SLF09 Presentation on Virtual Worlds

SLF09 Presentation on Virtual Worlds - Presentation Transcript

Virtual Worlds A guide to using Second Life in Education Kate Farrell

What is Second Life? Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and now is inhabited by millions of avatars.

What is Open Sim? OpenSim is an open source virtual worlds server. It is free to use and open to customise and extend. You have complete control over who can access the world. You can run it locally (internally within a school)

Why use virtual worlds in Education?

Creative

Exciting

Fun

Engaging

Entrepreneurial

Collaborative

Worldwide

Flexible

Meetings and Discussions

Interviews and Talks

CPD and lectures

Debates

Presentations

Simulations

Games

Creating

Designing

Collaborating

Using virtual worlds in the school curriculum

English & History

English and Media

Modern Foreign Languages

Drama

Music

History and Social Subjects

Religious & Moral Education

Art History and Appreciation

Art & Design

Textiles and Graphic Design

Craft, Design & Technology

Business and Enterprise

Geography

Mathematics

Computing

Science

Learning Global Science Using Second Life Working with Global Kids at the High School for Global Citizenship, New York

Second Life Curriculum How to teach SL skills? " I would recommend this style of learning for any subject because it keeps us (students) pushing because we are using a game for learning." -- Ernesto

Global Kids SL Curriculum FREE RESOURCES!!!

Texturing Prims "Using Science in Second Life made it a lot easier for me to do projects and homework." -- KoraAnne

Prim twisting "Learning in Second Life was fun and taught me a lot of things because its learning and having fun instead of just learning and being bored." -- Latisha

Learning Global Science How to teach Science in SL? "I did not like science before I did this course. I wish I could have Second Life in each class. This is the most amazing thing that I've experienced in high school so far." -- Andrysse

Variety of activities "I would recommend this style of learning to anyone who loves science and online games. It would appeal to what they like." – Eaon

Science at home "I never thought global science could be so fun to learn." – Naomi

Waste Management in Naples "It was also educational because we learned science while we were having fun." -- Zana

Non-renewable Resources "I got to learn science in a fun way and still get education." -- Rakeem

Renewable Resources "I did not like science before I did this course. I wish I could have Second Life in each class." -- Andrysse

Virtual Fieldtrip "I would recommend this program to other teachers and student because it shows science in a whole different way." – Shabede

Final Project "It was fun and a great learning experience I enjoyed going on second life to do science." – Lucius

Other skills How to teach everything else? "In class instead of just writing every day we would use the computer to type our notes, look up information, and sometimes get pictures to do class work and homework." -- KoraAnne

Assessment through daily blogging "I think that it was fun because we got to do something different instead of reading a regular text book." -- Zana

Researching with Google Earth "This class has changed my life, physically and mentally, as it has helped me learn about computers and other places around the world." -- Shaquile B.

Successes "One thing I learned about science in Second Life is that science is really not that hard. I always thought, "I can't do this," but now I have learned so much, like about sustainability and how I can help to make our earth better. I never knew I was this smart." – Egypt

Sharing and collaboration "If I was to recommend it to anybody I would because it was a fun and exciting experience. I will miss it very much." -- Zana

Engagement and Enjoyment "Learning science in Second Life keeps you interested in your work, which is normally very hard for me to do, except for in this class." -- Shaquille

Attendance "This is the most amazing thing that I've experienced in high school so far." -- Andrysse

Barriers to using SL in school

Safety

Costs

SL is free to use

You pay to have land you can build on

It is possible to rent or borrow land

An educational island is a one off cost of $700 (~£428) and a monthly cost of $147.50 (~£90)

It is difficult to set up groups of teen accounts outside of USA

Open Sim is free to use and LTS have a grid

SL and Educational Initiatives

I could tell you about how using virtual worlds fits Determined to Succeed, Assessment is for Learning and all the capacities of Curriculum for Excellence….. but I won’t bore you :-)