AJCU-DACE Virtual Worlds

Virtual Worlds & Immersive Learning Vicki Rosen University of San Francisco AJCU DACE Fordham 10.23.08

Immersive digital environment: an artificial, interactive, computer-created scene or "world" within which a user can immerse themselves.

Virtual Worlds:
the 3D Web

Cyberpunk novels 1990s: concept of the Metaverse with avatars.

A computer-based simulated environment where the user interacts with the space using a character or AVATAR. Virtual Worlds

Avatar The virtual simulation of the human form or fantastic representationof a person's self

Wilde Cunningham Shared avatar of nine physically challenged adults. “ We can fly & walk & run & drive & basically experience everything life has to offer.” Avatar examples from: Robbie Cooper’s Alter Ego: Avatars and their creators

MUVE: M ulti- U ser V irtual E nvironment

3D graphics
Accessed over the internet
Allow for dozens of simultaneous users to interact
Represent a persistent virtual world
MUVEs

Designed to evoke in the user a sense of virtual presence . MUVEs

Presence: The sensation of being in another place while visiting a virtual environment

Is it a game? MMORPG : M assively M ultiplayer O nline R ole- P laying G ame

World of Warcraft: real life creators & their avatars

Categorizing Virtual worlds General Purpose Specific Function Public Use Private use Donald Welch, Merit Network: EDUCAUSE Sept/Oct 2008 World of Warcraft Military simulations Second Life Active Worlds There Whyville Forterra Systems Project Wonderland (Sun)

Educause Review Sept/Oct 2008 “ Back to Virtual School ”

Predication: By 2011, 80% of all active internet users will have a second life style virtual experience , most likely not Second Life. Gartner Inc. 2007

Metanomics.net : business and policy in the metaverse
Metanomics :
metaverse + economics

Executives of real-world enterprises
using virtual worlds to achieve their real-world strategic goals
Virtual entrepreneurs
serving both real-world and virtual-world clienteles
World developers and policy-makers
shaping the virtual world industry
Academics
studying and educating these communities,
and using virtual worlds as research laboratories
Metanomics.net features weekly online interviews with:

Are you “inworld”? Is someone you know “inworld”? Which world?

Whyville
Educational
Geared to
preteens &
children
Player base
of 3 million -
2/3 girls

Games and roleplay sponsored by a wide range of governmental, non-profit, and corporate entities
Founded by faculty & students from California Institute of Technology
Whyville

Sun’s Project Wonderland: MPK20

On any given day,
over 50% of Sun's workforce is remote.
“ In this 3D world, employees can accomplish
their real work, share documents,
and meet with colleagues
using natural voice communication.
Just like on Sun's physical Menlo Park campus "MPK” inhabitants … can work together in planned meetings, or talk informally in unplanned encounters…
without the constraints of physical location.”

Forterra
"Innovation in Virtual Worlds for Enterprise"
Award winner
September 11, 2008
Industry experts cite innovative collaboration
and learning features

Forterra ”… we are the leading provider of private virtual world environments that enable you to rapidly create your own secure, high fidelity 3D Internet solutions.”

Second Life
Active Worlds
There
3 most popular Virtual Worlds for higher education

“ The Educational Universe
is an entire
Active Worlds Universe
dedicated
to exploring the educational applications
of the Active Worlds Technology .”
(Windows only)
Active Worlds

There Business model: PG13, brand protection, and accessibility (runs on any pc).

Second Life
Oct. 17,2008
1,256,119
residents
logged in the
last 60 days.
61,559:
Online at 3 pm

Second Life
Started 2003
by Linden Research, Inc.
in San Francisco,
better known as Linden Labs.
Linden Street, the original location.
Author & CEO Philip Rosedale
says his work predates Snow Crash .

Second Life
The largest virtual world
Tens of millions of square meters of virtual lands
More than 13 million registered users
Thriving economy: 250 Linden dollars = $1.00

Second Life activites
Buy, sell and advertise
virtual & real life goods and services
Design environments and objects using “prims”
Participate in live events
Build communities, including learners’ communities

Professionals See Their Future
in Second Life
10/06/08 Metanomics.net
The Social Research Foundation created a panel of about 11,000 Second Life® residents for the 1st public survey on:
why the panel members are in Second Life
what they are doing there
how their activities are changing

” People who are using Second Life primarily for professional reasons
predict that they will be
using Second Life
more in 2009 than they are in 2008.
Among professionals,
those seeing
increased use outnumber
those seeing decreased use
by 4.4 to 1 ,
compared to … 2.6 to 1
for personal users."

The major professional activities people listed: (in order)
Teaching & Learning
2. Collaboration
3. Meetings
4. 3-D Visualization

Second Life
Who’s there?
Governments with virtual embassies
(Sweden, Maldives, Estonia)
Entrepreneurs
Nonprofits (New Media Consortium)
Source: EDUCAUSE

Second Life
Who’s there?
Artists exhibit in galleries
Musicians give concerts
Authors read their works
Churches hold services
Therapists conduct counseling sessions

Second Life
Who’s there?
Colleges & Universities:
Santa Clara University
San Jose State University,
School of Library & Information Studies
Ohio University

Plus, you can fly…

… and teleport to new locations.

CATHOLIC missionaries have always trekked to dangerous parts of the Earth to spread the word of God - now they are being encouraged to go into the virtual realm of Second Life to save virtual souls. In an article in Rome-based Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, academic Antonio Spadaro urged fellow Catholics not to be scared of entering the virtual world which may be fertile ground for new converts wishing to better themselves. … Jesuits take word of God to Second Life July 28, 2007 The Daily Telegraph

Second Life - The down side:
Technical:
Bandwidth, video card, RAM
Chat/voice chat
Interoperability
Similar to early internet (Mosaic)

User “ramp-up”:
Time demands
Avatar creation
Movement/communication skills
Disorientation
Second Life - the down side:

Economic
Buy or rent land
Hire graphic designers/programmers
Clothes, skins, accessories

Social:

Mature grid (18+) vs. Teen grid (13-18)
Sleaze factor
“ Griefing” - harassment and/or assault

Second Life Community Standards
Big Six behaviors resulting in suspension:
Intolerance
Harassment
Assault
Disclosure
Indecency
Disturbing the peace

Linden Lab Terms of Service Agreement
“ You acknowledge … Linden Lab
is a service provider … [and] …
has very limited control, if any,
over the quality, safety, morality,
legality, truthfulness or accuracy of
various aspects of Service.”

“ You agree to abide by
certain rules of conduct,
including the Community Standards
and other rules prohibiting illegal
and other practices
that Linden Lab deems harmful.”
Linden Lab Terms of Service Agreement

Second Life - the up side:
Technology will improve
Avatars becoming more professional
Private educational islands &
virtual worlds increasing
Social/intellectual/educational opportunities
for distance learning
Fascinating & creative

A taste of the Second Life experience: “ Vicki Rexen” attends Stepping into Health Virtual Workshop Sponsored by Alliance Library Systems and Learning Times

Questions? Comments? Thank you

AJCU-DACE Virtual Worlds

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