MOOs do have pedagogical benefits beyond distance learning, may be better suited as a "supplemental space."
We should recognize and play to the strengths of all instructional media available to us, including MOOs, the web, email, and "real life."
MOOs and other on-line media expand the boundaries of the classroom in space and time, accommodate variety of teaching and learning styles.
Some Uses for MOOs:
- Discussion space.
Plays directly to strengths of MOO environment. For example: On-line discussion section for traditional large lecture.
- Collaborative space.
The same features that promote discussion in the MOO promote collaboration and group work. It is possible to create group objects for student presentations.
- On-line Writing Lab.
A few MOOs are already in use extending traditional university writing center services (For example, ZooMOO at University of Missouri, described by Eric Crump, "At Home in the MUD").
- Social MOO?
Extend the experiment of virtual social/professional spaces like LinguaMOO and MediaMOO to undergraduates. Allow building and programming for less directed purposes.
Proceed to References