i-MMOLE: Instructional Framework for Creating Virtual World Lessons

Today virtual world instruction faces many of the same educational challenges faced by Web-based instruction during its infancy. There is a lot of jargon and visions of the future being bandied about, but as Hirumi et al. note in the May/June and July/August 2010 issues of TechTrends there little understanding of how to apply pedagogical practices in video game settings. i-MMOLE is a research-based instructional design framework created specifically for designing instruction that incorporates virtual world environments. To date, i-MMOLE has been utilized by university students in the creation of more than 300 lesson plans across multiple disciplines and age groups. This article describes the underlying foundation of this framework and how to utilize i-MMOLE in the creation of one’s own virtual world based instruction.     

Ethics Review of Research Projects Involving Human Subjects

Maltreatment of subjects has led to the introduction of an ethics review process for research involving humans. There is a feeling that the bureaucratization of the process is too restrictive and that it may be hampering research. The function, duties, and effectiveness of ethics committees are examined, and it is contended that there are problems with the way that committees operate. The remit of committees needs to be clarified, and the paper presents guidelines for making decisions on ethical matters, with deontological considerations taking precedence over consequentialist ones. It is concluded that the functions and processes of ethics committees need to be modified.