We present a new approach to educational activities in 3D virtual worlds. This approach is based on a new vision of content and learning process in virtual worlds and related to a new platform called vAcademia. This virtual world is designed and developed specially for educational purposes, and it has an integrated set of tools for a number of learning activities. The main original feature of vAcademia is 3D recording, which allows capturing dynamically everything in a given location in the virtual world. A 3D recording looks like a live virtual class providing students with a collaboration space and giving a sense of presence. In such a manner, vAcademia supports a new type of digital content – 3D recording or virtcast, which is created based on synchronous activities and opens new possibilities to explore. We present the functionality, scenarios of use and challenges of the educational virtual world vAcademia.

1. vAcademia – Educational Virtual World with 3D Recording Mikhail Fominykh

2. Learning in virtual worlds IBM Harvard Princeton University Sheffield University Stanford University Toyota Massachusetts Institute

4. Synchronous - Asynchronous ? Types of learning Synchronous ( online ) Asynchronous (offline) Traditional learning Face-to-face classes Text books Video recorded classes 2 D e-Learning Webinars Recorded webinars 3D e-Learning Classes in virtual worlds

5. 2D e-Learning Synchronous class Asynchronous class Face to face class Webinar CMS/LMS live/online content

6. 3D e-Learning Face to face class Synchronous class Asynchronous class live/online content

7. Synchronous - Asynchronous Types of learning vAcademia Synchronous ( online ) Asynchronous (offline) Traditional learning Face-to-face classes Text books Video recorded classes 2 D e-Learning Webinars Recorded webinars 3D e-Learning

8. vAcademia

9. vAcademia Teaching tools Virtual world for education Pioneer of 3D recording

10. 1 . Starting a class in vAcademia

11. 2 . Press Recording button

12. 3 . Conducting a class in vAcademia

13. 4 . Press Stop button

14. 5 . New content – 3D recording of the class

15. 6 . 3D recordings – course content

18. Moodle integration

19. Teaching tools Desktop & application sharing Interactive whiteboards Picture sharing Power Point presentations Web-cameras Pointer

20. Teaching tools Drawing Screen and applications sharing Pointers

21. Teaching tools Web-Camera Power Point presentation Picture sharing

22. Teaching tools Backchannel Clicker tools

23. Коммуникации Text and voice communication Convenient voice and text communication tools enrich the collaborative learning activity.

24. Every person can show up in the virtual world in the appearance he/she likes best. Avatar customization

25. Text, graphic, and voice notes Users may share their comments and impressions in the form of text, graphic, and voice notes.

26. Navigation vAcademia maps make the navigation around the virtual world really simple.

27. Collection Educational resources for both teachers and students may be uploaded into Collection.

28. Environment design Users can organize learning space at any location of vAcademia by arranging the furniture in the way they like.

29. User’s 3D objects Users can upload their own 3D objects in Collada format, which extends the possibilities for creating learning environments

30. Web-site support

31. New course

32. New course

33. New course

34. 3D recordings

35. 3D recording info

41. Thank you!

42. presented by Mikhail Fominykh [email_address] http://www.idi.ntnu.no/~fominykh/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/fominykh https://my.secondlife.com/mihail.palace http://vacademia.com/userprofile/show/id/808 http://vacademia.com http://www.facebook.com/vAcademia @vacademia_info http://www.slideshare.net/vacademia Educational virtual world vAcademia [email_address]