Developing Self-Regulation Skills in Virtual Worlds: An Educational Scenario Applied in Second Life

In order to succeed in today’s life and work environments, people require more than thinking skills and content knowledge. Initiative and self-direction skills are needed, including the ability to manage goals and time, to work independently, and be self-directed learners. On the other hand, e-learning has brought changes in every field of formal and informal education, such as training programs, basic education, and life-long learning. However, e-learning is not inherently motivating and can even be demotivating due to technological, intrapersonal, and interpersonal hurdles. A hallmark of e-learning is its reliance on learner autonomy, also called independent or self-directed learning. In view of the need for the design of e-learning environments that would provide self-regulation strategies for the maximization of learners’ engagement to an e-learning course and the development self-regulation as an important life skill, this paper presents the application of a Self-Regulation Theory based educational scenario, using the Virtual World of Second Life to enhance situated experience in professional and career development and to develop self-regulation as an important skill for the 21st century, along with skills, such as collaboration, team work, peer exchange and problem solving.