Multi-User Virtual Environments for Teaching and Learning - Literature review Example

Signature Assignment due: Introduction Technology is improving day-by-day. Embracing the latest technology has proved to be of significant benefit in all areas of operation. In the learning and training world, the latest technology is a very important tool as it enhances the learning process. Based on this fact, many training and learning institutions have adopted technology in their daily operations. However, before adopting any technology, considerations have to be made on the audience targeted, so as to pick the most suitable technology. This is because different age groups will require different technological tools. For instance, the youth, between 15 to 35 years are more conversant with the latest technologies and can, therefore, make use of it with a lot of ease. Such youth will also be very eager to learn new technology. They are enthusiastic and curious about the latest changes and improvements in technology. The trainer will, therefore, have an easier time dealing with such a group. The elderly members of the population will, on the other hand, take more time to learn and use such technology. The elderly will also tend to show little interest in the adoption of new technologies, and will instead prefer to stick to what they are used to. They are resistant to change. When deciding on the best technology to adopt, one should consider the group of target so as to make an informed decision. Needs in technology will also vary with varying age groups. The young people will be eager to explore more. In order to satisfy their demand for information, a more diverse and wide technological platform should be used. The elderly will, on the other hand, show less interest in extreme exploration. They will feel contented with what they have gathered throughout the years. The implementation of any technology may, therefore, face some barriers depending on the group of focus. This paper seeks to investigate technologies that can be implemented in the learning process. A scenario of a corporate training collaboration will be used. The problem with a scenario Realtek Industries (RI) has been doing well in the customer service department. The success can be attributed to the face-to-face training of the customer service representatives, done on a monthly basis. Improvement can still be done at RI, as far as customer service is concerned. The improvement needs to be implemented particularly in the collaboration of customer service representatives with one another. The department tasked with customer service should be able to respond to all customer queries, including the frequently asked questions. The department should also be well conversant with the emerging new products in the market, and in particular the electronic resources. In a dynamic business environment such as RI, sharing of information is very crucial. Information relating to the business needs to be shared amongst the staff members and the customers. Information is power and the transforming resource in the economic relations. The customer relations department needs to understand the occurring changes in a competitive business setting such as Realtek Industries (Tsai, 2003). To ensure there is a reliable flow of information within the organization, the customer service representatives have to communicate. This is by embracing the new technology tools, for instance, the internet, intranet, and extranets. The representatives can then collect information from the internet and use it for improvement of customer service. The internet is a resourceful tool since it provides information on a global network and disseminates it around the world. The information collected from the internet will be used by the staff members to solve potential problems and also capitalize on the existing market opportunities (Tsai, 2003). Data should be made available to the customers as required. Data and information are very important in all business endeavors. Since the information is a critical corporate resource, it must be well managed and protected like any other valuable corporate asset. To achieve effectiveness in use of the latest technology in information, the customer service department should create an inter-networking infrastructure. The infrastructure will create an effective information flow and data exchange so as to meet the rapidly changing needs of the current business environment (Tsai, 2003). The improvement can be done, through increasing of the number of trainings that are currently being done once a month. The RI administration will have an easier time training this group of customer representatives, bearing in mind that their average age is 24 years. This particular group has a lot of interest in learning new technologies since they have been brought up in the technological world (Tsai, 2003). Demographic information In order to improve the face of the organization, the customer service needs to fully understand their clientele. They need to understand how the customers rate the products being offered. The consumers of the widgets are most likely the young group in the population. Since the customers need to be constantly updated on the latest widgets on offer at RI, the customer service representatives can make use of social media tools. Facebook is an good example social media tools, in addition to Twitter. The social media sites hold online conversations with consumers in real-time. On this regard, the customer service representatives will have to identify the most popular social media tool being used by the consumers (Noor & Hendricks, 2013). In the current era, websites have become important tools for marketing, as well as customer service. It is easier to do business online. Although there are some challenges in making those web sites channels for customer service, they still find a lot of applications in the present world. Customer service representatives also need to establish the geographical area covered by their products. This will enable them dedicate most of their services to that particular area. If the area is populated enough, they can also open up some office branches in the area to respond to customer needs. RI’s customer service representatives from the different geographical areas can then share information about their experiences via online tools such as the company website, where they can exchange electronic mails. To ensure constant communication with each other from the different working areas, they can hold meetings via Skype. This tool will enable them share information with the different areas and also respond to customer needs in time. This mode of information exchange provides a learner-active mode which ensures that each of the staff members achieves at the highest level. Proper understanding of the geographical areas of operation allows all the team members to work as a single cohesive unit. The single unit ensures maximum customer service and growth of RI as a company (Lee, So, & Tang, 2000). Research should also be done on how multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) can be used to enhance communication between RI and its customers. The users can comfortably explore the environment and also examine various digital objects. It will also provide a means for communication with other users and online agents. The MUVE can be used to develop a hypothesis for the customer service providers. They can even interview the members of the society on which improvements they would like to be made on the widgets. The customer service representatives act as the agents to provide guidance, but the customers determine the approach taken. RI will use the information obtained from the interview carried out on the customers (Dieterle & Clarke, 2007, Levine, Malmstrom, Santiago, & Cohen, n.d.). Benefits of using the internet as a customer service tool Employment of the internet as a training tool is effective since it results in increased advertising, and a liable customers’ response, enabling the business to make improvements on its products. Moreover, embracing the internet tool will improve the relationship of the business with the client (Information Resources Management Association & Khosrow-Pour, 2002). Internet technologies of great use The internet being a global avenue of meeting all resources has enabled sharing of various tools that are of great use in all areas, ranging from learning to business. The tools include mobile devices and apps and tablet computing. These are tools required in the daily lives and are finding usage all over the world. Customers would like to remain updated on the latest products in the market, anytime and anywhere (Zane, 2013). Making use of the mobile devices, and apps has enabled both the customer service representatives and the clients always to stay connected. Their potential applications are vast, since they are coming with several features allowing users to browse at high speeds, and store images of products in the devices. Apps, for instance, are the fastest growing tools in the mobile world and their impacts are felt on almost every aspect of informal life and business as well. The apps can then be connected via internet devices making use of 3G, 4G cellular networks facilitating an effective and proper means of advertisement of products and customer service (Zane, 2013). In order to increase the frequency of training of the customer service representatives at RI, there is need to make use of the apps and mobile devices. The current steady flow of new apps has taken advantage of a stream of enhancements to these tools, and key advances in electronic publishing will facilitate the whole process of training. The best apps are fully integrated with capabilities of a device, using location data, motion detection, gestures, and access to social networks in addition to the web search thus creating a full-featured browsing experience. Users can now read an article foregrounded as a result of its relation to the user’s location, and then share it within their social networks. The users can as well make comments, swipe over an image, to see more and once satisfied, they can save it in their devices for the future use. There is also convergence of search technology, making the apps and mobile devices find more applications with each passing day (Zane, 2013). Another important tool is tablet computing. The tool is more advantageous in facilitating training since it offers more features as compared to mobile phoned, laptops or even desktop computers. In a training room, users of tablets like iPad and Galaxy will be able to share content easily as well as images and videos by making se of high-resolution screens. The tablets are considered less disruptive as compared to other hand-held devices like mobile phones that may ring anytime. Tablets can combine all the features of all mobile apps in a larger format; they are deemed the most effective training tools. Other enabling technologies such as cloud computing and mobile devices make the training of personnel more portable, networked and relevant to the persons undergoing the training. The internet has availed information everywhere. The internet can, therefore, be used for customer satisfaction. The widely available information can be used by the business to dig deeper on how to improve their relations with their customers for the growth of Realtek Industries. On the other hand, information shared on the internet can be accessed by the potential customers. Use of second life Second life provides an opportunity for virtual communication where training and lecturing are made possible. It makes every day’s tasks to be more fun and enjoyable to the participants. Second life facilitates interactions with the audience through instantaneous communication by use of text or voice, sharing internet links, fielding private questions and customer follow-ups. It also creates opportunities for creation and building of resources in real time (Lee, So, & Tang, 2000). As a very strong engagement tool, second life promotes active engagement and learning through interaction with other people. It is deemed a cool communication and learning tool that the customer service representatives at RI will enjoy using. Use of second life can also be used for collaborative purposes with the partners in the customer service. The customer service representatives from different geographical areas can then conduct special events such as comparing the customer needs. The representatives can then make comparisons of the products their customers prefer. Second life will also allow sharing of new ideas and practices among the colleagues. K-20 educators have also been attracted by the second life. The educators are now using second life for professional development. The educators are using it to teach colleagues skills, help them build and create learning, so as to allow them share their expertise (NMC 2012). Second life can also provide ways of fun for the customer service representatives, allowing them to have an easier time of undergoing the training. The aspect of sharing new ideas and experiences with customers will enable the trainers adopt more informed decisions on what their employees need for improvement of the company. The trainers can then take advantage of scheduled activities, which include development of skills for the creation of virtual objects. Second life also offers opportunities for online tutorials where learning can be done anytime and anywhere. The customer service representatives can, therefore, take the training at the comfort of their office or even follow the trainings online at their free time after work. Once started with the second life, the trainees can as well join other colleagues for orientation to the courses. Interaction with the common environment brings the feeling of engagement and draws the participants into a more lively experience (Lee, So, & Tang, 2000). Factors considered in making recommendations The primary consideration should be given to the target group. The implementation of the internet and technological tools should be well done to ensure the customers of the business targets are fully satisfied. To ensure the customer satisfaction, the customer service representatives need to frequently attend trainings on how to improve their skills in customer response. The method adopted has to be in line with the customer needs. Time required to train the customer service representatives should also be considered. Technology is dynamically changing prompting the management to keep on offering continuous trainings. For instance, with the current change in technology devices used currently such as galaxy and iPads, the customer service representatives need to be trained in new uses. This may call for refresher courses towards the realization of a new era of technology within an organization. The time taken to train will also depend on the group concerned. For instance, young employees will learn faster than their older counterparts. The time required will also dictate the mode of learning adopted. Where a long duration is required, the trainees might be required to attend full-time learning lessons. Reasons for use of technology Technological tools like mobile devices have proved to be very useful in the modern world. Since the tools make use of the internet, the information flow is very fast. The tools allow fast data processing. In addition to their mobility factor, they have large storage capacities. This allows reliable storage of data, which can be easily shared amongst the users. The trainer, on the other hand, is relieved the burden of carrying many hard copy materials, which are cumbersome. The instructor will only have to carry the mobile device with all the training information needed (Grifoni, 2009). The key factor in mobile learning is mobility. The mobility allows access to learning contents anywhere. This is convenient since the access to learning allows the learners to reach the learning contents at any given time. Furthermore, the mobile devices allow easy connectivity via the internet, social interactivity and portability. Connectivity and portability are advantageous in that they give the users ubiquity and convenience. Mobile learning has allowed access to information, something that was not there previously, due to limitations of time and space. Convenience and ubiquity will allow the trainers to the learners to interact freely at any time, provided they are connected to the internet. Additionally, social interactivity offers the advantage of personalization where there is the accessing of learning materials and adapting them according to what the learners need. (Grifoni, 2009). The other reason for settling on the mobile devices as the best technological learning tool is their many features. The current mobile devices have features that were initially reserved for personal computers. The mobile devices have many apps which aid the learner in the learning process. The devices have evolved into the current world of the internet mobile applications, which have also enabled cloud computing (Martínez, Goiri, Torres, & Macias, 2008). The mobile devices also come with the advantage of functionality. Unlike the older embedded systems, current mobile devices are easily programmable. The programming allows development and installation of complete, well-functioning user applications. Today, there are several manufacturers of mobile devices. This has led to competition and reduced costs of obtaining the devices. Since the devices can now be bought by many individuals, learning has been made even easier and enjoyable. The cost of such devices with features such as multimedia support and internet connectivity, and a big screen is even cheaper when a user signs an exclusivity contract with the service provider. Moreover, mobile devices allow documentation. All the frameworks are widely documented. There are also thousands of communities with which learners can exchange professional knowledge with and also share issues (Martínez, Goiri, Torres, & Macias2008). The mobile devices will, therefore, cater for both the learners and the trainees. Provided each of the two groups has access to a mobile device and connected to the internet, they can freely interact and exchange information. The customer service representatives at RI will use the devices to collect information from customers. In return, the collected information will be used to respond to the customer needs and preferences. The customer service representatives will also use the same mobile devices technology to exchange to access information from their trainers .the educators, once connected to the internet, can send the learners all the required learning materials. The mobile devices will, therefore, facilitate the whole process of information sharing, enhancing the learning process. Conclusion To achieve improvements in the customer service department, Realtek Industries (RI) has to embrace the discussed technology of mobile devices, connected to the internet. Since the majority of their target group is young people, the major consumers of widgets, they have access to the mobile devices. That means information will flow smoothly between the customer service representatives and the consumers, who are the target group. The customer service representatives also need to refresh their courses on customer service. They, therefore, need an educator to take them through the latest technologies in the communications world. To achieve this, they will need to keep on attending such trainings regularly so as to keep abreast with the rapidly changing world of technology. To avoid vacuums at the workplace, the educators can organize with the customer service representatives to have them sent the required presentations directly on their mobile devices. They can also hold discussions in real time, in what is called the second life, which is a virtual communication media. In the second life, the learners and the educators can meet with their colleagues online, via their mobile devices; which must be connected to the internet for them to work effectively. Using this technology will ensure that RI achieves its intent of increasing the number of staff to be trained. References Dieterle, E., & Clarke, J. (2007). Multi-user virtual environments for teaching and learning. Encyclopedia of multimedia technology and networking. Grifoni, P. (2009). Multimodal human computer interaction and pervasive services. Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference. Information Resources Management Association., & Khosrow-Pour, M. (2002). Issues & trends of information technology management in contemporary organizations. Hershey, PA: Idea Group Publishing. Lee, H. L., So, K. C., & Tang, C. S. (2000). The value of information sharing in a two-level supply chain. Management science, 46(5), 626-643. Levine, C., Malmstrom, M., Santiago, F., & Cohen, S. (n.d.). Making the MUVE to virtual education. Retrieved January 13, 2015, from http://jdc.jefferson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=otfp Martínez, B. N., In Goiri, I., In Torres, J., In Macias, M., & Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. Departament dArquitectura de Computadors. (2008). Execution environments for distributed computation issues. Barcelona: Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. 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