learning - Academic Conferences Limited

Rose Heaney and Megan Anne Arroll
lasted 26 minutes. Pseudonyms were created for each participant to ensure their anonymity and full
permission was obtained to use verbatim quotations in the final write-up of the study.
4.4 Data analysis
The process of IPA used in the study consisted of a number of stages starting with a case-by-case
analysis and followed by comparison across cases. To begin with, one transcript was read thoroughly
and repeatedly, which permitted the researcher to become familiar with the account, as each
additional reading tended to evoke new insights. Initial coding then entailed noting down anything of
interest, interpretations and making summaries of ideas. From this stage recurrent themes were
extracted, with key words or phrases that captured the essence of the content acting as codes. This
procedure was then repeated for each transcript. At this point the researcher attempted to identify
repeated patterns emerging in the subsequent transcripts whilst still allowing additional topics to be
identified (Smith & Osborn, 2003). The next stage involved looking for thematic connections, both
within and across transcripts. These themes were then clustered and developed into a consolidated
list of master or superordinate themes. The transcripts were reread to ensure that the themes and
sub-themes could undoubtedly be recognised in the verbatim transcripts. Finally, transcript quotations
were noted for each theme and a file created.
5. Findings
Three superordinate themes emerged from the data; comfort, investment and clear rationale. Each of
these themes contain sub-themes which include both positive and negative views of using SL as an
effective teaching environment and will be discussed in turn.
5.1 Comfort
The theme ‘comfort’ is based on the participants’ feeling and thoughts regarding the environment as a
whole and how this impacts upon teaching and learning. The academics felt that the anonymity that
the virtual environment provided was beneficial to students because ‘perhaps they’ll feel more
comfortable in saying “I don’t understand it” because you’re not a person’ (Jane). Similarly, Greta
thought that SL gave students ‘a way of asking anything they want without people knowing who they
are’. This level of anonymity could be very important to students who find it difficult to vocalise
problems and ask questions in real life for fear of embarrassment and could be most beneficial to
those that do not have experience in presenting work, for instance students in their first year of higher
education. Interviewed after his teaching session and after he had discussed it with students (this
academic asked for direct feedback from his students following the SL session), Tom noted that:
‘those that are… more reticent or nervous about contributing in class … were very vocal
and explicit’ (Tom)
Although students could benefit from the anonymity of the environment, staff on the other hand could
feel too exposed. Jane in particular appeared concerned by her lack of experience:
‘I do feel like it’s that I’m too young and inexperienced rather than a competent and
that’s not a nice feeling I think…oh gosh, I must be really stupid because I can’t do x, y, z
…’ (Jane)
In addition to the psychological comfort that SL afforded students, there were practical advantages as
well:
‘I think it could be a useful way of… getting round … difficulties … in London, noncampus
places…that there is actually some sort of social cohesion to what they’re doing.’
(Tom)
As Tom notes, there is often difficulty in engendering a community feeling when a university is split
into separate buildings and campuses, not all of which may be accessed by all students, and
therefore SL may provide a way of integrating student experience onto a common platform. Also, by
developing a virtual world, scarce resources could be saved as ‘we’re not using University space’
(Tom).
Another area where participants could see a use for SL was its ability to engage students who could
not attend traditional lectures:
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