Virtual spaces allow abstract representations of reality that not only encourage student self-directed learning, but also reinforce core content of the learning objective through visual metaphors not reproducible in the physical world. One of the advantages of such a space is the ability to escape the restrictions of the classroom, yet reproduction of reality may surpass what is needed to encourage feelings of presence.
Simultaneously, too high an abstraction level may change participants’ attitudes in relation to the core learning goals. This quantitative study examines the relationship between level of environment abstraction, within the virtual space, and feelings of presence for business negotiation role playing. Negotiation values are also measured in relation to environment abstraction. The open source software Open Wonderland is used to implement two levels of abstraction for a virtual space where class lectures and student driven negotiation role playing take place over a semester. Results indicate a high abstract environment reduces feelings of presence compared to a low abstract environment, even when the low abstract level is not realistic but rather employs a metaphor related to instructional goals. The values employed in negotiation role playing across the two abstraction levels exhibit no difference,
indicating the fundamental approach to negotiating is not related to the virtual environment design.
