Slides to accompany a presentation to the International Symposium on Education in Virtual Worlds, September 29th, 2009

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

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

4. In particular, using OpenSim and Project Wonderland

6. Later the question becomes:

7. How can I modify or customize it for my classroom?

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

12. 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 .

14. 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.

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

16. Project Wonderland

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

18. iSocial

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

21. ReactionGrid, hosting for educators

22. http://reactiongrid.com/

23. ScienceSim, sponsored by Intel

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

26. Moodle for example incorporated blogs & wikis.

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

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

29. Sloodle

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

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

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

36. Solar System Model

37. Mt. St. Helens

38. Yellowstone National Park

39. iCAIR's States of Matter

40. Fern Seed by Aaron Duffy at USU

41. http://fernseed.wordpress.com/

42. Fern Seed

43. Fern Seed

45. Easier development language

46. Support for alternative interfaces, haptics

47. Virtual world platform for cell phones and netbooks

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

49. Kodu for Xbox 360 & PC

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

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

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

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

56. HyperBasic Math Example 2 rabbits + 3 turtles = ?

57. 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

59. 3 liters + 2 pints = ?

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

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

64. Runs on Cell Phones and Netbooks

65. JOYity

67. Wiimote with Virtual Worlds

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

69. Mixed Reality Table

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

72. Integration with LMS (i.e., Sloodle)

73. Modifying Underlying Server and Physics (ScienceSim, Fern Seed)

74. Integrated Object Library (Scribblenauts)

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

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

77. Alternative Interfaces, Haptics