An analysis of interactions of secondary school students in virtual environments

In this study, an environment was created to make teachers and students "believe" that they were in a classroom, although they were physically separated. Teaching-learning activities related to programming were designed, namely, the modelling of 3D objects, in order to analyse the interactions in a Virtual Reality environment between students from three classes of vocational training in three secondary schools. This case study consisted of teaching three classes in a Virtual Reality environment, in the Programming and Information Systems course of the first and second years of the Professional Course in Management and Programming of Information Systems (TGPSI). Students programmed objects in 3D modeling. The motivation for using this environment is linked to the idea of providing teachers and students with a new teaching and learning environment that facilitates the exploration of the basic concepts of programming and algorithms, which can be extended to any level of education. Simultaneously, it is intended to explore new environments, which can be customizable. From the experimentation and exploration of a classroom (identical to the real one), the study focused on discovering the benefits and challenges related to the potential of these environments, taking into account the perspective of the students. It was intended to understand how these environments can serve as facilitators of the teaching/learning process, as well as socialization promoters, capable of engaging and motivating students. From the analysis of the results here obtained, these are considered promising and innovative with the potential to be applied not only in the current context of the pandemic, but later, upon the return to face-to-face teaching.