The document discusses the development and implementation of the STEM Exploratory Real/Virtual Environment (ser/ve) project aimed at enhancing science education for urban youth through virtual learning environments. It highlights the necessity for more engaging and practical STEM instruction, the integration of K12 education, and the role of virtual spaces in promoting collaborative learning. The pilot results indicated significant student engagement and interest, emphasizing the value of virtual interactions in STEM education.

1. SER/VE (STEM Exploratory
Real/Virtual Environment):
connecting science education and
urban youth, virtually
Eileen O’Connor, Ph.D.
Empire State College
Eileen.oconnor@esc.edu
November 4, 2011 (SUNY STEM Conference) – 2:15pm – 3:30 pm

3. Agenda: intended; many pictures
• Evolution & development of SER/VE
– Rationale & need
– Progress within virtual spaces
• Historical development within teacher education –
from visits & discussion  creating “pods”
• Integration of K12 directly – development, pilot, &
study
• Future – plans and development
– Making lemonade
– Getting your ideas, expertise, support, and help

4. Poll of attendees
• Your STEM interests?
• Your experience in K12 . . . In high needs?
• Have you ever considered a virtual
environment for learning STEM?
– What would be in it?
– Who might meet there?

5. Background of instructor, need,
and project – the perfect storm
• Instructor – Science Technology Engineering
Math (STEM) working experiences:
– a environmental chemist in government and an
application, analytical chemist in industry
– a technical writer, sales & marketing for IBM in
areas related to in health, aerospace, government,
and industry
– Last 20 years in education—in chemistry,
computers, education, instructional technology,
and science education

6. Background of instructor, need,
and project – the perfect storm
• Need – from working within science and then
within education the need for stronger K12
STEM instruction was evident:
– Professional developer in high needs schools
– Over 300 observation visits to K12 classroom
• Observed, mostly:
– Traditional, didactic, note-taking teaching
– Little info, energy, or interest towards careers

7. Parts-and-pieces science . . . just
using technology isn’t enough

8. Labs that are just about proving what
is already known . . . in a very cook-
book way

9. The challenges & solutions for
moving ahead
Master’s in Learning in
Emerging Technology – an
MALET
e-mediation incubator
STEM/
SERVE focus
Graphics Grants???
SERVE –
fully
operational
Teacher –
Programming
STEM

10. Benefits to SER/VE work
• Student engagement in 21st century skills
– Technology, communications, expanded
connections with other K12 schools & teachers
• Student creation / student direction
– Students can become in building, scheduling,
governance; important future skills
• Students experience STEM careers & futures
– Work as STEM professionals / meet STEM
professionals

11. PRIMARY MOTIVATION FOR WORKING
WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING
• Kids learn this way
• Kids are engaged, challenge, tested, and
exercised this way (aka, gaming)
• SO, why aren’t we using it in K12 teaching???
http://www.interactivelearningsolutions.net/serve

12. Reviewing the history of working
within virtual environments:

13. MAT Science Center – location of many
meetings & presentations

14. MAT students from across the state
give virtual presentations

15. Met the Dean . . . and other
professionals

16. Plus, there are many good STEM
activities already available within
virtual spaces like Second Life, for
instance . . .

17. You can participate in field trips: International
Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

18. Attended class meeting using ISTE
space

19. Visit virtual science: i.e.., National
Oceanographic & Atmospheric Admin. (NOAA)

20. NOAA – virtual, real-time weather
Map (Northeast)

21. And, much more in education and
culture

25. Best expressed through an instructional metaphor: like
designing an intelligent experience (field trip /
discussions / role playing / construction)
. . . with an assessment
Discussions /
collaborations /
role playing
Explorations
Building /
More advanced - Field trips
uses creating
- Simulations

26. It was time to begin developing the
K12 environment  SER/VE:
• A private island in Second Life was secured &
development begun – Jan 2010 – Oct 2010
– Mathematics, engineering, tech  was then to
move to science
• Based on a grant focus, moved into an applied science
project – fall 2010
• Attempted to work w/ K12 – security issues
• K12 teachers began to design within virtual spaces --
May – July 2011
• STEP program use the virtual environment – July 2011

27. During the development phase, we looked into
what K12 students do naturally in a virtual space
Communications What to DO
& behavior there?
Assessment

28. • From a development & fun six months with
the Mall of the Universe  to SER/VE
– The STEM Exploratory Real/Virtual Environment

29. With sophisticated interiors

30. Students learned & practiced before
going into the mall

31. It even had an apartment building
Many engineering, math, and technology applications were evident

32. However, when moving into the pilot
phase modifications were made as
recommended by grant funders:
• Focused only on the science – NSF suggested
informal science
• Began a pilot in SER/VE; with support from
Empire State College & a 1/4 reassignment
• Continuing with pre-service teacher
development

33. The STEM Exploratory Real/Virtual Environment
(SER/VE) – the main Science Center w/ the bulk of the
meetings and interactions

35. First week: interest, energy . . . and
confusion

36. 2. The first meeting; going over
the instructions on location
1. The setting for the meetings
The virtual interactions were clarified
3. Improving independent instruction:
placing instructional & interactive
materials on the island
Tutorial
website put
4. Ongoing: making animated tutorials to
onto the island
teach tech & the adventure & game concept

37. The information website was updated weekly;
emails were sent too

38. An animated co-instructor helped with the
weekly requirements – AKA, DaddyDarren
Denver

39. Later week: now paying more attention (really),
because more assessments had been embedded

40. Additional directions were built into the placards to make it
easier to learn if no one was present to explain them

41. Finally, the final presentations – see the
different ways for viewing & navigating

42. The students & judges were very engaged 
they came forward to see better

43. What were the pilot study results?
• Students were engaged & interested
– Useful and interesting science research was
conducted
– Communication skills were enhance
– Virtual interactions transpired
• Areas to improve
– Need to focus students on the process and
interactions earlier in the project

45. Expanded the expectation for teachers –
they were now to develop science meeting
areas on the island
New science
pod area

46. New Science Pods
Assignments were developed to allow science teachers to
create “pods” with minimal knowledge of virtual building

47. Students (science
teachers) designed rich
science projects with
associated websites that
they shared within the
virtual spaces during the
summer of 2011

48. These teacher shared their ideas about science
projects during meetings with other teachers . . .
across NYS

49. For example, a
physics solar car
pod was developed

50. Pods encouraged
science that moved
out of the classroom
and into the world

51. Bringing urban students into the
virtual worlds, the Second Life
private island – summer 2011

52. A workshop in the Science Technology
Entry Program (STEP) helped students
acquire 21st century skills
Work in person,
Plan / design on Collaborate,
in virtual, and in
paper & in 2-d share, & peer
text-based social
and 3-d format teach
format

53. Staged development process:
starts with a peer discussion to
consider a game design

54. Students then began the design
process on paper

55. Students select the available “shapes”
for a 3-dimensional game

56. Then they use the 2-dimensional
shapes in Microsoft’s drawing program
to further develop their games

57. In the afternoon, students were logged
onto SER/VE, to get them comfortable
in this environment

58. They begin to explore the island and
find there they can build, and play

60. They tested avatar appearance and
clothing

61. They mastered navigation & interactions
quickly, and with enthusiasm

62. By the second afternoon, students are
ready for more creative uses of SER/VE

64. Creativity and boldness were evident

65. Texting on the computer; talking in
real time – learning new techniques

66. They adjusted avatars’ appearances,
and moved the camera angles

67. They interpreted menus & made
complex shapes

68. Some shapes became vehicles, with
scripts that made them move

69. STEP students made real advance
Work in person,
Plan / design on Collaborate,
in virtual, and in
paper & in 2-d share, & peer
text-based social
and 3-d format teach
format

71. Value of STEM virtual – providing
expanded access for K12 & for under-represented
Meeting, • A working space that transcends geography &
developing, creates a sense of reality and presence
• Assembling professionals and educators
sharing
• Represent STEM experiences – safe, practical,
Simulations & virtual
experiences • Integrate with REAL and with education
Enhancing • Providing expertise and experiences beyond the
classroom classroom
• Allowing participation outside the school day too
practice

72. The challenges & solutions for
moving ahead
Master’s in Learning in
Emerging Technology – an
MALET
e-mediation incubator
STEM/
SERVE focus
Graphics Grants???
SERVE –
fully
operational
Teacher –
Programming
STEM

73. Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. (Eileen.oconnor@esc.edu )
Recent Publications – Emerging technologies:
O’Connor, E. A. (2011) Migrating Towards K12 in Virtual Spaces: Second Life Lessons
Learned as Higher Education Meets Middle School Students. Published with the AACE
Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference,
March 2011
O’Connor, E.A. (June 2010) Using Second Life (a virtual reality) in Language
Instruction: Practical Advice on Getting Started; published with the proceedings of
the 4th International Scientific and Methodological Conference
on "Information and Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching‖
O’Connor, E. A. (2010- 2011) The effect on learning, communication, and assessment
when student-created YouTubes of microteaching were used in an online teacher-
education course. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 39(2), pp. 135-154.
O’Connor, E. A. (2010) Practical Considerations When Using Virtual Spaces for
Learning and Collaboration, with Minimal Setup and Support. A book chapter
published in the Handbook of Research on Practices and Outcomes in Virtual Worlds
and Environment, IGI Global publishers

74. Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. (Eileen.oconnor@esc.edu )
Recent Publications – Emerging technologies:
O’Connor, E. A. The Use of a Wiki in Teacher Education: How Does Learning and
Instruction Change When Work Can ―Go Public‖? Published with the AACE Society
for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference in March
2010
O’Connor, E. A. (2009-2010) Instructional and Design Elements that Support Effective
Use of Virtual Worlds: What Graduate Student Work Reveals about Second Life.
Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 38(2), pp. 214 – 234.
O’Connor, E. A. and Sakshaug, L. (2009) Preparing for Second Life: Two Teacher
Educators Reflect on Their Initial Foray into Virtual Teaching and Learning, Journal of
Educational Technology Systems, 37(3), pp. 259-272.
O'Connor, E. (2008). Becoming a Virtual Instructor: How Can Higher Education Faculty
Prepare for Second Life?. In G. Richards (Ed.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-
Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2008 (pp.
1144-1149). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
O’Connor, E. A. (2008) Initial Study of Pre-Service Teachers’ Comments on a Reality-
Based, Urban-Student Video Streamed within an Online Course, Journal of
Educational Technology Systems, 37(2), pp. 139-158.

75. Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. (Eileen.oconnor@esc.edu )
Recent Publications – Emerging technologies:
O’Connor, E. A. (2008) Moving Beyond Text Interactions: The Use of Streaming Video in Internet-Based
Courses. Published with the 3rd International Scientific and Methodological Conference on "Information and
Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching‖
Sakshaug, L. and O’Connor, E.A. (2008) Pedagogical, cultural and epistemological shifts: The dynamics of
learning to teach in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program at SUNY Empire College – published with
2009 National Conference proceedings of the National Center for Alternative Certification;
http://www.teach-now.org/Sakshaug_OConnor.doc - retrieved on 7/22/09
Oconnor, E. (2007). Using Reality-Based, Authentic Streamed-Videos and Online Conversations to Prepare Pre-
Service Teachers for Urban Classrooms: A Pilot Study. In T. Bastiaens & S. Carliner (Eds.), Proceedings of World
Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2007 (pp. 1179-1184).
Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
O’Connor, E. A. (2007) A Case Study of the Approach to Teaching and to Technology of Three New Teachers in
an Alternative Teacher Certification Program, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 35(3), pp. 357-382.
O’Connor, E. A. (2006). Encouraging community: Why, when, and how to structure online interactions to
support collegiality and honesty. Published with the 2nd International Scientific and Methodological
Conference on "Information and Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching ‖
(http://distance.ffl.msu.ru/cdo/conf0606/oconnor.doc - retrieved August 2007)
Presentations