[AISWorld] Special Issue on: “Usability Design for Learning and Education in Virtual Worlds”

[Panaggiotis Zaharias]

International Journal of Human Computer Studies

Call for papers
Special Issue on: “Usability Design for Learning and Education in  
Virtual Worlds”

International Journal of Human Computer Studies is inviting papers for  
a special issue on “Usability Design for Learning and Education in  
Virtual Worlds”.

Virtual worlds (VWs) have a great potential for learning and teaching  
practices. Constructivist learning can be implemented in VWs (2D or  
3D) for both adults and children, enhancing motivation and engagement  
and fostering collaborative and problem-based learning methods.  
Nevertheless very few empirical research studies have documented user  
experience (UX) and usability issues in these worlds. The main aim of  
this special issue is to bring together HCI, Virtual World/Games and  
Educational practitioners and researchers in order to investigate the  
meaning and applicability of usability in the design of VWs for  
learning.

Research has to further explore what are the main parameters that  
delineate the user experience in these worlds and how to evaluate  
them. Accordingly intense work is needed for developing new  
usability/UX evaluation methods and metrics. In parallel, more  
concrete conceptual frameworks and design models are expected to  
emerge where pedagogical design guidelines and heuristics have a  
prominent place. We expect to receive studies that have been applied  
in both higher education and corporate training settings.

The following topics are encouraged but are not limited to:
•	Usability evaluation studies of learning applications in VWs
•	Usability/User Experience evaluation methods and metrics for  
learning spaces in VWs
•	Usability Design models and Conceptual frameworks for learning spaces in VWs
•	Pedagogical design guidelines and heuristics for learning spaces in VWs
•	Affective and sociability parameters of learning spaces in VWs

Important Dates

Submission deadline: 15 March 2011
Review results: 30 June 2011
Revised manuscripts due: 30 August 2011
Final decisions: 15 October 2011

Submission Guidelines

Manuscripts should be sent electronically to the guest editors. All
submissions should conform to the journal's formatting guidelines.
(available online at  
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/622846/authorinstructions)
Authors are encouraged to submit extended abstracts to the guest  
editors prior to the submission deadline for early feedback and  
indication of suitability.

Guest Editors

Panagiotis Zaharias,
University of Cyprus, Cyprus
zaharias at cs.ucy.ac.cy

Brad Mehlenbacher,
NC State University, USA
brad_m at gw.ncsu.edu