Uni students struggling to engage with their courses might want to consider a degree in social work at the University of South Australia, where avatars are replacing text-based learning. A groundbreaking digital storytelling initiative called the “Mia Project” has been launched at UniSA, using virtual learning case studies for Bachelor of Social Work students to help prepare them for practical, real-life scenarios. Over the course of their degree, students track the journey of an avatar called Mia, from infancy to adolescence, witnessing her growth and development via 3D animations in a virtual workplace setting. The storytelling approach to learning – combining interactivity, human connection and emotional engagement – is a more effective way to deliver a curriculum in 2023, according to project lead Dr Fatin Shabbar, a lecturer in UniSA’s Justice & Society unit.
