David W. Deeds: Global Education Conference 2012

David W. DeedsColegios Peterson, Mexico City Global Education Conference November 14, 2012

Background: International Baccalaureate (IB): nonprofit educational foundation, helps students to develop skills (intellectual, social, emotional, personal) needed to live/work in a “rapidly globalizing world” Diploma Program (DP): IB high school, prepares students for 21st century: inter- connectedness, international-mindedness, critical thinking

Background (cont.): Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS): “…the study and evaluation of the impacts of Information Technology (IT) on individuals and society…[i]t explores the advantages and disadvantages of the access and use of digitized information at the local and global level” - IB ITGS Handbook

Background (cont.):ITGS: Not a technology class per se, but lots of geekiness involved In the IB‟s Individuals and Societies Group, so is considered a Humanities class Overarching goal is to enable a “global village,” but until Second Life no practical way of achieving this

Background (cont.): Virtual world: computer-based interactive 3D simulation, in which users take the form of avatars visible to others graphically Second Life – commercial 3D virtual world with millions of users, hundreds of educational organizations “inworld” OpenSimulator – “open source” version of Second Life, used for students 3-15 (Second Life only for learners 16 and older)

Background (cont.):Second Life (http://secondlife.com): Launched in 2003 by Linden Labs (company), not a game in the usual sense Can blow stuff up, but the main idea is to interact with others (plus build and program) Own economy and currency (average quarterly holdings exceed: US $25,000,000) Intellectual property respected, everything you make/code is yours to sell

Background (cont.): Peterson Schools leases its Second Life cybercampus from the New Media Consortium (http://www.nmc.org), contact Carol Pfeifer if interested: carol@nmc.org Peterson Schools leases its OpenSimulator cybercampus from Dreamland Metaverse (http://www.dreamlandmetaverse.com), contact Snoopy Pfeffer if interested: snoopy.pfeffer@yahoo.com

Game-based learning will happen with or without you! Get on board or get left behind!Get the 2012 Horizon Report, K-12 or Higher Ed:http://www.nmc.org/horizon-project/horizon- reportsPredicts that game-based learning will be MAINSTREAM in schools by as early as 2014. Why wait until then to get started?

Better Traditional Academic Results:“The early evidence, both rigorous and anecdotal, seems to strongly suggest that highly interactive virtual learning is a permanent transformation of the educational landscape…[t]his is due in part to interactive environments‟ ability to produce better traditional academic results.”- Clark Aldrich

ITGS Versus Computer Science: ITGS – main focus is people, systems thinking, using existing software (and hardware), social context is vital, global reach Computer Science – main focus is hardware/software, algorithmic thinking, creation of new software, business context is vital, usually limited audience

ITGS Three Strands:1. Social and Ethical Significance: intellectual property, the digital divide, globalization and cultural diversity, etc.2. Application to Specified Scenarios: business and employment, education and training, home and leisure, etc.3. IT Systems: hardware/software, digital multimedia, project management, etc.

ITGS Three Strands (cont.):Strands are to be taught in an integrated way, with the focus on stakeholders (individuals or groups affected by IT developments and/or proposed solutions).Strands can be taught in any order. A project might be started via an issue, or a particular objective, or the IT systems involved.

ITGS International Dimension: Embodies global and international awareness Emphasizes global reach (and effects) of technological advancements Explores advantages and disadvantages of technology at local and international levels Seeks to develop international connections and cooperation, concept of “global village”

IB Learner Profile Qualities: Inquirers/Thinkers Knowledgeable Communicators Principled Open-minded Caring Risk-takers Balanced/Reflective

Traditionally Taught: Textbooks such as: “Discovering Computers” for hardware/software, “Gift of Fire” for social/ethical considerations (now: ITGS textbook) Online components such as: nings, wikis, blogs, websites in general (2D, not 3D!) Generally, still typical classroom instruction (where‟s the GLOBAL if it‟s mostly LOCAL?)

Colegios Peterson Cybercampus, SL Teaching 6

ITGS Art Gallery Project (featured music too!)

ITGS Concert Stage (songs now, podcasts later)!

Students manage their own collaborative projects!

No better way to enable student-centric instruction!

China International Schools Inworld (CISI) Project

Changchun American Int‟l School Cybercampus

Now 3D ITGS: Students maintain cybercampus in Second Life, put on art/music/other shows for now Enables students (and teachers) to connect, communicate and collaborate with others all over the (real) world Learners actually are members of a global society (versus just reading about it!) Products/services can help local and global students and teachers

Now 3D ITGS (cont.): Taken more than 600 students inworld since first university cybercampus in 2006 Language exchanges: our students hosted and visited others, learning/teaching English Concerts and exhibits: kids‟ art included in international show, thousands of visitors For ITGS, started with China schools and then started expanding to different countries and continents

Strand-Specific: Social and Ethical Significance: Students are part of a million-user online community, joining hundreds of other schools Application to Specified Scenarios: Students will run actual businesses in online economy, create/maintain intellectual property, etc. IT Systems: Students must master Computer Aided Design, graphics/photography, project management, programming, etc.

Strand-Specific (cont.): Social and Ethical Significance: Students will interact with other schools, ideally helping to bridge the digital divide Application to Specified Scenarios: Student products/services will benefit others, will enable cross-curricular instruction locally IT Systems: Instruction is student-centric, so students design and manage own projects, learning hardware/software in the process

Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project I: Art/Music Show Social and Ethical Significance: Art itself, collaboration and cooperation, cross- curricular efforts, marketing Application to Specified Scenarios: Project management, deliverables by deadlines IT Systems: Computer Aided Design building, some programming, graphic/music production

Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project I: Art/Music Show

Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project II: 3D Tutorials Social and Ethical Significance: Digital divide, reciprocal guidance, interaction with students and teachers in different countries Application to Specified Scenarios: Creating and/or selling product/service to help others IT Systems: More sophisticated building and programming, but mainly understanding to teach others (hardware and software)

Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project II: 3D Tutorials

Integration/Dimension-Specific: Enables integration of the three strands in ways never possible before (direct relation- ships between technology, applications and social/ethical implications) Literally (virtually) creates an interconnected “global village” via which students can not just study but impact fellow digital citizens around the (real) world

Profile-Specific:All qualities covered, particularly: Inquirers/Thinkers: Students are in charge of their investigations/research Communicators: Students will meet and train others to use 3D virtual worlds Risk-Takers: Students know about 3D games, but have never done anything like this before! Principled: Students must develop and practice digital citizenship skills

Summary: Peterson‟s 3D ITGS surpasses all IB require- ments: strands, profiles, dimensions, etc. Our 3D ITGS will revolutionize the way not just this course is taught, but all IB classes Art and Music already involved, soon Science, Math and other subjects (locally/globally) Ideal: 3D community of international schools, sharing sims/regions/campuses (contact me if you‟re interested in participating)

Invitation: If your students are 16 or older, come visit us on our Second Life cybercampus! We can conduct language exchanges or just plain meetings (ideally lessons/seminars) If your students are younger than 16, we can meet on our OpenSimulator cybercampus (or a public grid with permissions) Again, one goal could be to get your school started with 3D virtual worlds!

Summary (cont.): Perhaps most important: “Global village” is a possible reality (well, virtually!) Can be not just for ITGS/DP students but learners of all ages via OpenSimulator! Share sims in Second Life or own entire sims in OpenSimulator (one school could host the gateway and then all others would accessible via hypergridding) SL tomorrow, OpenSimulator maybe 1 year off

Global Education Conference: “Seeks to present ideas, examples, and projects related to connecting educators and classrooms with a strong emphasis on promoting global awareness, fostering global competency, and inspiring action towards solving real–world problems.” How about having sessions in Second Life and/or OpenSimulator next year? Join us for meetings/projects in the meantime!

Student Quotations: “It is incredible to see how you can relate to people all around the world!” “I really like this course because it encourages you to create new things and meet different people.” And I‟ll conclude with my favorite learner quip: “This is educations way to say „Welcome to the 21st century!‟"

2012 Educational Technology Conferences: Otavan Opisto (Finnish academy, online) Flat Classroom Workshop, part of ASB Unplugged in Mumbai (to students!) Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference, inworld Meta Institute for Computational Astrophysics, inworld AACE Global Learn 2012, online Global Education Conference (this one!)

Thank you! Questions/Comments:David W. Deeds (FaceBook, LinkedIn)E-Mail: ddeeds@peterson.edu.mxSkype: davidwdeeds, Twitter: dwdeedsScoop.it: http://www.scoop.it/t/3d-virtual-worlds- educational-technologySecond Life: Deed Davids, visit Teaching 6, SLURL:http://slurl.com/secondlife/Teaching%206/180/132/23

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David W. Deeds: Global Education Conference 2012

by David W. Deeds on Nov 14, 2012

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