ISEVW 2009 Customizing Virtual Worlds for Education Doug Holton [email_address] ( Dug Digital in Second Life)

Welcome I am very honored to participate in this symposium. I would like to talk about opportunities for software developers to customize virtual worlds for better integration with education and schools. In particular, using OpenSim and Project Wonderland

I am very honored to participate in this symposium.

I would like to talk about opportunities for software developers to customize virtual worlds for better integration with education and schools.

In particular, using OpenSim and Project Wonderland

Using vs. Modifying Technologies Upon seeing a new technology like blogs, wikis, Twitter, Youtube, Second Life...one of the first questions teachers may ask is: How can I use it in my classroom? Later the question becomes: How can I modify or customize it for my classroom?

How can I use it in my classroom?

Later the question becomes:

How can I modify or customize it for my classroom?

Focus of This Talk The first question about using these technologies in education already has many answers and examples. There are long lists of their uses in the classroom. This talk will focus on the second question. How can we modify virtual worlds for even better integration with education and schooling?

The first question about using these technologies in education already has many answers and examples. There are long lists of their uses in the classroom.

This talk will focus on the second question. How can we modify virtual worlds for even better integration with education and schooling?

Other Educational Customizations This second question has already been addressed for other technologies: Social Technology Educational Versions Blogs Edublogs, Moodle Wikis Wikispaces, PBWorks, Moodle Twitter Edmodo Youtube TeacherTube

This second question has already been addressed for other technologies:

Modifying Virtual Worlds What are some modifications to virtual worlds that would facilitate their use in educational contexts? I'll discuss 7. 3 that have been done, and 4 that could be done From analyzing the other educational versions of social technologies, the first and foremost modification teachers want is: a private/protected space for the teachers and students to use .

What are some modifications to virtual worlds that would facilitate their use in educational contexts? I'll discuss 7. 3 that have been done, and 4 that could be done

From analyzing the other educational versions of social technologies, the first and foremost modification teachers want is: a private/protected space for the teachers and students to use .

Protected Spaces wikispaces allows private wikis, edmodo allows private messaging, moodle allows private blogs and wikis, teachertube filters educational videos... This of course is already possible with virtual worlds. In particular when using hosted servers for virtual world platforms such as OpenSim and Project Wonderland.

wikispaces allows private wikis, edmodo allows private messaging, moodle allows private blogs and wikis, teachertube filters educational videos...

This of course is already possible with virtual worlds. In particular when using hosted servers for virtual world platforms such as OpenSim and Project Wonderland.

Project Wonderland https://wonderland.dev.java.net/

Project Wonderland

iSocial http://isocial.rnet.missouri.edu/

iSocial

OpenSim Summary of Various Educators using OpenSim: http://www.l4l.co.uk/?p=592 ReactionGrid, hosting for educators http://reactiongrid.com/ ScienceSim, sponsored by Intel http://www.sciencesim.com/wiki/doku.php

Summary of Various Educators using OpenSim:

http://www.l4l.co.uk/?p=592

ReactionGrid, hosting for educators

http://reactiongrid.com/

ScienceSim, sponsored by Intel

http://www.sciencesim.com/wiki/doku.php

Integration with LMS A second common modification request is integrating the technology with existing learning management systems. Moodle for example incorporated blogs & wikis. This has already been done in the case of virtual worlds with Sloodle, which integrates Second Life / OpenSim with Moodle: http://www.sloodle.org/moodle/

A second common modification request is integrating the technology with existing learning management systems.

Moodle for example incorporated blogs & wikis.

This has already been done in the case of virtual worlds with Sloodle, which integrates Second Life / OpenSim with Moodle:

http://www.sloodle.org/moodle/

Sloodle

Project Wonderland & LMS? Open Question: Could Project Wonderland (a java-based virtual world) be integrated with Moodle or else a Java-based learning management system like Sakai or others? http://www.manageability.org/blog/stuff/open-source-learning-management-systems

Open Question:

Could Project Wonderland (a java-based virtual world) be integrated with Moodle or else a Java-based learning management system like Sakai or others?

http://www.manageability.org/blog/stuff/open-source-learning-management-systems

Modifications to Server A third type of modification is allowing programmers to create custom simulations and alter the underlying physics and other properties of the virtual world. This is also already being done with open source virtual world platforms such as OpenSim & Project Wonderland

A third type of modification is allowing programmers to create custom simulations and alter the underlying physics and other properties of the virtual world.

This is also already being done with open source virtual world platforms such as OpenSim & Project Wonderland

ScienceSim http://www.sciencesim.com/wiki/doku.php Solar System Model Mt. St. Helens Yellowstone National Park iCAIR's States of Matter Fern Seed by Aaron Duffy at USU http://fernseed.wordpress.com/

http://www.sciencesim.com/wiki/doku.php

Solar System Model

Mt. St. Helens

Yellowstone National Park

iCAIR's States of Matter

Fern Seed by Aaron Duffy at USU

http://fernseed.wordpress.com/

Fern Seed

Fern Seed

Modifications Outside the Box Here are 4 other ideas for modifications that have not yet been implemented: Integrated library of objects and behaviors Easier development language Support for alternative interfaces, haptics Virtual world platform for cell phones and netbooks

Integrated library of objects and behaviors

Easier development language

Support for alternative interfaces, haptics

Virtual world platform for cell phones and netbooks

Scribblenauts (Nintendo DS) http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2009/06/scribblenauts/

Kodu for Xbox 360 & PC

Scratch for Second Life http://web.mit.edu/~eric_r/Public/S4SL/ See also the SketchLife plugin for Second Life http://vrshed.com/sketchlife/index.html

http://web.mit.edu/~eric_r/Public/S4SL/

See also the SketchLife plugin for Second Life http://vrshed.com/sketchlife/index.html

HyperBasic A programming language in development (targeted for summer 2010) Designed with teachers, students and other non-programmers in mind Large built-in standard library of functions and objects and units (“3 meters + 2 km”) Can compile to the Java and Android platforms, meaning it can be used for applets, applications, Project Wonderland, and cell phones (Android)

A programming language in development (targeted for summer 2010)

Designed with teachers, students and other non-programmers in mind

Large built-in standard library of functions and objects and units (“3 meters + 2 km”)

Can compile to the Java and Android platforms, meaning it can be used for applets, applications, Project Wonderland, and cell phones (Android)

HyperBasic Math Example 2 rabbits + 3 turtles = ?

HyperBasic Units Example 2 m/s + 3 m/s = ? tell rabbit1 to move 2 meters in 1 second tell rabbit2 to move 3 meters in 1 second tell rabbit3 to move 5 meters in 2 seconds X tell rabbit3 to move 5 meters in 1 second tell rabbit3 to move 2 meters in 0.4 seconds say rabbit3's velocity

HyperBasic Units Example Other scientific calculator-like examples: 3 liters + 2 pints = ? Uses JScience library http://jscience.org/api/javax/units/SI.html Syntax has 2 modes, both case-insensitive Basic-like mode: “rabbit1.move(3m,1s)” Hypercard-like (or Applescript-like) mode: “tell rabbit1 to...” “rabbit1's name”

Other scientific calculator-like examples:

3 liters + 2 pints = ?

Uses JScience library http://jscience.org/api/javax/units/SI.html

Syntax has 2 modes, both case-insensitive

Basic-like mode: “rabbit1.move(3m,1s)”

Hypercard-like (or Applescript-like) mode: “tell rabbit1 to...” “rabbit1's name”

Android Platform by Google http://www.android.com/ Runs on Cell Phones and Netbooks

by Google http://www.android.com/

Runs on Cell Phones and Netbooks

JOYity

Alternative Interfaces Haptics, Mixed Reality... Wiimote with Virtual Worlds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBkL2zNMyO4 Mixed Reality Table http://campustechnology.com/articles/2009/08/01/innovators-immersive.aspx

Haptics, Mixed Reality...

Wiimote with Virtual Worlds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBkL2zNMyO4

Mixed Reality Table

http://campustechnology.com/articles/2009/08/01/innovators-immersive.aspx

Summary of VW Modifications Protected Space for Teachers & Students (OpenSim, Project Wonderland) Integration with LMS (i.e., Sloodle) Modifying Underlying Server and Physics (ScienceSim, Fern Seed) Integrated Object Library (Scribblenauts) Beginner-friendly Development Language (i.e., Scratch, HyperBasic...) Running on netbooks and cell phones (i.e., Android) Alternative Interfaces, Haptics

Protected Space for Teachers & Students (OpenSim, Project Wonderland)

Integration with LMS (i.e., Sloodle)

Modifying Underlying Server and Physics (ScienceSim, Fern Seed)

Integrated Object Library (Scribblenauts)

Beginner-friendly Development Language (i.e., Scratch, HyperBasic...)

Running on netbooks and cell phones (i.e., Android)

Alternative Interfaces, Haptics

Thank You Thank you very much! Doug Holton <doug.holton@usu.edu>