Article
A Study of Adult Learning in a Virtual World
Advances in Developing Human Resources
(2010)
Abstract
It is crucial that employees and students become astute adult learners. Due to rapidly changing technology in both the workplace and instructional venues, organizationsare challenged to find new and useful tools for adapting to these advances in bothcontent and processes of work. Therefore, understanding how virtual worlds functionas sites of adult learning (including enablers and barriers to successful adult learning experiences) becomes an important task for developing the construct of virtual humanresource development (VHRD). In this empirical exploratory study, adult learningwas conducted within the virtual world of Second Life (SL), both for its popularityand afforded opportunities for collaboration. The findings in this study indicate thereare important enablers and barriers for adult learning in this virtual world that mayprove useful for HRD professionals when designing learning experiences in virtual environments.
Keywords
- adult learning,
- andragogy,
- virtual HRD,
- VHRD,
- virtual environment
Disciplines
Publication Date
December, 2010
DOI
10.1177/1523422310395368
Publisher Statement
First published in Advances in Developing Human Resources.
Citation Information
Mancuso, D., Chlup, D., & McWhorter, R. R. (2010). A study of adult learning in a virtual world. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 12(6), 681–699.