Proceedings of the 22nd International Academic Conference, Lisbon

AVATARS AND 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GUADALAJARA, MEXICO

ALEJANDRO LOPEZ RODRIGUEZ, JOSE ALBERTO BECERRA SANTIAGO, DIEGO ARMANDO CHAVEZ COVARRUBIAS

Abstract:

The University of Guadalajara is the second largest in Mexico and has nearly 250,000 students. For years it has offered e-learning and b-learning on their academic programs using Learning Management Systems. However, thanks to the increasingly accessible and advanced technologies, it is important to offer students new ways of learning, with flexible and interactive activities. Now, it has begun experimenting with the use of 3D virtual worlds for education. It has built a three-dimensional digital campus so that students can build their own avatars, and can carry out their learning activities and tasks in an advanced graphical atmosphere. Using virtual worlds in education allows high interactivity, voice communications, and environments that simulate reality. This work shows evidence of some interesting results obtained by making use of 3D virtual learning technologies (v-learning), supported by low-cost and high availability systems.

Keywords: 3D, v-learning, b-learning, virtual, education, innovation

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2016.022.035

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