Geosciences in virtual worlds: a path in the volcanic area of the Phlegraean Fields

This paper presents the design, evaluation and experimentation of a three-dimensional immersive virtual environment dedicated to the teaching of the Earth Sciences at school. A multi user virtual environment (Muves) was built with Open Sim technology, addressed to students in the age range 13-18 years. The aim of the research was to investigate the educational effectiveness of using the immersive virtual worlds to foster knowledge acquisition, develop scientific skills and increase interest in learning geosciences. The experimentation has been carried out in schools localized in the area of the Phlegrean Fields (Campi Flegrei, Napoli) proposing activities related to volcanology and volcanic hazard. The results show that the virtual worlds improve the involvement and motivation of students to scientific studies, especially in the age range 13-16, with an increased quantity and quality of collaborative work and interaction with the teachers and other students. KEYWORDS: geoscience education, virtual worlds, serious game, simulations.