Response to Thought Piece: The Use of Avatar Based Learning as a Medium for Criminal Justice Education: Vol. 10, No. 1, Spring/Summer 2012
| Author | Charlotte Knight |
| Position | Associate Researcher Division of Community and Criminal Justice De Montfort University, Leicester |
| Pages | 5-6 |
5
THOUGHT PIECE
'Thought Pieces' are papers which draw on the author's personal knowledge and
experience to offer stimulating and thought provoking ideas relevant to the aims of the
Journal. The ideas are located in an academic, research, and/or practice context and all
papers are peer reviewed. Responses to them, or new thought piec es are always welcome,
should be submitted to the Journal in the normal way.
RESPONSE TO THOUGHT PIECE: THE USE OF AVATAR B ASED
LEARNING AS A MEDIUM FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE EDUCATIO N:
VOL. 10, NO. 1, SPRING/SUMMER 2012
Charlotte Knight, De Montfort University
I was interested to read the Thought Piece by Annette Cri sp on the use of Avatar based
learning in the spring/summer 2012 edition of the journal. I think Crisp provides an
example of some very innovative and creative pedagogical methods in criminal justice
education that could be app lied to a wide range o f teaching and learning within
universities. I am aware of the increasing use of a range of social media by youn g people in
particular. Crisp challenges all of us involved in teaching and learning to embrace and
harness these new forms of communi cation and interaction rather than simply ban them
from the classroom. She gives examples of how the students in her teaching sessions
have been engaged and enthralled by some of her use o f avatars to explain theoretical
perspectives and depict situations in which offending occurs, and how this has encouraged
debate in the student group.
In wanting to support these developments and encourage this harnessing o f new and
creative forms of technology for teaching purposes I also wish to raise a few issues of
concern that I hope will inform the debate that Crisp is stimulating through her work and
her writing.
One q uestion relates to the students themselves. Wh ilst it might be tempting to make
assumptions that young students will find this form of learning more attractive than
mature students I acknowledge this may not be the case. However, I can envisage some
mature students being deterred by the use of ‘virtual’ characters as opposed to ‘real’
people, with the risk that image s may appear to be cartoonish and provoke some
British Journal of Community Justice
©2013 Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield
ISSN 1475-0279
Vol. 10(3): 5-6
To continue reading
Request your trial