This is the Paper that accompanied the slides on "How Can Massive Multi-user Virtual Environments and Virtual Role Play Enhance Traditional Teaching Practice". This was some of my earliest work.
Immersive Learning Environments White PaperDavid Wortley
IMMERSIVE LEARNING AND CORPORATE STAFF DEVELOPMENT
WHAT, HOW, WHEN, WHERE, WHY AND WHO?
This white paper explores the role of the latest developments in Immersive Learning practices and technologies in the context of current staff development strategies for corporate environments. It aims to define what Immersive Learning Environments (ILEs) are, how they can and are being used, when and where they can be deployed, why they are important today and who is developing and/or using them.
Immersion in a learning activity is fundamental to its effectiveness. There is a direct correlation between how immersed a learner is and their motivation to develop their skills and competences. Immersion is not necessarily dependent on technology but today, in any crowded place anywhere in the world, you will find human beings fixated with their mobile phones and tablets, oblivious to their surroundings, all of whom are inevitably learning and developing in some way. This phenomenon is symptomatic of the role that technology is playing in revolutionising human learning and development. It is therefore vital to understand how this explosive trend can be harnessed to support corporate learning and development strategies in the most cost effective way.
Establishing personal learning environments on tablet computers:Brian Whalley
Establishing personal learning environments on tablet computers: enhancing the student experience through HE/FE and beyond and exploring the implications
Workshop Paper given at 2012 Northwest Academic Libraries Conference
'Beyond the library: student transition and success'
Presented in a workshop for the SupSys project at the Laboratory of Distance Education and eLearning [LE@D], Universidade Aberta, Portugal, on September 2011.
The document summarizes a paper about Cloudworks, a social networking tool for sharing learning designs. It was created to address challenges in getting teachers to share innovative teaching practices. The tool is based on principles of object-oriented social networking, where users are connected through shared "social objects" like designs. This approach aims to encourage user participation and contribution through a user-generated culture of sharing, as seen on sites like Flickr and YouTube. The document outlines the theoretical basis for considering learning designs as social objects and the framework used to guide Cloudworks' development.
Convergence In Education-Education ERP SolutionChirantan Ghosh
This white paper discusses how technology is disrupting traditional education models through three main points:
1. Technology is blurring the boundaries between campus and online learning by allowing students and faculty to access education from anywhere.
2. It is shifting education from imparting knowledge to communities that enrich knowledge, with students becoming teachers by sharing what they learn online.
3. It enables the "re-industrialization" of administration by improving efficiency through shared resources and analytics to track student performance.
Keynote presentation to the NZ Adult Literacy Practitioners Association (ALPA) focusing on the potential for ICTs to be used to enable better learning for adult literacy students.
The document discusses emerging technologies and their potential impact on learning. It examines how technologies are changing learners and contexts for education. A typology of technologies is presented along with case studies of different pedagogical approaches (e.g. inquiry-based, situated, and connectivist learning). Challenges in realizing technology's potential for transforming learning are explored, with solutions focusing on learning design, open educational resources and pedagogical planning frameworks. While predicting the future is difficult, an ongoing co-evolution of tools and practices will shape new digital literacies and learning landscapes.
Immersive Learning Environments White PaperDavid Wortley
IMMERSIVE LEARNING AND CORPORATE STAFF DEVELOPMENT
WHAT, HOW, WHEN, WHERE, WHY AND WHO?
This white paper explores the role of the latest developments in Immersive Learning practices and technologies in the context of current staff development strategies for corporate environments. It aims to define what Immersive Learning Environments (ILEs) are, how they can and are being used, when and where they can be deployed, why they are important today and who is developing and/or using them.
Immersion in a learning activity is fundamental to its effectiveness. There is a direct correlation between how immersed a learner is and their motivation to develop their skills and competences. Immersion is not necessarily dependent on technology but today, in any crowded place anywhere in the world, you will find human beings fixated with their mobile phones and tablets, oblivious to their surroundings, all of whom are inevitably learning and developing in some way. This phenomenon is symptomatic of the role that technology is playing in revolutionising human learning and development. It is therefore vital to understand how this explosive trend can be harnessed to support corporate learning and development strategies in the most cost effective way.
Establishing personal learning environments on tablet computers:Brian Whalley
Establishing personal learning environments on tablet computers: enhancing the student experience through HE/FE and beyond and exploring the implications
Workshop Paper given at 2012 Northwest Academic Libraries Conference
'Beyond the library: student transition and success'
Presented in a workshop for the SupSys project at the Laboratory of Distance Education and eLearning [LE@D], Universidade Aberta, Portugal, on September 2011.
The document summarizes a paper about Cloudworks, a social networking tool for sharing learning designs. It was created to address challenges in getting teachers to share innovative teaching practices. The tool is based on principles of object-oriented social networking, where users are connected through shared "social objects" like designs. This approach aims to encourage user participation and contribution through a user-generated culture of sharing, as seen on sites like Flickr and YouTube. The document outlines the theoretical basis for considering learning designs as social objects and the framework used to guide Cloudworks' development.
Convergence In Education-Education ERP SolutionChirantan Ghosh
This white paper discusses how technology is disrupting traditional education models through three main points:
1. Technology is blurring the boundaries between campus and online learning by allowing students and faculty to access education from anywhere.
2. It is shifting education from imparting knowledge to communities that enrich knowledge, with students becoming teachers by sharing what they learn online.
3. It enables the "re-industrialization" of administration by improving efficiency through shared resources and analytics to track student performance.
Keynote presentation to the NZ Adult Literacy Practitioners Association (ALPA) focusing on the potential for ICTs to be used to enable better learning for adult literacy students.
The document discusses emerging technologies and their potential impact on learning. It examines how technologies are changing learners and contexts for education. A typology of technologies is presented along with case studies of different pedagogical approaches (e.g. inquiry-based, situated, and connectivist learning). Challenges in realizing technology's potential for transforming learning are explored, with solutions focusing on learning design, open educational resources and pedagogical planning frameworks. While predicting the future is difficult, an ongoing co-evolution of tools and practices will shape new digital literacies and learning landscapes.
Lucio Margulis Juego de la Prevención de Riesgos de TrabajoLucio Margulis
This document discusses the playful aspect of e-learning and how games and play can be incorporated into virtual learning environments. It argues that learning through play has always been a natural part of how humans learn, especially for children, but this aspect is often lost for adults and in traditional education settings. E-learning provides opportunities to make learning more interactive, participatory and enjoyable through multimedia games and simulations, as well as cooperative games. These types of games can help motivate students and reduce dropout rates by making the learning process more interesting and fun. The document examines different types of games that can be used, including simulations, virtual reality experiences, and cooperative games to promote collaboration and community.
The document discusses issues around digital education, including both promises and threats. It examines perspectives that see technology as either driving changes or being adopted by users. It also discusses seeing the human and non-human as entangled rather than separate. Case studies look at how algorithms and automated systems shape participation and knowledge. The document calls for moving beyond questions of effectiveness to consider what we want from digital education.
Keynote presentation provided to a variety of audiences in early 2009, challenging educators to think more broadly about the massive impact of technology in the world and the way we need to be thinking about how we educate students for this future.
Virtual reality for collaborative e-learning. Teresa Monahan, Gavin McArdle, ...eraser Juan José Calderón
Virtual reality for collaborative e-learning
Teresa Monahan *, Gavin McArdle, Michela Bertolotto
School of Computer Science and Informatics, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Received 20 September 2006; received in revised form 5 December 2006; accepted 11 December 2006
PLEs include the capacities, skills, contacts, tools, and resources that Learners use to direct learning and pursue personal and professional goals. Placing students at the center of their learning environments encourages students to take charge of their learning. PLEs provide a unifying concept that can address a number of promising educational practices.
Campus codespaces for networked learnersSian Bayne
1. The document discusses different conceptualizations of space, from static to fluid and relational. It focuses on how digital technologies produce code/space and transduced spaces that are dependent on software and code.
2. Distance students experience the university in complex ways, inhabiting bounded, networked, fluid and fire spaces. While not physically present, some feel cognitively connected to the campus through online learning.
3. Code/space is a unique spatial formation profoundly shaped by software. Platforms like Yik Yak can produce real-time geosocial spaces on campus while online learning deters territorializes traditional understandings of educational space.
Evanouski Synthesis Paper Final 504 4173loraevanouski
This document discusses using 3D virtual environments for employee training. It notes that 3D VEs allow situated, experiential learning through simulation and role playing. This aligns with constructivist learning theory by enabling active participation and collaboration. Benefits include safety, accessibility, and practice of difficult skills. However, 3D VEs also have limitations such as technical issues, steep learning curves, and lack of full immersion compared to reality.
Evanouski synthesis paper final 504 4173loraevanouski
This document discusses using 3D virtual environments for employee training. It argues that 3D VEs allow for contextual, immersive learning experiences that better prepare employees for problem solving in the workplace. The document outlines how constructivism and collaboration support learning in 3D VEs. Challenges like technical limitations and learning curves are also addressed.
This document discusses the concept of a teacher bot named Teacherbot. It includes quotes and references related to artificial intelligence in education, automated tutoring systems, and the potential roles of technology and non-human actors in education. The document also discusses the Edcmooc MOOC run by Teacherbot in 2014 which had over 12,000 enrollments from 158 countries and engaged students through online discussions. One quote provides a student's perspective that while the course did not feel traditional, it did prompt thinking.
The document provides an overview of Vue, a virtual campus for the University of Edinburgh within Second Life. It discusses various spaces created within Vue for educational purposes, including learning spaces, research spaces, social spaces, and more. Student perspectives shared in the document highlight how virtual worlds can support learning through interactive and experiential activities as well as social aspects of learning.
This document discusses e-learning and technology tools that can be used in TESOL. It begins by defining e-learning as comprising all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching, including web-based learning, computer-based learning, and digital collaboration. The document then lists and describes several useful Web 2.0 tools such as Vocaroo/SoundCloud for recording audio, Wordle/Tagxedo for visual word clouds, and Google Forms for surveys. It provides an example of how the mind mapping tool Bubbl.us can be used. Finally, it instructs attendees to brainstorm lesson activity ideas that incorporate the tools and share their ideas on a Google Doc for feedback.
Overview Web2.0 Tools For Collaborative LearningDavid Brooks
A presentation given at the EuroCALL 2009 Conference at the UPV Gandia Campus of the Universidad Polytechnica Valencia, Spain, held on Sept 9-12, 2009, session by David L. Brooks, Associate Professor, English as a Foreign Language, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Japan
This document discusses the use of electronic portfolios in STEM fields. It begins by defining what an electronic portfolio is and how it can be used in STEM. The document then provides examples of how electronic portfolios can support learning processes like collection, selection, reflection, and presentation. It also discusses how electronic portfolios can serve multiple purposes like celebrating learning, personal planning, and accountability/assessment. Finally, the document discusses lifelong learning and how electronic portfolios structured in the cloud can support learning across one's entire life and career.
The document discusses the development of a virtual courtroom in Second Life by the University of Wales Newport for their social work students. They created the virtual courtroom to allow students to gain experience presenting evidence in court without the high costs of reserving real courtrooms. In the virtual courtroom, students will produce court reports and present evidence based on case scenarios. Law students may also participate by cross-examining social work students. The virtual courtroom will launch in September 2011 and the authors plan to report on its progress in early 2012.
Dr. Michael Sankey discusses aspirational technology states and personal learning environments at USQ. He outlines how ePortfolios are being used by students for course assessments, potential employers, and friends and family. Over 11,000 portfolios and 24,000 pages have been created between March and November 2011. The presentation also discusses how social networking, management, and facilitation of learning is shifting from traditional LMS to more open PLE models using tools like Moodle, Mahara, MIT OCW, and iTunes U. Mobile access to information and tools is driving this change according to the 2011 Horizon Report.
This document summarizes a presentation about using technology in TESOL teaching. It introduces several free web tools for creating digital content like blogs, word clouds, and storyboards. It discusses the concepts of digital literacy and citizenship, emphasizing the importance of thinking carefully before posting online. The document also outlines steps for creating digital stories and developing a personal learning network to collaborate with other educators. Overall, it provides an overview of practical strategies and resources for incorporating new technologies into language teaching.
Authors: Elina Jokisalo, Project coordinator, elearningeuropa.info and Antoni Riu, Strategy Director , P.A.U. Education
This article focuses on individual development through e-learning and learning in communities.
The document discusses how new social media and Web 2.0 technologies are impacting education by changing learner and teacher roles and requiring new digital literacies, and both positively enabling greater access to resources and participation, but also risking social exclusion for those without access or skills; it examines case studies of using technologies for social inclusion and combating exclusion; and promotes the open sharing of practices on the Cloudworks site to transfer knowledge and philosophies around open and accessible education for all.
The Live OWL Documentation Environment: a tool for the automatic generation o...University of Bologna
The document discusses the need for improved user interfaces and tools to help non-technical people interact with and understand semantic models and ontologies. It notes that current tools have limitations and outlines key human interactions with ontologies, including understanding existing models, developing new models, and adding and modifying data according to models. The Live OWL Documentation Environment (LODE) is introduced as a tool aiming to automatically generate ontology documentation to help people better understand ontologies with minimal effort.
This document discusses teaching and learning in Second Life, a multi-user virtual environment. It provides context on what Second Life is and current educational uses. Potential positive outcomes of teaching in Second Life include learners finding it fun and engaging in a familiar video game-style environment. However, there are also challenges, such as a steep learning curve in navigating Second Life and the need for adequate system specifications and bandwidth. The appendix highlights the NMC Campus in Second Life as an exemplar educational resource that has hosted many seminars and discussions.
This document discusses the relationship between physical and virtual academic spaces. It makes three key points:
1. Academic campuses have become highly virtualized, with student status and learning achieved through digital systems and online interactions. However, virtual spaces cannot replace the value of in-person interactions.
2. Virtual spaces are designed environments that shape the meanings and uses that are possible within them. They also leave some students feeling exposed or vulnerable.
3. While the body seems excluded from virtual spaces, bodies are still present through digital traces, avatars, and the real-world labor that powers virtual systems. Virtual spaces both enable and challenge expressions of identity.
Lucio Margulis Juego de la Prevención de Riesgos de TrabajoLucio Margulis
This document discusses the playful aspect of e-learning and how games and play can be incorporated into virtual learning environments. It argues that learning through play has always been a natural part of how humans learn, especially for children, but this aspect is often lost for adults and in traditional education settings. E-learning provides opportunities to make learning more interactive, participatory and enjoyable through multimedia games and simulations, as well as cooperative games. These types of games can help motivate students and reduce dropout rates by making the learning process more interesting and fun. The document examines different types of games that can be used, including simulations, virtual reality experiences, and cooperative games to promote collaboration and community.
The document discusses issues around digital education, including both promises and threats. It examines perspectives that see technology as either driving changes or being adopted by users. It also discusses seeing the human and non-human as entangled rather than separate. Case studies look at how algorithms and automated systems shape participation and knowledge. The document calls for moving beyond questions of effectiveness to consider what we want from digital education.
Keynote presentation provided to a variety of audiences in early 2009, challenging educators to think more broadly about the massive impact of technology in the world and the way we need to be thinking about how we educate students for this future.
Virtual reality for collaborative e-learning. Teresa Monahan, Gavin McArdle, ...eraser Juan José Calderón
Virtual reality for collaborative e-learning
Teresa Monahan *, Gavin McArdle, Michela Bertolotto
School of Computer Science and Informatics, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
Received 20 September 2006; received in revised form 5 December 2006; accepted 11 December 2006
PLEs include the capacities, skills, contacts, tools, and resources that Learners use to direct learning and pursue personal and professional goals. Placing students at the center of their learning environments encourages students to take charge of their learning. PLEs provide a unifying concept that can address a number of promising educational practices.
Campus codespaces for networked learnersSian Bayne
1. The document discusses different conceptualizations of space, from static to fluid and relational. It focuses on how digital technologies produce code/space and transduced spaces that are dependent on software and code.
2. Distance students experience the university in complex ways, inhabiting bounded, networked, fluid and fire spaces. While not physically present, some feel cognitively connected to the campus through online learning.
3. Code/space is a unique spatial formation profoundly shaped by software. Platforms like Yik Yak can produce real-time geosocial spaces on campus while online learning deters territorializes traditional understandings of educational space.
Evanouski Synthesis Paper Final 504 4173loraevanouski
This document discusses using 3D virtual environments for employee training. It notes that 3D VEs allow situated, experiential learning through simulation and role playing. This aligns with constructivist learning theory by enabling active participation and collaboration. Benefits include safety, accessibility, and practice of difficult skills. However, 3D VEs also have limitations such as technical issues, steep learning curves, and lack of full immersion compared to reality.
Evanouski synthesis paper final 504 4173loraevanouski
This document discusses using 3D virtual environments for employee training. It argues that 3D VEs allow for contextual, immersive learning experiences that better prepare employees for problem solving in the workplace. The document outlines how constructivism and collaboration support learning in 3D VEs. Challenges like technical limitations and learning curves are also addressed.
This document discusses the concept of a teacher bot named Teacherbot. It includes quotes and references related to artificial intelligence in education, automated tutoring systems, and the potential roles of technology and non-human actors in education. The document also discusses the Edcmooc MOOC run by Teacherbot in 2014 which had over 12,000 enrollments from 158 countries and engaged students through online discussions. One quote provides a student's perspective that while the course did not feel traditional, it did prompt thinking.
The document provides an overview of Vue, a virtual campus for the University of Edinburgh within Second Life. It discusses various spaces created within Vue for educational purposes, including learning spaces, research spaces, social spaces, and more. Student perspectives shared in the document highlight how virtual worlds can support learning through interactive and experiential activities as well as social aspects of learning.
This document discusses e-learning and technology tools that can be used in TESOL. It begins by defining e-learning as comprising all forms of electronically supported learning and teaching, including web-based learning, computer-based learning, and digital collaboration. The document then lists and describes several useful Web 2.0 tools such as Vocaroo/SoundCloud for recording audio, Wordle/Tagxedo for visual word clouds, and Google Forms for surveys. It provides an example of how the mind mapping tool Bubbl.us can be used. Finally, it instructs attendees to brainstorm lesson activity ideas that incorporate the tools and share their ideas on a Google Doc for feedback.
Overview Web2.0 Tools For Collaborative LearningDavid Brooks
A presentation given at the EuroCALL 2009 Conference at the UPV Gandia Campus of the Universidad Polytechnica Valencia, Spain, held on Sept 9-12, 2009, session by David L. Brooks, Associate Professor, English as a Foreign Language, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Japan
This document discusses the use of electronic portfolios in STEM fields. It begins by defining what an electronic portfolio is and how it can be used in STEM. The document then provides examples of how electronic portfolios can support learning processes like collection, selection, reflection, and presentation. It also discusses how electronic portfolios can serve multiple purposes like celebrating learning, personal planning, and accountability/assessment. Finally, the document discusses lifelong learning and how electronic portfolios structured in the cloud can support learning across one's entire life and career.
The document discusses the development of a virtual courtroom in Second Life by the University of Wales Newport for their social work students. They created the virtual courtroom to allow students to gain experience presenting evidence in court without the high costs of reserving real courtrooms. In the virtual courtroom, students will produce court reports and present evidence based on case scenarios. Law students may also participate by cross-examining social work students. The virtual courtroom will launch in September 2011 and the authors plan to report on its progress in early 2012.
Dr. Michael Sankey discusses aspirational technology states and personal learning environments at USQ. He outlines how ePortfolios are being used by students for course assessments, potential employers, and friends and family. Over 11,000 portfolios and 24,000 pages have been created between March and November 2011. The presentation also discusses how social networking, management, and facilitation of learning is shifting from traditional LMS to more open PLE models using tools like Moodle, Mahara, MIT OCW, and iTunes U. Mobile access to information and tools is driving this change according to the 2011 Horizon Report.
This document summarizes a presentation about using technology in TESOL teaching. It introduces several free web tools for creating digital content like blogs, word clouds, and storyboards. It discusses the concepts of digital literacy and citizenship, emphasizing the importance of thinking carefully before posting online. The document also outlines steps for creating digital stories and developing a personal learning network to collaborate with other educators. Overall, it provides an overview of practical strategies and resources for incorporating new technologies into language teaching.
Authors: Elina Jokisalo, Project coordinator, elearningeuropa.info and Antoni Riu, Strategy Director , P.A.U. Education
This article focuses on individual development through e-learning and learning in communities.
The document discusses how new social media and Web 2.0 technologies are impacting education by changing learner and teacher roles and requiring new digital literacies, and both positively enabling greater access to resources and participation, but also risking social exclusion for those without access or skills; it examines case studies of using technologies for social inclusion and combating exclusion; and promotes the open sharing of practices on the Cloudworks site to transfer knowledge and philosophies around open and accessible education for all.
The Live OWL Documentation Environment: a tool for the automatic generation o...University of Bologna
The document discusses the need for improved user interfaces and tools to help non-technical people interact with and understand semantic models and ontologies. It notes that current tools have limitations and outlines key human interactions with ontologies, including understanding existing models, developing new models, and adding and modifying data according to models. The Live OWL Documentation Environment (LODE) is introduced as a tool aiming to automatically generate ontology documentation to help people better understand ontologies with minimal effort.
This document discusses teaching and learning in Second Life, a multi-user virtual environment. It provides context on what Second Life is and current educational uses. Potential positive outcomes of teaching in Second Life include learners finding it fun and engaging in a familiar video game-style environment. However, there are also challenges, such as a steep learning curve in navigating Second Life and the need for adequate system specifications and bandwidth. The appendix highlights the NMC Campus in Second Life as an exemplar educational resource that has hosted many seminars and discussions.
This document discusses the relationship between physical and virtual academic spaces. It makes three key points:
1. Academic campuses have become highly virtualized, with student status and learning achieved through digital systems and online interactions. However, virtual spaces cannot replace the value of in-person interactions.
2. Virtual spaces are designed environments that shape the meanings and uses that are possible within them. They also leave some students feeling exposed or vulnerable.
3. While the body seems excluded from virtual spaces, bodies are still present through digital traces, avatars, and the real-world labor that powers virtual systems. Virtual spaces both enable and challenge expressions of identity.
07081334.pdf
Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab:
Giving STEM Education a Second Life
Stephanie E. August, Member, IEEE, Michele L. Hammers, Don Brian Murphy,
Allison Neyer, Penda Gueye, and Robert Q. Thames
Abstract—Engineering education in the 21st century faces multiple obstacles including limited accessibility of course resources due, in
part, to the costs associated with acquiring and maintaining equipment and staffing laboratories. Another continuing challenge is the
low level of participation of women and other groups historically underrepresented in STEM disciplines. As a partial remedy for these
issues, we established a Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab (VESLL) that provides interactive objects and learning activities,
multimedia displays, and instant feedback procedures in a virtual environment to guide students through a series of key quantitative
skills and concepts. Developed in the online virtual world Second Life
TM
, VESLL is an interactive environment that supports STEM
education, with potential to help reach women and other underrepresented groups. VESLL exposes students to various quantitative
skills and concepts through visualization, collaborative games, and problem solving with realistic learning activities. Initial assessments
have demonstrated high student interest in VESLL’s potential as a supplementary instructional tool and show that student learning
experiences were improved by use of VESLL. Ultimately, the VESLL project contributes to the ongoing body of evidence suggesting
that online delivery of course content has remarkable potential when properly deployed by STEM educators.
Index Terms—Computer science education, computer uses in education, computer-assisted instruction, multimedia information systems
Ç
1 INTRODUCTION
THE Virtual Engineering Sciences Learning Lab (VESLL)project is an online interactive learning environment
that introduces students to quantitative skills and concepts
through visualization and interactive problem solving [1].
Initial content focuses on positional numbering systems,
logic operations, gates, and flip-flops, and visualization of a
rate flow problem from differential equations. VESLL is
based in Second LifeTM. SL is a widely used free online vir-
tual environment populated with content (locations, objects,
and activities) imagined and created by its users (also
known as “residents”). In SL, a private “island” has been
created specifically for VESLL where users can explore con-
tent, solve puzzles and participate in activities, and interact
with other users. SL uses common geographic terms such
(such as “island” and “mainland”) to designate virtual
spaces within the environment; an island is a freestanding
space where an owner has exclusive rights to develop
(“build”) content.
For general users, Second LifeTM is a free online service;
therefore, while there are costs associated with maintain-
ing the VESLL island, there is no additional cost (beyond ...
The document discusses the potential educational benefits of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) like Second Life. It notes that over 40 UK universities and colleges have a presence in Second Life. Research estimates that around three quarters of UK universities are actively using or developing Second Life. The document then provides examples of how Second Life has been used in educational contexts like visualization, roleplaying, tutorials, simulations, and conferences. It concludes by discussing challenges and directions for further research on using virtual worlds for education.
This document discusses design principles for virtual learning environments (VLEs), specifically immersive 3D environments like Second Life. It proposes three design principles for VLEs: 1) adoption safety to allow new users to learn the environment without intimidation, 2) immersion identity to increase student engagement, and 3) constructability to allow students to manipulate the virtual world. As an example, it describes how Second Life supports these principles through features like a guided starting area, avatar customization, and scripting capabilities. The document argues that following these principles can help VLEs provide effective self-guided and structured educational experiences.
This document summarizes findings from snapshots tracking the use of virtual worlds like Second Life in UK higher education. It finds that the number of institutions and users has grown substantially since 2007. While funding has increased, academics still desire more time and resources. Teaching practices are increasing but effectiveness is not always measured. Other virtual worlds discussed include OpenSim, Wonderland, and Google Lively. The document advocates continuing to explore virtual worlds while recognizing Second Life may not be optimal long-term. It announces a new virtual world watch project to further track trends.
Virtual World Watch - summary of Second Life SnapshotsEduserv Foundation
The document summarizes snapshots of UK university and college activities in virtual worlds like Second Life. It finds that the number of institutions and funded projects using virtual worlds for teaching, research, and marketing has grown significantly since the first snapshot in 2007. While Second Life remains prominent, alternatives like OpenSim and Wonderland are increasingly being explored. Key challenges mentioned include the need for more funding, technical support, and evidence of educational effectiveness. The use of virtual worlds in education is expected to continue growing but may take many years to become mainstream.
A widget-based dashboard approach for awareness and reflection in online lear...Wolfgang Reinhardt
This document introduces a widget-based dashboard called the AANalyzer tool that aims to support reflection and awareness for learners in online learning communities. The tool is based on the theoretical model of Artefact-Actor-Networks (AANs), which combines social networks and "artefact networks" made up of objects created during social interactions. The AANalyzer allows learners to monitor who is doing what in their learning network and how their own and others' actions affect each other, in order to enhance reflection on learning activities.
Personal learning networks and personal learning environmentsTumelo Matlou
This document discusses personal learning environments (PLEs) and connectivism as a learning theory for the digital age. It explains that PLEs allow learners to take control of and manage their own learning through goals, content, communication, and achieving learning outcomes. PLEs involve self-organized learning across different contexts through personal web tools, networks, and experiences beyond formal education. The transition from PLEs to personal learning networks (PLNs) further supports lifelong, self-organized learning.
Learning with new technologies. The case of Second Lifeelena.pasquinelli
The document discusses the use of virtual and telepresence technologies in education. It notes that these technologies can enable new forms of learning through simulations and remote collaboration. However, it also raises ethical questions about their effects on teacher-student relationships and the need to distinguish real from virtual experiences. The document advocates for developing dedicated educational tools rather than using general virtual worlds like Second Life, with a focus on complementing rather than replacing teachers.
This document discusses technology in learning and design. It suggests that electronic reading resources should be the norm, and that content should include audio, video, and opportunities for students to upload content and do programming. It also recommends weekly updates by tutors and a range of discussion forum dynamics. Blended learning should avoid novelty for its own sake. Access issues, both physical and related to students' academic capital, must also be considered. Linkages to networks and consultation should be varied. Virtual world learning allows students to do things they cannot otherwise. The document discusses pedagogy as a creative practice of making and fashioning effective learning environments. It notes a lack of student voice in research on virtual educational opportunities and constraints. Forms of
1. The document discusses Sloodle, which integrates learning management features from platforms like Moodle with 3D virtual environments like Second Life.
2. It describes the story of a student, Andrew, who is uninterested in traditional textbooks but spends time online gaming. His physics teacher Charles creates a Sloodle course to engage students like Andrew.
3. Andrew enrolls in Charles' Sloodle course through Moodle, downloads Second Life, and learns to navigate the virtual world. Sloodle allows Charles to assign tasks, provide quizzes, and give presentations to students in Second Life.
Virtual Worlds From Three Supporting Areas Of ResearchElizabeth Anderson
This document discusses virtual worlds from three areas of research: defining virtual worlds, approaches to virtual learning, and aspects of the virtual learning experience. It first defines virtual worlds as having evolved from text-based systems to fully interactive 3D spaces. It then examines Richard Bartle's widely accepted definition of virtual worlds as having five core attributes: rules that enable changes, player representation, interaction, sensory feedback and persistence. Finally, it looks at fundamental aspects of the modern virtual learning experience.
MUVEs (multi-user virtual environments) have been used for education purposes such as creating online communities for teacher training, engaging students in science activities, and helping students experience history. MUVEs embed educational tasks or problems within virtual contexts and allow users to access contexts, explore environments, represent themselves through avatars, and communicate with others. Studies show MUVEs like Harvard's River City, which places students in a 19th century town experiencing a disease outbreak, can improve students' inquiry skills and science understanding compared to traditional curriculums. Future trends include leveraging MUVEs' ability to create authentic learning conditions and using them to better capture student learning.
Personal Learning Environments (PLEs) are a new approach to learning that recognizes learning as a lifelong process that takes place in different contexts. PLEs allow learners to organize their own learning using whatever tools and devices they choose, including social software like blogs, wikis, and social networks. PLEs have the potential to support lifelong competence development and recognize informal learning. They are learner-driven and based on the idea that learning is not provided by a single institution. PLEs may challenge traditional education systems by distributing learning across networks and giving more control to learners.
This document summarizes a presentation given by Elisa Rubino on Sloodle, an open source project that integrates learning management features from Moodle with interactive 3D virtual environments like Second Life. Sloodle allows activities like presentations, quizzes and assignments to bridge between the virtual world and a Moodle course site. The document describes how objects like the registration booth, presenter and quiz chair function. It provides an example scenario of a student named Andrew using Sloodle through his Moodle physics course to attend virtual lessons and complete assignments in Second Life. In 3 sentences or less.
Multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) have been used for educational purposes in a variety of ways such as creating online communities, engaging in science activities, and helping students understand history. MUVEs are designed to support inquiry-based learning through accessing virtual contexts, exploring environments, communicating with other users, and representing themselves through avatars. An example is Harvard University's River City MUVE, which is set in a 19th century town plagued by disease where students collaborate to determine the cause through investigating and interviewing virtual citizens. Studies found River City improved students' science inquiry skills compared to traditional methods.
This document discusses exploring Second Life as an instructional tool. It provides an overview of virtual worlds and Second Life, describes how the author had students explore Second Life for educational purposes, and discusses potential uses and problems of using Second Life for teaching and learning.
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🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
إضغ بين إيديكم من أقوى الملازم التي صممتها
ملزمة تشريح الجهاز الهيكلي (نظري 3)
💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀
تتميز هذهِ الملزمة بعِدة مُميزات :
1- مُترجمة ترجمة تُناسب جميع المستويات
2- تحتوي على 78 رسم توضيحي لكل كلمة موجودة بالملزمة (لكل كلمة !!!!)
#فهم_ماكو_درخ
3- دقة الكتابة والصور عالية جداً جداً جداً
4- هُنالك بعض المعلومات تم توضيحها بشكل تفصيلي جداً (تُعتبر لدى الطالب أو الطالبة بإنها معلومات مُبهمة ومع ذلك تم توضيح هذهِ المعلومات المُبهمة بشكل تفصيلي جداً
5- الملزمة تشرح نفسها ب نفسها بس تكلك تعال اقراني
6- تحتوي الملزمة في اول سلايد على خارطة تتضمن جميع تفرُعات معلومات الجهاز الهيكلي المذكورة في هذهِ الملزمة
واخيراً هذهِ الملزمة حلالٌ عليكم وإتمنى منكم إن تدعولي بالخير والصحة والعافية فقط
كل التوفيق زملائي وزميلاتي ، زميلكم محمد الذهبي 💊💊
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Philippine Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP) CurriculumMJDuyan
(𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝟏𝟎𝟎) (𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟏)-𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐬
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐏𝐏 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬:
- Understand the goals and objectives of the Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP) curriculum, recognizing its importance in fostering practical life skills and values among students. Students will also be able to identify the key components and subjects covered, such as agriculture, home economics, industrial arts, and information and communication technology.
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫:
-Define entrepreneurship, distinguishing it from general business activities by emphasizing its focus on innovation, risk-taking, and value creation. Students will describe the characteristics and traits of successful entrepreneurs, including their roles and responsibilities, and discuss the broader economic and social impacts of entrepreneurial activities on both local and global scales.
Temple of Asclepius in Thrace. Excavation resultsKrassimira Luka
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1. Researching Learning in Virtual Environments 2008
How Can Massive Multi-user Virtual Environments and Virtual Role
Play Enhance Traditional Teaching Practice?
Angela Addison1, Dr Liam O’Hare2
Keywords: Second Life, problem-based learning, immersive, cognitive skills
development, co-operative learning
Abstract:
There are now many educational sites in Second Life (SL), but they are, in general,
more formal and less interactive than the most popular social sites. Many
educational sites have been built in the image of existing buildings, but they are often
deserted spaces. Some, more adventurous, sites include scripted objects that allow
an individual to interact with a simulation, but too often these do not compare
favourably with simulations found outside SL. This may indicate that recreating what
can be provided in real life, or even in traditional simulations, is not effective.
Massive Multi-User Virtual Environment’s (MMUVE) provide an opportunity to extend
the learning environment to take advantage of social learning opportunities. The
social sites show us the immersive potential, and the potential for groups to interact,
and this is the key to this project.
We are developing problem-based learning in SL using group work, co-operation,
and role-play. The project seeks to utilise these principles to encourage and develop
the cognitive transition of professionals from classroom taught theory to application
in the work place. This is done with the intention of developing skills, confidence and
a professional approach. The first development centres on the use of a food factory
to allow regulators to undertake an immersive role play. In this learning opportunity,
they are able to take the role of a regulatory officer visiting an unfamiliar factory to
question production staff on a working line, company managers and other members
of the workforce. These other roles may be taken by scripted robots (who may offer
little helpful information), by their fellow students, by staff, or by potential employers.
In this application, SL is being used as it offers two significant advantages.
Compared with traditional role play, SL offers more immersive sets. Students find it
easier to take the role seriously, and to detach themselves from the classroom
1
2. environment. This is aided by distractions during the role-play, for example moving
forklifts and factory noise. At the same time the experience is more engaging and
open-ended than watching interviews recorded in real factories.
Education in SL
Most educational institutes are adopting electronic learning spaces as part of a
blended learning approach. This demonstrates developing faith and
acknowledgment that this additional support is of benefit (Kahiigi, 2008). On the
other hand, the use of computers in education (e-learning) has often been seen as
merely providing rapid access to content, rather than providing a social context for
learning. Mathematical or graphical simulations were sometimes found to be useful
in science, and the quality and speed of communication were improved by the use of
e-mail and discussion boards, but the incorporation of these tools into Virtual
Learning Environments (VLEs) such as Blackboard was not seen to deliver
significant additional opportunities for knowledge construction. VLEs has been seen
as transmissive, focusing on "the accumulation, organization, and delivery of
content." (Gilroy, 2001, quoted in Linser and Ip, 2002). Too often, control over the
content has been held tightly by the academic, and the model of communication has
been just as didactic and one-to-many as was previously the case with lectures and
textbooks. Thus, for many years, the use of computers in education has remained a
constructivist's nightmare. From the constructivist perspective, the value of
computers in learning is not that they provide faster access to more information, but
that they allow more opportunities for social interaction, communication and thinking,
and so promote the construction of meaning and knowledge (see, for example,
Garrison and Anderson, 2003).
Even before the advent of VLEs, some of the foundations of the use of computers to
promote social construction of learning had already been laid with the text based
MultiUser Dungeons (MUDs) which were popular on university mainframes from
around 1979. These MUDs included an element of game playing, and gradually
developed small in-world economies, trading in their own goods and currencies.
Richard Bartle, one of the developers of the original MUD, has been quoted as
saying, "The game was initially populated primarily by students at Essex, but as time
wore on and we got more external lines to the DEC-10, outsiders joined in."
(Armitage, 2006). This was one of the first steps towards the web2 era and the
growth of social networking tools. Prominent amongst these has been Second Life
(SL). SL is an example of a Massive Multi-user Virtual Environment (MMUVE) or
metaverse. There has been enormous interest amongst the HE community in
exploring the potential of these metaverses to create learning opportunities. "Now for
the first time we are starting to see serious interest in what we do from the academic
side......... the recognition that video games probably represent an emerging new
medium, a new design field and possibly a new art form...... there are an increasing
number of motivated students that grew up playing these games and now find
themselves inspired" (Wright, quoted in Koster, 2005)
Because of the age limit imposed by Linden Labs, the adult version of SL cannot be
exploited in secondary education, but most universities and tertiary education
establishments, and some professional bodies, are now establishing a presence.
2
3. However, just as the use of VLEs has sometimes been disappointingly transmissive
due to the way academics have used them to mimic what they have always done in
lectures, so it seems that some of the early uses of SL mimic what has already been
done in VLEs. Time spent in SL has suggested a simple classification of the early
educational spaces. Although four categories are proposed below, it is
acknowledged that most educational spaces in SL fit into more than one category at
the same time.
The Replica Campus
Replica campus spaces are those spaces that are intended to be faithful replicas of
existing educational buildings, or whole campuses. Many students will attend
university campuses away from their hometown, taking them out of their familiar
surroundings. It is acknowledged that this causes difficulties and that individuals will
take varying periods to adjust, "One of the most stressful parts of moving to a new
place is trying to become orientated with your new surroundings. This can take time
and be intimidating, but until you get a feel for the local geography you can never
truly feel settled" (www.studentastic.co.uk, accessed 8/9/08). These replica spaces
may be of use in helping the students to acclimatise to the real building or campus,
and so may help in social integration, and this possibly promotes better on-campus
learning by reducing one of the barriers to learning faced by new students. It is not
clear if they have any other significant role, apart from as serving to make a clear
institutional statement of a presence in SL.
The Virtual Workplace
Many spaces contain representations of work-places or of some other environment
of significance in vocational education. The most common spaces in this
group feature hospitals or health care establishments. Some include objects which
include scripting to allow simple interaction (for example a coffee dispenser which
provides the avatar with a cup of coffee, a receptionist who welcomes the avatar to
the building, or a teleport point that allows the avatars to teleport elsewhere). They
sometimes include notecard givers, or other scripted objects, which outline activities,
but too often these activities are to be undertaken by avatars as individuals. Few of
these spaces seem to be designed to promote interaction between avatars within the
activity.
The Poster Display
Some spaces are set up to organise content by providing a building or campus
metaphor. The most common style in this group is the poster display, but there are
also notecard givers and HTML displays. In many cases, the content is not in any
way interactive, and would have been delivered just as well, if not better, by
traditional website or VLE. Some sites also offer virtual lectures, but, as Hobbs et al.
(2006) suggest, “While these activities provide advantages for distance learning this
does not fully exploit the intrinsic properties of the virtual world.”
3
4. Simulations
A number of spaces present avatars with physical simulations, often of molecular or
biological structures. Objects in SL are made from primitives (prims) and the number
of prims is limited, preventing the representation of complex structures. This is not
true in other graphical environments, such as JMOL, where a much more detailed,
responsive and versatile exploration of molecules such as DNA can be undertaken
(see, for example, http://www.umass.edu/molvis/tutorials/dna/dnapairs.htm).
Figure 1Double Helix demonstration at Genome Island.
The most significant feature of most of these educational spaces, and the noticeable
distinction between them and the social spaces, is that the educational spaces are
often found to be uninhabited. Perhaps this is because, unlike the educational
spaces, the social spaces make use of the unique benefit offered by MMUVEs; the
wealth of social interaction that is vital to encourage a fully immersive experience. It
has often been suggested that the real advantage offered by SL is the scope it offers
for social interaction. Oshi (2007) suggests that SL "adds a rich visual aspect to
Internet activities such as socializing, fact finding, and doing business"
while Childress (2006) suggests that "The highly social attributes of [Massively
Multiuser On-line Role Playing Games] make them rich environments for cooperative
learning-based activities." Surely it is these rich social activities that make SL so
popular. If a space does not offer social interaction, then the interest in wandering
around a deserted campus, even when there are butterflies or jumping fish, soon
wains. Indeed, for students involved in distance learning, possibly already feeling a
sense of isolation due to their mode of study, the experience might be quite negative.
If virtual worlds are to help distance learners, they must promote social interactions.
Davis and Lucking (2006) have reiterated the importance of student-to-student
interaction in the learning environment. They consider that "generating interaction in
the virtual classroom is critical to success". In their study of group work in a virtual
world environment, Hobbs et al. concluded that "research and preliminary findings all
point to the need to devise carefully planned learning activities to produce the
desired learning outcomes. The sophistication of the environment makes this a
more, rather than less, challenging task". This follows previous experience in e-
learning, specifically with asynchronous discussion boards, which has suggested
4
5. that students learn effectively, and become autonomous learners in online
environments, when they are guided through a logical progression (online
socialisation, exchanging information, conferencing to construct knowledge and
finally critical thinking) by means of what Salmon (2000) has described as "e-
tivities". It is likely that the same progression, and the same requirement for
structured e-tivities, may also apply to effective learning in SL.
Motivation for the Food Factory SL Project.
Early in 2007, the course team responsible for delivering education to future trading
standards professionals at Teesside undertook to develop a Virtual Food Factory. in
SL. There were a number of motivations behind this development.
One motivation that must be acknowledged is a desire to find applications for a new
resource; "everyone is interested in SL, there must be something WE can use it for
too!". This desire needs to be treated with caution, as there is a danger that variety
and novelty become ends in themselves. It is more important that educational
resources are effective than it is that they are fashionable. As Winne (1998) pointed
out "Without careful attention to how students and their teachers are prepared to use
systems, and to fundamental principles of learning that must underlie educationally
effective systems, the results of adventures in technology-led reform are
unpredictable. Some turn out quite badly". Perhaps a more reliable motivation is the
hopefully well founded notion that SL represents a real opportunity to improve
student-to-student interactions.
Another motivation comes from one author's personal experiences. "Having watched
a dyslexic child struggle with traditional teaching methods, and having encountered
the same child's ability, not only to master activities in a gaming environment, but to
recognise and replay errors, producing improved performance and successes, it is
apparent that recreating a reality in which learning can take place through direct
immersive experience can be beneficial." Linked to the same author's professional
experience "As a former professional and as a Lead Officer for Education and
Training for my professional body, I had identified difficulties for training new officers
in the field. I determined .....that if these difficulties could be role played in a safe
environment there could be some significant improvement in performance and
understanding of the issues for new and retraining professionals."
A final motivation arises from experiences of face-to-face role-plays. The use of role-
plays in classrooms has long been a feature of professional and vocational courses
at Teesside. The potential advantages are clear. In their classic analysis, Chickering
and Gamson (1987) suggested that learners must engage in higher-order tasks, and
that strategies promoting active learning could be defined as those involving
students in doing and in thinking about what they are doing. Thus the constructivist
educator has traditionally used a range of tools, for example investigation (problem
based learning, practicals, project work), interaction (group work, cooperative
learning, debate and discussion, peer learning) or simulation (including drama and
role-playing) to help learners to work together in the construction of knowledge. Of
these strategies, role-play has been one of the most powerful is a well established
part of many higher education courses, with many attractive features (DeNeve and
5
6. Heppner, 1997, Bolton and Heathcote, 1999; Bell, 2001). Advantages are also seen
by employers, who value the way role play is designed to develop communication
skills and practical "people skills". When used early in a course, it can be useful in
building social networks within a class. It is well suited to game-based learning,
including competitive games. In the present context, a key benefit is
the opportunities it offers for students to work through scenarios and critical incidents
as preparation for the workplace (Dracup, 2008). However, despite our enthusiasm
for role-play, our experience of the actual sessions has been mixed. We often find
that learners fail to fully immerse themselves in the experience. Engaging in role play
within a classroom setting fails to give a fully immersive experience. This may result
in the responses and reactions of the participants being significantly altered. They
seem to be inhibited by the realisation other parts are being played by class-mates,
or by staff, and that they are being watched and possibly assessed. Most
significantly in the current context, the atmosphere of a classroom can never
match that of a food factory. The examples of role-play that we find work best are
those set up, often for health, forensic or police courses, using elaborate and
expensive sets (Virtual Radiography Suite, Crime Scene House, Vehicle
Examination suite, Mock Police Station, Mock Court Room). This would not be
possible on all courses. Indeed, on courses aimed at Trading Standards and
Environmental Health professionals, the cost as a result of the variety and
complexity of the required sets would be immense. Moreover, traditional role-play
activities within a classroom setting have required the participants to be in the same
room at the same time. This may be difficult with large class sizes, and almost
impossible for distance learners. On-line role play may provide the solution to these
restrictions (Koskela, 2005; Gao et al., 2008). For example, Lebaron and Miller
(2008) found that "students enjoyed online role play and valued it as a learning
experience", while Gao et al. (2008) found that students felt that role-play within the
virtual setting was more likely to interest them and hold their attention, as compared
to face-to-face role-play. In addition they found the virtual environment in Second
Life to provide a less restrictive learning opportunity than the face-to-face equivalent.
Implementation of SL Project
The food factory was identified as the focus of the planned development as this has
been the area of professional activity that has been most difficult to deal with in a
traditional classroom. Factory inspections, in particular inspections of food
manufacturers, are difficult because an unfamiliar factory environment presents
many challenges. They require regulators to work with colleagues and with factory
employees. They must work in a noisy, rapidly changing, and potentially dangerous
processing area, and must also tackle lengthy and complex documentation.
MMUVEs may enable realistic representation of these problems. The
representations are flexible, allowing sets and scenarios to be changed to present
learners with a planned sequence of challenges. This should allow a well designed
course to lead learners through the stages described by Salmon (2006).
Moreover, the potential for complexity in the representation of the physical
environment, and for interaction with other avatars, should allow students to adopt
an exploratory approach to learning characteristic of the final, autonomous learner,
stage. Thus students develop skills at a staged pace, building knowledge and
experience as they work their way through the sequence. It is the sense of "really
6
7. being there" which may produce the most powerful learning responses in the
students.
The first phase of the project involved reviewing available virtual worlds. SL seemed
to provide the most likely development opportunity, if only because it was the most
popular at the time the decision was taken, but initially the level of detail necessary
was a concern. To ensure a fully immersive experience, the team felt that there had
to be sufficient detail to reflect accurately the complexity of the real life situations,
and it was feared that the prim count limitations encountered in SL would prevent
this. However, it soon became apparent that even simple representations could
provide a very immersive experience when supplemented by photographic textures,
appropriate noises and simple movement. Textures can have the added advantage
of providing depth to a wall, as shown in Figure 2 and Figure 4.
Figure 2. Prototype factory, showing backdrop and conveyor belts in SL
Having decided to continue with SL, two complementary approaches to building sets
for role-plays were adopted.
The first approach was based upon Holodecks equipped with textures and a few
simple objects. This can provide a way of using limited space and limited prims to
represent many different locations or environments. The textures can be rapidly
changed to completely alter the appearance of the space, allowing the same
holodeck to be used as a set for many different role-plays. An extreme example is
illustrated in figure 3 and 4. Switching from one role-play to the next can be
facilitated, as the appearance of a particular space can be altered around the group
rather than the group being moved to another location. There is a concern that this
make break the sense of immersion as rooms do not change in this way in real life,
but this may or may not be a problem, depending on whether the role-plays are
intended to deal with a linked sequence of events.
7
8. Fig 3. Holodeck set out for Business Meeting in SL
Fig 4. Same Holodeck set out as Penguin Sanctuary
The other approach to building sets for the project includes a full representation a
food factory. This is intended to allow learners to move and explore in a more open
ended way than the closed holodeck sets. This has been designed to cover the key
inspection points and common regulatory compliance failures encountered by
officers during their work. The design includes information and guidance for learners
provided via scripted objects within the factory.
Establishing suitable assessment mechanisms within the development was
recognised as vital at the outset of the project. The philosophy of the project, that the
real benefit of MMUVEs lies in their ability to facilitate education through social
8
9. interaction among learners, requires that much of the assessment will be done by
the tutor or by peers in the way that assessment of role-play has always been done.
However, as a supplement to this, another possible mechanism was suggested by
the role play Sims found in the social areas of SL. Here participants undertake
quests. They begin by collecting an information sheet in the form of a notecard from
a dispenser and must decipher the clues it provides. The clues lead to treasures
which must be collected from scripted objects to complete the chosen quest. This
method could be adapted to demonstrate a student’s competence. For example a
clipboard (the scripted object) could be carried by the student, and when they believe
that they have found one of the key inspection points then they could be required to
click on the point which would provide a tick on their board. This information can be
transferred directly to tutors by the participants putting their completed boards into a
collection point which notifies the tutor by e-mail. A further feature of SL is the ability
to utilise dummy avatars to take on roles. The current level of sophistication of the
interactions possible with these dummy avatars is limited, but never-the-less avatars
which automatically provide different pre-programmed responses to participants
depending on which questions they are asked could provide a useful part of the
exploratory role-plays envisaged in the full food factory.
Conclusion
We feel that many of the early educational developments in SL have focused on
structures and information, and that few have made the best use of the potential that
the environment offers for student-to-student interaction. At the same time, we feel
that traditional role-play has been one of the most powerful tools in the constructivist
educator's toolbox. It is clearly an example of active learning, it provides multiple
perspectives, and promotes collaboration between learners. However, except in the
most expensive and elaborate implementations, traditional role-play may not
offer authentic learning, which, according to Cey (2001), occurs when the learning
activity is designed to simulate and recreate the complexities of real-life occurrences
encountered by professionals. We have therefore used holodecks to provide virtual
sets in which to stage a progressive series of role-play exercises in SL. The final set,
a full food factory including scripted objects and dummy avatars, is intended to be
extensive and complex, and hopefully authentic in important details. This should
allow students to explore and investigate, interacting not just with the set, the objects
and the dummy avatars, but with staff and other learners. Thus, it is hoped that these
role-plays will lead groups of students through a sequence of activities, analogous to
Salmon's e-tivities, towards the goal of independent learner.
9
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12. Authors
Angela Addison
1
School of Science & Technology
University of Teesside
Middlesbrough
TS1 3BA
a.addison@tees.ac.uk
Angela Addison, formerly a Trading Standards Officer, is now a Senior Lecturer at
the University of Teesside since 2005. She is an active member of her professional
body, the Trading Standards Institute, in her role as a Lead Officer for Education and
Training. Her education avatar name is Persephone Aszkenaze.
Dr Liam O’Hare
2
School of Science & Technology
University of Teesside
Middlesbrough
TS1 3BA
w.t.ohare@tees.ac.uk
Dr Liam O’Hare has been lecturing at the University of Teesside since 1992. He is
currently Learning and Teaching Co-ordinator and e-Learning Co-ordinator for the
School of Science and Technology. He is interested in finding better ways to provide
flexible and active learning. His Second Life avatar is Leest Jannings.
12