THE USE OF VIRTUAL ETHNOGRAPHY IN DISTANCE EDUCATION RESEARCH

3D virtual worlds can and have been used as a meeting place for distance education
courses. Virtual worlds allow for group learning of the kind enjoyed by students gathered
in a virtual classroom, where they know they are in a communal space, they are aware of
the social process of learning and are affected by the presence and behaviour of their
fellow students and tutor.Traditional ethnography has been adjusted to virtual
environments and much research on this issue has been carried out under the umbrella
of virtual ethnography. The increase in diverse Internet applications can be pointed out
as the cause of this inclination and increase.
In this study, the authors explain the method of virtual ethnography in detail, inform
about data gathering instruments such as participatory virtual observation, online and
offline (face to face) interviews touch upon ethical questions related to field studies and
highlight the elements that call for attention in the use of virtual ethnography in distance
education studies.