from enrolling in an art course, try persuading them to take a distance education art course that is delivered entirely online. This article describes an online visual art course that is designed to overcome these fears and make learning an enjoyable virtual experience while developing critical thinking and working collaboratively with other students in the course. Qualitative data of students ’ evaluation of the course was collected and analyzed. Based on the findings, implications for the design of online courses, as well as for the teaching and learning of visual arts are provided.

In this paper, we explore role-playing and experiential learning approaches applied in an immersi... more In this paper, we explore role-playing and experiential learning approaches applied in an immersive virtual environment for a professional counseling distance course. Training professional counselors requires practice and therefore possesses a challenge for the distant education. Although both counseling professionals’ codes of ethics provide guidance for the ethical practice in difficult situations, the prevailing response among many of these professionals tends to be ambivalent. We explored conditions that influenced knowledge acquisition of graduate rehabilitation counseling students who role-played two challenging scenarios and then had a possibility to review the performance. The data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. The potential of the teaching method and the supporting technology are discussed. The findings indicate that role-playing and experiential learning are valued by the participants as a teaching method in a distance course.

This paper examines the process of preparing and coordinating a group of graduate students to wor... more This paper examines the process of preparing and coordinating a group of graduate students to work with faculty in the development of online hybrid courses for the Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Secondary Education and the Master’s in Special Education programs at the College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa. The analysis revealed several themes about the online course development project which have implications for future initiatives. Additionally, data collected from graduate students’ time logs determined the breakdown of time spent in the various aspects of online course development. Analysis of the time log data identified planning/strategizing, WebCT course site design, other content development and preparing course materials as the key aspects of online course development.


Abstract: In Fall 2005, a laptop initiative was implemented for the University of Hawai`i-Manoa (... more Abstract: In Fall 2005, a laptop initiative was implemented for the University of Hawai`i-Manoa (UHM) Institute for Teacher Education (ITE) program at the College of Education (COE). This paper delineates the laptop initiative objectives and examines ITE faculty's readiness to ...

Abstract: The University of Hawaii's Educational Technology Department previously de... more Abstract: The University of Hawaii's Educational Technology Department previously developed collaborations statewide with local schools, community colleges, and private businesses. Through PT3 grants, these partnerships focused on teacher education and built upon the ...

This article describes an online computer in education course that is designed to make learning a... more This article describes an online computer in education course that is designed to make learning an enjoyable virtual experience while developing critical thinking and working collaboratively with other students in the course. Both quantitative and qualitative data of students’ evaluation of the course were collected and analyzed. Based on the findings, implications for the design of online courses, as well as for the teaching and learning of computers in education are provided.

Page 1. Understanding Interactivity in Online Learning Environments: The Role of Social Presence ... more Page 1. Understanding Interactivity in Online Learning Environments: The Role of Social Presence & Cognitive Absorption in Student Satisfaction Peter Leong Department of Educational Technology University of Hawaii at Manoa United States peterleo@hawaii.edu ...

Today, gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that produces games for children of all ages and... more Today, gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that produces games for children of all ages and backgrounds. The technology used for these video games has also been steadily evolving with improved gaming platforms and environments that captivate children and create an experience that is more realistic than any games that have been encountered previously. Children are intensely mesmerized by these games that they can play them for hours at a time. If it were possible for educators to harness the power of games and use them in an educational setting, gaming could potentially be a powerful tool for learning. James Paul Gee’s (2005) Learning Principles in Good Games shows the elements of what makes a “good” game. By analyzing the learning theory of Howard Gardner and Gee’s Learning Principles, educators can start to see how specific multiple intelligences could potentially be used in different elements of gaming. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Electronic communication has become an integral part of higher education. Along with the growth o... more Electronic communication has become an integral part of higher education. Along with the growth of electronic communication is the rise of Web-based courses. This empirical study surveyed 128 students enrolled in 29 courses offered entirely over the Internet to determine the dimensions which underlie student satisfaction with Web-based courses and examined how these dimensions can be used to predict student satisfaction levels. This study also examined the relationship between demographic variables, such as gender, year in school, students' prior computer, email, and Internet proficiency, as well as, Web-based course experience and their satisfaction levels with Web-based courses. The implication of this study is that instructors of Web-based courses may be able to increase their online students' satisfaction by addressing the appropriate factors underlying student satisfaction.

This paper presents case studies of an elementary school class and a graduate college course desi... more This paper presents case studies of an elementary school class and a graduate college course designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore the use of virtual worlds—primarily Minecraft and Second Life—for teaching and learning. Based on the findings, implications for the design of virtual world classes are provided.

Computers and Advanced Technology in Education, 2004

This paper presents the basics of the constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis method... more This paper presents the basics of the constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis methods to research in virtual worlds. Our data sources include video recordings of in-world class interactions; artifacts and documents such as students' blog, and asynchronous discussion postings. For data analysis, we use the constant comparative method as a tool for inductive analysis, and discourse analysis as a tool to discover patterns in discursive practices. The constant comparative method was originally developed for the use in grounded theory methodology, but is now more widely applied as a method of analysis in qualitative research. It requires the researcher to take one piece of data and compare it to all other pieces of data that are either similar or different, gradually identifying the salient differences. In contrast, discourse analysis examines the way in which sentences are combined in larger linguistic units, such as conversational exchanges or written texts. The critic...

This paper examines the process of preparing and coordinating a group of graduate students to wor... more This paper examines the process of preparing and coordinating a group of graduate students to work with faculty in the development of online hybrid courses for

Journal For Virtual Worlds Research

This paper presents the basics of the constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis method... more This paper presents the basics of the constant comparative analysis and discourse analysis methods to research in virtual worlds. Our data sources include video recordings of in-world class interactions; artifacts and documents such as students’ blog, and asynchronous discussion postings. For data analysis, we use the constant comparative method as a tool for inductive analysis, and discourse analysis as a tool to discover patterns in discursive practices. The constant comparative method was originally developed for the use in grounded theory methodology, but is now more widely applied as a method of analysis in qualitative research. It requires the researcher to take one piece of data and compare it to all other pieces of data that are either similar or different, gradually identifying the salient differences. In contrast, discourse analysis examines the way in which sentences are combined in larger linguistic units, such as conversational exchanges or written texts. The critical...

In this paper, we focus on collaborative learning in 3D virtual campuses, i.e. virtual worlds rep... more In this paper, we focus on collaborative learning in 3D virtual campuses, i.e. virtual worlds representing real educational institutions that use the metaphor of a university and provide users with a range of different tools for learning. Analyzing the results of a study conducted across two virtual campuses in Second Life, we discuss how formal and informal learning can be supported in such virtual worlds and how they should be designed to improve student experience. As a result, we provide implications for conducting both formal and informal educational activities in 3D virtual campuses.

Taking an art course often makes many college students anxious. This could be attributed to the f... more Taking an art course often makes many college students anxious. This could be attributed to the fact that students are unable to draw, and because they have not had any "art " since 8th grade or younger. If this is not enough to deter students from enrolling in an art course, try persuading them to take a distance education art course that is delivered entirely online. This article describes an online visual art course that is designed to overcome these fears and make learning an enjoyable virtual experience while developing critical thinking and working collaboratively with other students in the course. Qualitative data of students ’ evaluation of the course was collected and analyzed. Based on the findings, implications for the design of online courses, as well as for the teaching and learning of visual arts are provided.

In this paper, we explore role-playing and experiential learning approaches applied in an immersi... more In this paper, we explore role-playing and experiential learning approaches applied in an immersive virtual environment for a professional counseling distance course. Training professional counselors requires practice and therefore possesses a challenge for the distant education. Although both counseling professionals’ codes of ethics provide guidance for the ethical practice in difficult situations, the prevailing response among many of these professionals tends to be ambivalent. We explored conditions that influenced knowledge acquisition of graduate rehabilitation counseling students who role-played two challenging scenarios and then had a possibility to review the performance. The data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. The potential of the teaching method and the supporting technology are discussed. The findings indicate that role-playing and experiential learning are valued by the participants as a teaching method in a distance course.

This paper examines the process of preparing and coordinating a group of graduate students to wor... more This paper examines the process of preparing and coordinating a group of graduate students to work with faculty in the development of online hybrid courses for the Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Secondary Education and the Master’s in Special Education programs at the College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa. The analysis revealed several themes about the online course development project which have implications for future initiatives. Additionally, data collected from graduate students’ time logs determined the breakdown of time spent in the various aspects of online course development. Analysis of the time log data identified planning/strategizing, WebCT course site design, other content development and preparing course materials as the key aspects of online course development.


Abstract: In Fall 2005, a laptop initiative was implemented for the University of Hawai`i-Manoa (... more Abstract: In Fall 2005, a laptop initiative was implemented for the University of Hawai`i-Manoa (UHM) Institute for Teacher Education (ITE) program at the College of Education (COE). This paper delineates the laptop initiative objectives and examines ITE faculty's readiness to ...

Abstract: The University of Hawaii's Educational Technology Department previously de... more Abstract: The University of Hawaii's Educational Technology Department previously developed collaborations statewide with local schools, community colleges, and private businesses. Through PT3 grants, these partnerships focused on teacher education and built upon the ...

This article describes an online computer in education course that is designed to make learning a... more This article describes an online computer in education course that is designed to make learning an enjoyable virtual experience while developing critical thinking and working collaboratively with other students in the course. Both quantitative and qualitative data of students’ evaluation of the course were collected and analyzed. Based on the findings, implications for the design of online courses, as well as for the teaching and learning of computers in education are provided.

Page 1. Understanding Interactivity in Online Learning Environments: The Role of Social Presence ... more Page 1. Understanding Interactivity in Online Learning Environments: The Role of Social Presence & Cognitive Absorption in Student Satisfaction Peter Leong Department of Educational Technology University of Hawaii at Manoa United States peterleo@hawaii.edu ...

Today, gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that produces games for children of all ages and... more Today, gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that produces games for children of all ages and backgrounds. The technology used for these video games has also been steadily evolving with improved gaming platforms and environments that captivate children and create an experience that is more realistic than any games that have been encountered previously. Children are intensely mesmerized by these games that they can play them for hours at a time. If it were possible for educators to harness the power of games and use them in an educational setting, gaming could potentially be a powerful tool for learning. James Paul Gee’s (2005) Learning Principles in Good Games shows the elements of what makes a “good” game. By analyzing the learning theory of Howard Gardner and Gee’s Learning Principles, educators can start to see how specific multiple intelligences could potentially be used in different elements of gaming. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.

Electronic communication has become an integral part of higher education. Along with the growth o... more Electronic communication has become an integral part of higher education. Along with the growth of electronic communication is the rise of Web-based courses. This empirical study surveyed 128 students enrolled in 29 courses offered entirely over the Internet to determine the dimensions which underlie student satisfaction with Web-based courses and examined how these dimensions can be used to predict student satisfaction levels. This study also examined the relationship between demographic variables, such as gender, year in school, students' prior computer, email, and Internet proficiency, as well as, Web-based course experience and their satisfaction levels with Web-based courses. The implication of this study is that instructors of Web-based courses may be able to increase their online students' satisfaction by addressing the appropriate factors underlying student satisfaction.