A presentation at the Big Issues in Immersive Virtual Worlds conference, at Coventry University, in November 2010.

1. Don’t look back
in anger...
Big Issues in Immersive
Virtual Worlds 2010
Coventry University
John Lembo http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnlembo/2402051626/
www.virtualworldwatch.net

2. Quick summary of Virtual World Watch...

3. VWW: Virtual World Watch (1)
“Snapshots” of who is using
virtual worlds, and how, in UK
universities and colleges.
Unexpectedly large numbers of
downloads.
Spring 2007 to Summer 2008:
Eduserv funded reports.
Summer 2008 to Spring 2010:
under more cohesive Eduserv
funding.
Kathryn Trinder http://www.flickr.com/photos/tilly/2892336624/

4. VWW: Virtual World Watch (2)
Summer to Autumn 2010: No
funding plus legal and technical
problems. Bah.
Small bits of funding gained;
other bits being pursued plus
more passive sources.
Website and data getting
revived, virtual world book
progressing.
A few information alliances in
the works, including...
COPOP http://www.flickr.com/photos/24220989@N03/3368033094/

5. Games, virtual worlds and higher
education SIG
Partners:
University of Edinburgh
University of Leicester
Virtual World Watch
Institute of Education
Allied with other organisations
e.g. DIGRA.
Website soon; first event in SL
next week.
Sheila Webber http://www.flickr.com/photos/23396182@N00/3531710579/

6. Games, virtual worlds and higher
education SIG
To support research into the uses and potential of games and
virtual world technologies in Higher Education teaching and
learning and – crucially – to develop links between research
and practice in these areas.
To act as a forum for the exchange of ideas across disciplines.
To forge an agenda of educationally relevant scholarship and
practice.
Start date: Autumn 2010 (basically, now).

7. UK in 2010
Threats and opportunities

8. Inha Leex Hale http://www.flickr.com/photos/sixmilliondollardan/3382932556

9. Gunnlaugur Þór Briem http://www.flickr.com/photos/gthb/4622618719/

10. John Amos http://www.flickr.com/photos/skytruth/4733801040/

11. http://www.flickr.com/photos/plashingvole/5114385684/

12. http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsuportsmouth/2276906005/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/upsuportsmouth/2276902985/

14. Tom http://www.flickr.com/photos/turkletom/4325703868/

15. William Hook http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhook/4225307113/

16. Colony of Gamers http://www.flickr.com/photos/colonyofgamers/4702886229/

17. Michael Coghlan http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikecogh/3807202330/

18. 3.5 years of data...
(VWW likeS counting things)

19. Some nerdy statistics
Snapshots to date: 9 of which 8 are public, one in legal
‘limbo’ (#9.3 should be public by Nov. 15th). Including #9.3:
Responses (open to definition, and not all eligible or
publishable) from UK HE: 1,053.
Responses from UK FE, schools, RSCs, other: 81.
Continuing ‘problem’ of people who do not, will not, or
cannot, report or respond.

20. WHich virtual world?
Daneel Ariantho http://www.flickr.com/photos/daneelariantho/2631276941/
91% use(d) Second Life.
4% use(d) OpenSim.
5% the rest.
Core minority experiment with
many worlds that come along.
Second Life still vastly
predominant.
Increase in using OpenSim,
Unity 3D.

21. WHo FUNDS DEVELOPMENT?
Of that which is not voluntary...
54% internal university/college.
11% medical funding sources.
No one major source e.g. 7%
efforts through JISC funding.
Increase in European funding.
Amounts vary massively, from
tiny amounts to several hundred
thousands.
Sheila Webber http://www.flickr.com/photos/23396182@N00/5100464155/

22. What are academics doing?
A lot of the responses blur, but
picking the predominants:
42% are researching virtual
worlds, nearly all of which is
virtual world use in education.
27% are “making stuff” for a
myriad of reasons.
31% are using virtual worlds in
some aspect of teaching and
learning.
SGVW at Derry http://www.flickr.com/photos/33422226@N04/3401831654/

23. What subject areas?
Broad subject areas not well
represented, except for health,
medicine and the biosciences.
‘Niche’ ones predominate e.g.
Learning about e-learning.
Midwifery.
Aspects of art and design.
Individual languages.
n.b. Class sizes vary.
SGVW at Derry http://www.flickr.com/photos/33422226@N04/4381901006/

24. THe IT Support issue
Always been the 2nd most
common issue, after obtaining
funding.
Situation really bad in 2008 for
many in UK HE. But only a
small fraction of complaints
now.
It’s still near-impossible at FE
and school level to do SL stuff.
And hard to do other virtual
world stuff as well.
Chris Stephens http://www.flickr.com/photos/drum/4072997316/

25. ACademic peer attitudes
Still variable though hearing
less about hostility.
Best combated by using the VW
with goal-based structured task.
Most common negative vibes:
Waste of scarce funding.
“Dangerous.”
Not “real” learning.
It’s a game...
Fiona Littleton http://www.flickr.com/photos/flittleton/4093207474/

26. Iris Shreve Garrott http://www.flickr.com/photos/circulating/273246262/

27. IS VW use in HE/FE increasing?
FE: No. That one’s easy :-(
2007-08: High turnover, much
one-off experimentation.
Core group of 2+ academic year
developers, users has been
slowly growing.
Recent Linden Lab moves have
rattled a lot of UK academics...
Bex Ferriday http://www.flickr.com/photos/fezzette/3463950370/

28. Major issues at the moment
The four (main) options:
1. Stay with commercial SL.
2. Move to OpenSim.
3. Move to another VW.
4. Give up.
University funding changes:
How do I make my job safer?
How can this be funded?
More demanding students? Kathryn Trinder http://www.flickr.com/photos/tilly/2891487883/

29. What matters to you?
What are you going to do? Stick
with Second Life, move to
OpenSim, something else?
What’s your bugbears?
Funding good?
What’s your issues? Are you
positive or negative?
Kathryn Trinder http://www.flickr.com/photos/tilly/2891500283/
Over to you...