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That ability—created by manipulations of virtual reality—is one of many virtual-teaching applications being developed and tested by the Stanford University cognitive psychologist.

Car travel is getting more dangerous and expensive, and university classrooms are often crowded and uncomfortable," he says. "Yet because video conferencing and other types of media fall far short of face-to-face interaction, we still burden ourselves with physical commutes to classrooms."

n a range of studies, Bailenson's team is showing that manipulating virtual versions of the teacher and classroom environment can help students pay attention and perform better. In related research, changing the form of avatars—virtual versions of the self—can motivate people to exercise, and even teach them dance steps and tai chi poses.

With the incorporation of nursing informatics into the curriculum, faculty must be creative in devising methods that include a global perspective on the use of available resources. Added to this changing dynamic is the lack of clinical space for students, while at the same time, nursing professors are being challenged to develop new methods for providing real-life clinical experiences for students.

Baker, Wentz, and Woods (2009) investigated the use of SL using a qualitative method with a cohort of students (n = 9) in a psychology class. Results showed that students were generally positive about the experience. Considerations for further implementation would include the fact that these students mentioned convenience of attending class in SL, having the text version of the lecture available, and being able to interact with the instructor and other students in real time. Barriers included a slow response time from their computers, needing time to practice navigating and using the tools in SL, and technical difficulties. Research in this area remains scant and it is an area which needs active investigation.

Most students have a desire to expand their universe and use virtual learning.