virtual

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The virtual learning environment creates opportunities for students to gain first hand experiences of places and situations where they wouldn't normally go as classroom members. Call it a Claytons experience. I once took my class to an earthquake simulator, and they were able to experience something of the force of an earthquake. This allowed them to imagine what would occur in a classroom if things were jolted around to that extent, and they could more adequately prepare a civil defence plan for survival of the quake and the aftermath. Pilots are able to experience potential crash landing scenarios in flight simulators and thereby safely prepare for the real thing. It is this sort of reality that can be captured in the virtual world. Google Earth to view places on the globe that they are researching. Talking to people on location in weird and wonderful locations to ask their questions and view the environment through the eyes of a digital or video camera.

Creating virtual experiences allows students to be inquiring about **authentic contexts** beyond their own immediate environment thus enabling the teacher to extend their horizon and reality.

Students are motivated by the multimedia apsects of an online environment - images (photos and pictures), colour in images and text, audio and video clips, etc. This use of multi-media is particularly beneficial to students with some language difficulties who do not have to read lots of text to get information.

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