Moodle vs. World of warcraft: análise comparativa dos ambientes virtuais de aprendizagem no Amazonas

Abstract

Virtual environments for online learning are major communication tools for distance education, a crescent way of learning in Brazil and the world. On the other side is the technology of the massive environments in three dimensions, in the form of electronic games that bring more supporters to the simulated universes. The problem encountered on these systems is that increasingly, young people are choosing games over classroom. This work is dedicated, therefore, to investigate such virtual environments in order to compare two systems and point out similarities and differences. This is an attempt to find out if we can combine a virtual learning environment with a massive online game. The study of such ecosystems of virtual communication can strongly contribute to regions like the Amazon, with their isolated communities and its needs of inclusive technologies like non-attendance teaching. Thus the state of Amazonas is the field for this study. A Virtual Learning Environment called Moodle and a massive multiplayer online game, titled World of Warcraft, were chosen for this comparison. Through the hypothetical inductive method and a comparative approach combined with qualitative and quantitative researches, it was possible to guide the studies, driving the investigation to three distinct fields: the online game, the Moodle system and the cyber cafes in the city of Manaus. The study hypothesized that it is possible to use an online game as a virtual learning environment. The result obtained confirms the predilection of young people for games and also shows that players of World of Warcraft can learn about the universe of the game without competing for it even if the game has not an educational purpose. Furthermore, Moodle provides important constructionist learning tools for the learning process. Thus we propose a hybrid learning environment synchronously, containing the best features of both systems.