Developing 3D Case Studies for Authentic Learning Experiences

This chapter describes the authors effort to develop and pilot prototypes of 3D case studies in Second Life for authentic interdisciplinary learning experiences in the health and allied health professions. It explores 3D technologies that rely on rich visual affordances and specialized knowledge for meaningful simulations of clinical spaces. The pilot results suggest 3D case studies appear to be an exciting, promising, affordable pedagogy to engage students in analyzing a real life situation. Here, the authors emphasize what they think is unique about this project: 1) it fostered interdisciplinary knowledge construction; 2) it was piloted with a quasi-experimental design with random assignment; and 3) it included data of attitudinal and cognitive measures.