Collaborative and Experiential Learning in the User-Created Virtual World of Second Life Ali Andrews (AKA, Aline Click in RL) Northern Illinois University

My Background Assistant Director of eLearning at Northern Illinois University and involved with the development of online education since 1994. Bachelors of Fine Art in Electronic Media, Masters of Science in Education with emphasis on Instructional Technology and currently working on a doctorate in Educational Technology, Research and Assessment

Assistant Director of eLearning at Northern Illinois University and involved with the development of online education since 1994.

Bachelors of Fine Art in Electronic Media, Masters of Science in Education with emphasis on Instructional Technology and currently working on a doctorate in Educational Technology, Research and Assessment

2007 Horizon Report * user-created content * social networking * mobile phones * virtual worlds * new scholarship and emerging forms of publication * massively multiplayer educational gaming The New Media Consortium and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative This annual report describes six emerging technology areas likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, or creative expression within higher education in the next one to five years. For 2007, the technology areas spotlighted are:

* user-created content

* social networking

* mobile phones

* virtual worlds

* new scholarship and emerging forms of publication

* massively multiplayer educational gaming

Some Problems with Online Education Isolation Collaboration Lack of social/emotional communication Lack of ability to simulate complex events Learning styles New generation of learners Non-traditional learners

Isolation

Collaboration

Lack of social/emotional communication

Lack of ability to simulate complex events

Learning styles

New generation of learners

Non-traditional learners

A Solution Could Be 3D Virtual Worlds Defined as a world that exists entirely online The users “avatar” interacts with other avatars through animations, chat and audio Provides for a sense of community The social and emotional presence is enhanced due to how the avatar behaves. Gender, ethnicity, age and disabilities are not apparent since you can present yourself the way you wish.

Defined as a world that exists entirely online

The users “avatar” interacts with other avatars through animations, chat and audio

Provides for a sense of community

The social and emotional presence is enhanced due to how the avatar behaves.

Gender, ethnicity, age and disabilities are not apparent since you can present yourself the way you wish.

Popular MUVEs include: Harvard’s River City Active Worlds Second Life There The Sims Online

Harvard’s River City

Active Worlds

Second Life

There

The Sims Online

So what is Second Life? Opened in 2003 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents 8,623,396 people from over 100 A typical Sunday afternoon - 45,000 residents online Residents retain the rights to their digital creations 12,000 CPUs support 300 square miles of virtual land

Opened in 2003

3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents

8,623,396 people from over 100

A typical Sunday afternoon - 45,000 residents online

Residents retain the rights to their digital creations

12,000 CPUs support 300 square miles of virtual land

Universities in Second Life Over 300 Universities in Second Life: Harvard University: Cambridge, Mass . Idaho State University: Pocatello, Idaho . Illinois State University: Normal, IL Northern Illinois University: DeKalb, IL Ohio State University: Columbus, OH Pennsylvania State University: (Various towns), PA Stanford University: Palo Alto, CA Texas State University: San Marcos, Texas University of Colorado at Denver Medical Center: Denver, CO Virginia Tech: Blacksburg, Virginia

Over 300 Universities in Second Life:

Harvard University: Cambridge, Mass .

Idaho State University: Pocatello, Idaho .

Illinois State University: Normal, IL

Northern Illinois University: DeKalb, IL

Ohio State University: Columbus, OH

Pennsylvania State University: (Various towns), PA

Stanford University: Palo Alto, CA

Texas State University: San Marcos, Texas

University of Colorado at Denver Medical Center: Denver, CO

Virginia Tech: Blacksburg, Virginia

Educational Organizations The Center For Internet Research Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT) Global Kids, Inc.: New York, NY, USA Institute of Rural Health: Idaho,USA International Society for Technology in Education Ohio Learning Network: Columbus, OH Social Science Research Council: New York, NY, USA The New Media Consortium (NMC) The Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C) British Council

The Center For Internet Research

Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT)

Global Kids, Inc.: New York, NY, USA

Institute of Rural Health: Idaho,USA

International Society for Technology in Education

Ohio Learning Network: Columbus, OH

Social Science Research Council: New York, NY, USA

The New Media Consortium (NMC)

The Sloan Consortium (Sloan-C)

British Council

National Organizations National Physical Laboratory National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Center for Disease Control and Prevention Global Kids, Inc Institute of Rural Health International Society for Technology in Education Ohio Learning Network Social Science Research Council The New Media Consortium (NMC)

National Physical Laboratory

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Global Kids, Inc

Institute of Rural Health

International Society for Technology in Education

Ohio Learning Network

Social Science Research Council

The New Media Consortium (NMC)

Corporate in Second Life Toyota Nike Sony Sears BMG Starwood Dell IBM Men’s Warehouse Circuit City NBC Sun Adidas

Toyota

Nike

Sony

Sears

BMG

Starwood

Dell

IBM

Men’s Warehouse

Circuit City

NBC

Sun

Adidas

Question: Is Second Life a Game? A game is an activity, in which participants follow prescribed rules that differ from those of real life as striving to attain a challenging goal (Heinich, Molenda, Russell, & Smaldino, 2002); simply put it is organized play (Prensky, 2001, p. 119). Answer: No but it contains games.

A game is an activity, in which participants follow prescribed rules that differ from those of real life as striving to attain a challenging goal (Heinich, Molenda, Russell, & Smaldino, 2002); simply put it is organized play (Prensky, 2001, p. 119).

Community of Gamers/Learners “ Gamers come to virtual worlds because in them they find more than a game, they find other gamers. They come to compete with each other, to collaborate with each other, to learn from each other, to profit from each other, to talk to each other in the game, at the coffee machine at work or in chat rooms on the Internet.” Ludlow, P. and Wallace, M. (2006). Only A Game: Online Worlds and the Virtual Journalist Who Knew Too Much. to be published by O'Reilly Press. http://www.slconvention.org/ludlowwallace_chapter.pdf

An Real Economy You could sell $10,000 L$ which stands for Linden dollars for anywhere from $30 to $40 depending on the market value that day.

You could sell $10,000 L$ which stands for Linden dollars for anywhere from $30 to $40 depending on the market value that day.

The Learning Curve July 2005 Orientation Island Explore and meet Sandboxes and time In-world workshops The power of the group

Orientation Island

Explore and meet

Sandboxes and time

In-world workshops

The power of the group

All objects start as a primitive object

Video Streaming My “First Land”

Building the NIU Campus

The Terrain September 2005

Laying the floors of Altgeld Hall

The Walls of Altgeld Hall

Altgeld Hall in Second Life

Altgeld Hall Real Life

NIU Students in Second Life In world lessons can contain both synchronous and asynchronous experiences: educational games animations and simulations note cards with assignments ] presentations (both slideshow and video) audio survey/quizzes interaction with classmates, the instructor and other residents. experiential learning

In world lessons can contain both synchronous and asynchronous experiences:

educational games

animations and simulations

note cards with assignments ]

presentations (both slideshow and video) audio

survey/quizzes

interaction with classmates, the instructor and other residents.

experiential learning

Black Sun II UCM Cyberculture Course

Synchronous Learning

Resources SL Educators Wiki: www.simteach.com SLED Educators Listserv Groups such as builders and scripters “ Info Island” for free resources and libraries

SL Educators Wiki: www.simteach.com

SLED Educators Listserv

Groups such as builders and scripters

“ Info Island” for free resources and libraries

Overcoming technical challenges Supported video card Video/Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 2, GeForce 4mx, or better OR ATI Radeon 8500, 9250, or better Broadband connectivity required

Supported video card

Video/Graphics Card:

nVidia GeForce 2, GeForce 4mx, or better

OR ATI Radeon 8500, 9250, or better

Broadband connectivity required

Contact Information Avatar : Ali Andrews Real Life: Aline Click Email: [email_address] Phone: 815-753-0673 SL URL for Glidden Campus, NIU http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glidden/88/166/30/

Avatar : Ali Andrews

Real Life: Aline Click

Email: [email_address]

Phone: 815-753-0673

SL URL for Glidden Campus, NIU http://slurl.com/secondlife/Glidden/88/166/30/