Another brick? Marianne Riis, ELL Aalborg University

Second Life™ “ Hallo, it’s 1’s and 0’s that disappear as soon as you unplug or loose your internet connection!” (MIL08 student) “ However, the definition of social presence is itself challenged in these contexts, as defining what is ‘real’ remains an ontological challenge for many users.” (McKerlich & Anderson. 2007)

Second Life - facts Second Life ( SL ) is a 3D Virtual World developed by Linden Lab that launched on June 23, 2003. A free client program called the Second Life Viewer enables its users, called Residents , to interact with each other through avatars . Residents can explore , meet other residents, socialize , participate in individual and group activities, and create and trade virtual property and services with one another, or travel throughout the world, which residents refer to as the grid. Second Life caters for users aged 18+, while its sister site Teen Second Life is restricted to users aged between 13-17. Teen Second Life was launched in 2005. Second Life has an internal currency , the Linden dollar (L$), which can be used to buy, sell, rent or trade land or goods and services with other residents.

Second Life ( SL ) is a 3D Virtual World developed by Linden Lab that launched

on June 23, 2003.

A free client program called the Second Life Viewer enables its users, called

Residents , to interact with each other through avatars .

Residents can explore , meet other residents, socialize , participate in

individual and group activities, and create and trade virtual property and

services with one another, or travel throughout the world, which residents

refer to as the grid.

Second Life caters for users aged 18+, while its sister site Teen Second

Life is restricted to users aged between 13-17.

Teen Second Life was launched in 2005.

Second Life has an internal currency , the Linden dollar (L$), which can be

used to buy, sell, rent or trade land or goods and services with other

residents.

Second Life residents?!

Second Life according to Pathfinder Linden Roskilde University, October 2008: + 28.000 islands 1000 dedicated to education 15.000 educators/researchers 500 universities Gender neutral 65% of residents outside North America

Roskilde University, October

2008:

+ 28.000 islands

1000 dedicated to education

15.000 educators/researchers

500 universities

Gender neutral

65% of residents outside North America

New Media Consortium (NMC) survey 2008 Annual survey of educators in SL, which provides a yearly snapshot of the demographics and activities of educators who are active in SL. Survey was sent to by email to individuals within the NMC’s SLcommunities and to the SL Educators Listserv (SLED). 358 individuals responded to the survey, a 170% increase from 2007: Educators are moving from exploration to use of Second Life for teaching and learning. Educators are expanding their Second Life social networks . This year’s educators are much more experienced in Second Life.

Annual survey of educators in SL, which provides a yearly snapshot of the demographics and activities of educators who are active in SL.

Survey was sent to by email to individuals within the NMC’s SLcommunities and to the SL Educators Listserv (SLED). 358 individuals responded to the survey, a 170% increase from 2007:

Educators are moving from exploration to use of Second Life for teaching and learning.

Educators are expanding their Second Life social networks .

This year’s educators are much more experienced in Second Life.

PhD project (2008-2010) Working title Dynamic Didactic Design - developing a strategy for remediating people, places and practices in distance education. Research questions How does 3D remediation influence teaching and learning in a problem based blended learning practice within distance education? How does remediation from f2f and/or 2D to 3D influence teaching and learning? How can multiple research cycles of (re-)designing 2 specific multimodal courses and observations from other cases inform the development of a strategy for remediating people, places and practices in distance education?

Working title

Dynamic Didactic Design - developing a strategy for remediating

people, places and practices in distance education.

Research questions

How does 3D remediation influence teaching and learning in a problem

based blended learning practice within distance education?

How does remediation from f2f and/or 2D to 3D influence teaching and learning?

How can multiple research cycles of (re-)designing 2 specific multimodal courses and observations from other cases inform the development of a strategy for remediating people, places and practices in distance education?

Theoretical concepts – overall frameworks

Theoretical concepts – Experiential Learning

Multiple case study

Completed research cycle (MIL07) Research purpose: explore phenomenon 22 students – 6 groups Respectful remediation  “business as usual” Self-paced learning – little facilitation Interventions proved necessary!  5 scheduled activities

Research purpose: explore phenomenon

22 students – 6 groups

Respectful remediation  “business as usual”

Self-paced learning – little facilitation

Interventions proved necessary!



5 scheduled activities

MIL07 student impressions Hvis det ikke var en obligatorisk del af kurset, tror jeg ikke, jeg ville være i Second Life overhovedet. Effekten af, at have en stedfortræder til stede er, at jeg oplever, at jeg deltager i dette her, med mere følelse og krop end i FirstClass! Jeg er der næsten selv og opdager at jeg reagerer kropsligt på ting der overgår mig, som når jeg er ved at drukne under Storebæltsbroen ved Wonderful Denmark eller lander lidt hårdt efter en flyvetur! Det var en dejlig, positiv oplevelse og en motiverende faktor at være synlig selv. Det faktum, at du hele tiden kigger på, passerer og følger andre avatarer bekræfter, at de andre også er til stede. Hvis nogle mennesker føler behov for at lege med påklædningsdukker og klæde dem på eller et behov for at opbygge virtuelle sociale relationer, så det må være op til dem. Jeg har også spurgt mig selv hvorfor og har grint af mig selv på grund af den tid jeg har brugt på at forsøge at få min avatar (x) til at være en værdig repræsentation af mig . Tilsyneladende vil jeg have behov for en mere gammeldags pædagogisk tilgang med henblik på at blive en kvalificeret avatar så hurtigt som muligt ..

Completed research cycle (MIL08) Research purpose: explore pedagogical activities 12 students – 1 community Radical remediation Facilitated learning 25 scheduled activities  Possible Rosenthal effect

Research purpose: explore pedagogical activities

12 students – 1 community

Radical remediation

Facilitated learning

25 scheduled activities



Possible Rosenthal effect

The MIL08 course Period : 5 weeks (November/December) Subject : Analysis of ICT and Didactic Design (course 1 out of 2) Analytical object : Locations and processes in Second Life Goals : identify, analyze, assess and reflect based on theory and practice  Think out-of-the-box Mode : Blended (methods, tools and locations) Students: 12 students participated full time, 1 student analyzed SL and GC and 2 students participated ad hoc Activities: There were 25 scheduled activities lasting between 1-3 hrs. The students were expected to participate in 1 – all of them participated in several. The meta conference in FC contained 232 postings (5 weeks) …

Period : 5 weeks (November/December)

Subject : Analysis of ICT and Didactic Design (course 1 out of 2)

Analytical object : Locations and processes in Second Life

Goals : identify, analyze, assess and reflect based on theory and

practice  Think out-of-the-box

Mode : Blended (methods, tools and locations)

Students: 12 students participated full time, 1 student analyzed SL

and GC and 2 students participated ad hoc

Activities: There were 25 scheduled activities lasting between 1-3

hrs. The students were expected to participate in 1 – all of them

participated in several.

The meta conference in FC contained 232 postings (5 weeks) …

TLE – basic elements (MIL08) T eaching and L earning E nvironment

FirstClass™ setting (MIL08)

Quantitative outcome – MIL08 FC discussion postings: Didactics and target groups – 32 postings by 12 students and me (8). Approx. 40 A4 pages. Orientation and navigation – 8 postings by 5 students and me (1). Approx. 8 A4 pages. Interaction – 0 posts! Learning processes – 68 posting by 11 students and me (21). Approx. 83 A4 pages. Audio-visuals – 9 postings by 2 students and me (4). Approx. 15 A4 pages.  almost 10 (3) postings pr. student (146 pages (36) )

FC discussion postings:

Didactics and target groups – 32 postings by 12 students and me (8). Approx. 40 A4 pages.

Orientation and navigation – 8 postings by 5 students and me (1). Approx. 8 A4 pages.

Interaction – 0 posts!

Learning processes – 68 posting by 11 students and me (21). Approx. 83 A4 pages.

Audio-visuals – 9 postings by 2 students and me (4). Approx. 15 A4 pages.  almost 10 (3) postings pr. student (146 pages (36) )

Second Life setting (MIL08) Respectful office Radical classroom

Respectful office

Radical classroom

MIL08 student findings (1) SL learning curve is very steep Takes a lot of time, practice and patience SL is still an emerging technology Huge potential but too time consuming at this point Considerations about target groups are important – teacher/facilitator crucial Any pedagogical strategy can be used – all work with different purposes

SL learning curve is very steep

Takes a lot of time, practice and patience

SL is still an emerging technology

Huge potential but too time consuming at this point

Considerations about target groups are important – teacher/facilitator crucial

Any pedagogical strategy can be used – all work with different purposes

Get-off-to-a-good-start (MIL08) MI build Connectivism course

MI build

Connectivism course

MIL08 Student findings (2) A very social and personal environment International/inter-cultural Immersive and augmented depending on goals and processes Avatar-mediation can be very fruitful, but also has some disadvantages Communication and dissemination possibilities not good enough … yet “ Don’t dismiss anything before trying – don’t judge a book by it’s cover!”

A very social and personal environment

International/inter-cultural

Immersive and augmented depending on goals and processes

Avatar-mediation can be very fruitful, but also has some disadvantages

Communication and dissemination possibilities not good enough … yet

“ Don’t dismiss anything before trying

– don’t judge a book by it’s cover!”

Building Class (MIL08)

TLE – Kolb 1984 (MIL08)

Didactic Design Discussions (MIL08)

Teaching-Learning relation (MIL08)

Further theoretical work … Kolb Garrison, Anderson & Archer

Kolb

Garrison, Anderson & Archer

Danish Educational visits (MIL08) Percipitopia (SDU) Holodeck (WD)

Percipitopia (SDU)

Holodeck (WD)

International Educational visits (MIL08) Rockcliffe University - Canada Metaverse Labs - Israel

Rockcliffe University

- Canada

Metaverse Labs

- Israel

International debate visits (MIL08) Metanomics Science Friday

Metanomics

Science Friday

SL entrepreneurs (MIL08) Pop Art Lab – non profit Electric Pixels - profit

Pop Art Lab – non profit

Electric Pixels - profit

Your Tour (MIL08) Genome Island FLS

Genome Island

FLS

Future changes - MIL Earlier (more focused) course start, includes rethinking f2f-seminar Change assessment criteria Limit activities (2-3/week)? + audio/video recordings Annotate relevant places (SL pics) and references Qualify entrance (SL tutors and Danish OI) Qualify visits (planned dialogue) Qualify Didactic Design Discussions (one for each element + ad hoc topics based on students’ interests) Amplify use of student-knowledge (tours, teach each other) Rethink building class concept Rethink FC structure and use (SLoodle in COMBLE)

Earlier (more focused) course start, includes rethinking f2f-seminar

Change assessment criteria

Limit activities (2-3/week)? + audio/video recordings

Annotate relevant places (SL pics) and references

Qualify entrance (SL tutors and Danish OI)

Qualify visits (planned dialogue)

Qualify Didactic Design Discussions (one for each element + ad hoc topics based on students’ interests)

Amplify use of student-knowledge (tours, teach each other)

Rethink building class concept

Rethink FC structure and use (SLoodle in COMBLE)

Student creations (MIL08) A photostory (Halis Luminos) A conceptual model (Cement Canning)

A photostory

(Halis Luminos)

A conceptual model

(Cement Canning)

COMBLE case – 1. cycle April/May 2009 International EU funded course Exclusively online PBL as overall strategy Experiential Learning Main facilitator 3 ELL colleagues In-world colleagues Approx. 20 participants Moodle, SL, Web 2.0 (SLoodle?) Apply AR/AL together with Camacho Apply COI-model together with Anderson, McKerlich & Eastman

International EU funded course

Exclusively online

PBL as overall strategy

Experiential Learning

Main facilitator

3 ELL colleagues

In-world colleagues

Approx. 20 participants

Moodle, SL, Web 2.0

(SLoodle?)

Apply AR/AL together with Camacho

Apply COI-model together with Anderson, McKerlich & Eastman

Final thoughts … I would continue to encourage a relationship with virtual environments. We don’t have to make all the conclusions now. We don’t have to judge it based on its current level of capabilities. It’s going to get better in the future . It’s not the be-all, end-all for everything, but it’s also not to be disregarded as a contributing technology … (Tab Scott – in-world colleague 2009)