The value of Multi-user Virtual Environments for tertiary education – A glimpse of Second Life Dr Clare Atkins, NMIT SLENZ project group KORU

Arwenna Stardust One person – many faces

Arwenna Stardust

What is Second Life? A 3D real-time fully interactive online digital world, imagined created and owned by its residents – a MUVE Not really a ‘game’ no rules (only principles of behaviour), no specific purpose can create games within in it, e.g. RPGs, Chess, Slingo almost entirely built from user generated content An extremely rich virtual environment, highly engaging roleplay opportunities integrated eco-systems, encourages/facilitates a high degree of collaborative action Being used seriously by businesses, education institutes and entertainment sources facilitates experiential learning

A 3D real-time fully interactive online digital world, imagined created and owned by its residents – a MUVE

Not really a ‘game’

no rules (only principles of behaviour), no specific purpose

can create games within in it, e.g. RPGs, Chess, Slingo

almost entirely built from user generated content

An extremely rich virtual environment,

highly engaging roleplay opportunities

integrated eco-systems,

encourages/facilitates a high degree of collaborative action

Being used seriously by businesses, education institutes and entertainment sources

facilitates experiential learning

Real-time weather visualisation, tsunami and hurricane simulations

Literature Alive

Impossible creations

Powerful experiential learning

Real time interactions

The SLENZ project Underway a full literature review on the potential of MUVEs identify suitable learning activities for SL To come design learning experiences and develop resources with interested educators assist educators to pilot these experiences with students evaluate the learning from the project share the learning and resources online Large international community of practice

Underway

a full literature review on the potential of MUVEs

identify suitable learning activities for SL

To come

design learning experiences and develop resources with interested educators

assist educators to pilot these experiences with students

evaluate the learning from the project

share the learning and resources online

Engaging with Second Life: Real education in a virtual world NMIT investigating education in MUVEs since 2006 NMIT has 2 islands in Second Life NMIT has 1 island in ONGENS (NZ OpenSim grid)‏ 2008 – 2009 NMIT led consortia of 4 ITPs and gained: TEC Encouraging and supporting innovation funding $500,000 for an 18 month project - SLENZ http://slenz.wordpress.com

NMIT investigating education in MUVEs since 2006

NMIT has 2 islands in Second Life

NMIT has 1 island in ONGENS (NZ OpenSim grid)‏

2008 – 2009

NMIT led consortia of 4 ITPs and gained:

TEC Encouraging and supporting innovation funding

$500,000 for an 18 month project - SLENZ

http://slenz.wordpress.com

The SLENZ project Complete a full literature review on the potential of MUVEs identify suitable learning activities for SL Underway design learning experiences and develop resources with interested educators train staff from ITP sector to work with them To Come assist educators to pilot these experiences with students evaluate the learning from the project (CORE-ED)‏ share the learning and resources online

Complete

a full literature review on the potential of MUVEs

identify suitable learning activities for SL

Underway

design learning experiences and develop resources with interested educators

train staff from ITP sector to work with them

To Come

assist educators to pilot these experiences with students

evaluate the learning from the project (CORE-ED)‏

share the learning and resources online

The SLENZ project Potential types of learning activities ‘ enhanced reality’ spaces Rich role-playing simulations Metaphorical representation of abstract concepts Student constructed learning Real world simulations Practising life-skills, collaboration, communication Language learning Creative Arts

Potential types of learning activities

‘ enhanced reality’ spaces

Rich role-playing simulations

Metaphorical representation of abstract concepts

Student constructed learning

Real world simulations

Practising life-skills, collaboration, communication

Language learning

Creative Arts

Issues around teaching in Second Life Restricted to 18+ (or Teen Grid)‏ High bandwidth and high specification computers Access to SL negotiated with IT services Steep learning curve for staff and students Lack of good 'classroom' tools such as whiteboards Possibilities of SLOODLE Public perception of 'online games' Serious Fun – Serious Learning Inter-institutional (and discipline) collaboration Redefining distance education (and f2f)‏ Open or closed ? (creative commons licence)‏

Restricted to 18+ (or Teen Grid)‏

High bandwidth and high specification computers

Access to SL negotiated with IT services

Steep learning curve for staff and students

Lack of good 'classroom' tools such as whiteboards

Possibilities of SLOODLE

Public perception of 'online games'

Serious Fun – Serious Learning

Inter-institutional (and discipline) collaboration

Redefining distance education (and f2f)‏

Open or closed ? (creative commons licence)‏

Please visit The SLENZ project http://slenz.wordpress.com/ Arwenna’s Blog http://arwennastardust.wordpress.com NZ Education in a Virtual World (blog)‏ http://eduforge.org/projects/slcampusnz/ Follow the links on the SLENZ blog for all documents, resources and videos produced by the SLENZ project Email : clare.atkins@nmit.ac.nz or IM Arwenna Stardust

The SLENZ project

http://slenz.wordpress.com/

Arwenna’s Blog

http://arwennastardust.wordpress.com

NZ Education in a Virtual World (blog)‏

http://eduforge.org/projects/slcampusnz/

Follow the links on the SLENZ blog for all documents, resources and videos produced by the SLENZ project

Email : clare.atkins@nmit.ac.nz or IM Arwenna Stardust