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EduMOOs and EduMOOcation

© Michael Cruse

There's been a lot of discussion in academic circles about the strengths and weaknesses of different types of distance learning. Easily the most often heard complaint is that distance learning is too isolating. The exception to this are EduMOOs, or object-oriented, multi-user domains. For those of you like myself who aren't in the know of computer lingo, this means users can create classrooms which simulate anything from rainforests to Civil War re-enactments. Students and teachers then use these virtual realities as forums for open discussion. One of an EduMOOs many advantages is that it allows multiple users to log on at the same time, providing a more natural and relaxed environment for learning. Another advantage of an EduMOO is that all communication occurs in real-time, much like chats.

The creation of these text-based environments is not the brainchild of some educational thinktank, as might be expected. Rather, EduMOOs owe their success to the online gaming community and their Multi-User Dungeons (MUD). The EduMOO server is a kind of MUD which is used for more "respectable" applications (1). Despite this egalitarian employment of MUD technology, EduMOOs still owe a lot to gaming, which many students feel make EduMOOs more like play than work. In fact, researchers have noted that an attitude of play is beneficial to students' cognitive skills. Further research on EduMOOs has also shown that this format encourages otherwise uncommunicative students in "f2f" (face to face) discussions (2). It also allows students to revise their comments more easily and for more individual turn-taking within groups Given the research, EduMOOs have the potential to be more democratic than most traditional classrooms. With EduMOOS in every major Western language and more graphical web interfaces being developed, EduMOOS are only becoming more user-friendly.

The best resource for links and information on EduMOOs is Diversity University: http://www.du.org. DU is a non-profit educational organization with resources ranging from classes to consulting services. Check them out and start MOOing!

*(1)(2) Quoted directly from www.du.org

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