A 3D Virtual World Journey through the 5 Stages of Culture Shock in Minecraft

Abstract

This paper reports on a usability study on the design and evaluation of an instructional simulation in Minecraft on the five stages of culture shock for American students preparing to study abroad in Japan. The virtual world learning environment (VWLE) begins in a suburban American town where the participants travel to a Japanese city that borders the countryside. The simulation within the virtual world (VW) was designed to be evaluated by having participants navigate a linear journey while performing certain usability tasks. The analysis involved examining their verbal and written feedback concerning the in-game content and experience. The results indicated that game-based learning in a VWLE is a promising method for engaging students and delivering content over traditional classroom orientation.