A METHODOLOGY FOR THE DESIGN OF LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
ABSTRACT
This article presents and discusses some theoretical starting points and design considerations for addressing emotional and aesthetic aspects of virtual learning environments (VLEs) for support of ubiquitous teaching, studying and learning. In this article, we note that a VLE should be viewed upon as an interactive and sensations arousing instrument, a tool or mediator for communication and regulation of psycho-social processes and presence in terms of social distance. As a symbolic artifact to be assessed and perceived from the viewpoint of aesthetics. The most important emotionality aspects of a VLE could be pointed out to be a tool allows virtual presence and simultaneously allowing possibilities to regulate the social and psychological distance to others.
This work focusses on emotionality, particularly from the viewpoint of avatar based VLE collaborative solutions, graphical representations and participants of social simulations, which are used, as shared virtual spaces and mental tools: tools for thinking and mental problem solving. In addition, this work considers emotional mediation through the use of such communication technologies. With the provision of a basis for the ability to empathise, entering into another person’s role, emotional reciprocity and as an essential factor for generating a shared and trusting or secure enough mutual emotional state for successful and motivating problem solving and innovation development. Emotional, study-related situations are also discussed from the perspective of one’s cognitive and emotional load as well as via situational anxiety and situational pleasure.