Michael Vallance
Papers
14
Total Citations
98
H-Index
6
About
Michael Vallance’s research sits at the intersection of educational technology, human-robot interaction, and virtual world learning, with a particular focus on how 3D immersive environments and programmable robots can transform science education. His most cited work, “Assessment and Learning in the Virtual World” (15 citations), challenges traditional taxonomies by proposing new frameworks for evaluating learning in virtual spaces. Following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Vallance pivoted to address real-world crises, leading collaborations that developed robot task metrics for human-robot interaction (12 citations). His influential series on designing effective spaces, tasks, and metrics for communication in Second Life, combined with programming LEGO NXT Mindstorms™ robots (12 and 11 citations), has shaped how educators think about constructivist learning in virtual worlds. Vallance’s work on mapping computational thinking for transformative pedagogy (8 citations) further cements his role in bridging theory and practice. With over 80 citations across his top papers, his contributions are particularly notable for their applied impact—from post-disaster robotics coordination to engineering active learning environments that foster community cooperation and long-term understanding.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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- 5Mapping Computational Thinking for a Transformative Pedagogy8 citations · 2018
- 6LEGO Mindstorms™ for informed metrics in virtual worlds7 citations · 2009
- 7
- 8Engineering Active Learning in 3D Virtual Worlds5 citations · 2015
- 9
- 10Experiential Learning, Virtual Collaboration and Robots5 citations · 2013