VirtualPREX  Virtual Professional Experience  Innovative assessment using a 3D virtual world with  pre-service teachers VirtualPrex is a mechanism whereby pre-service teachers can gain skills, confidence and techniques to support their real life professional experience prior to practicum by the use of virtual worlds.
Home About the Project Aims Outcomes Phases VirtualPREX classrooms Machinima Dissemination Contacts Sponsored by: Support for this project has been provided by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council Ltd, an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The views expressed in this website do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.	Outcomes The primary outcome of this project will be the development and implementation of VirtualPREX: a 3D, interactive, virtual space designed as a classroom with structured learning experiences for formative assessment, in which pre-service teachers can practise teaching skills prior to professional experience placements. Students will be able to use the space both synchronously and asynchronously, by themselves or interacting with other students, academics and/or robots. Students will interact with classroom simulations so that they can reflect, practise and apply skills learnt. VirtualPREX will be accessible to academic users of Second Life worldwide for use with their pre-service teachers. The project will culminate in the production of the following outcomes/deliverables: documentation of principles and guidelines for developing and implementing formative assessment in a 3D virtual world based on application of social constructivist pedagogy for learning activities a broader evaluation of the usefulness of Second Life in meeting the project aims for pre-service teachers the creation of a prototype primary school student bot and an automated classroom where pre-service teachers can practice teaching skills by themselves, with other students and/or their academic teacher a space to create and use machinima for self, peer, formative and summative assessment guidelines for using machinima as a resource for assessment tasks and discussion of standards assessable tasks for individuals or groups for use by higher educational institutions worldwide guidelines for encouraging effective teaching strategies through role-play an agreed protocol for sharing future use and development of VirtualPREX
Project Member Institutions