- My Expectations and Requests for CED 552 (Creating a Personal Presence in a Virtual World).
Based on your previous experience in Second Life, what are your personal goals for this course? What specific things would you like to learn about? We already have an agenda, but it will be flexible enough to accommodate your individual interests.
My interests in SL as it stands right now, with my current teaching assignment, is strictly for hobby. I teach 6th grade world history which makes using SL as an educational tool in my classroom impossible. I do not rule out future educational/commercial endeavors in SL so I am keeping an open mind. That being said, my expectations are to learn advanced building techniques and educational applications of VR in SL. I would like to learn how to build more elaborate structures than I have previously used. I would like to begin to create some products that might earn me some Linden dollars at some point.
- My Introduction to the SLED and ISTE Listservs. Discuss your introduction to the SLED List and the ISTE List. You do not have to participate in the lists unless you choose to. I think you will find it an interesting resource for viewing the educational side of both Second Life and other Open Source virtual worlds.
- Linden Blogs – The Heart of Second Life. Discuss which Linden Blogs you've investigated.
This makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. There is too much good stuff to look at! I started with the Tips and Tricks blog. Crazy “Torley Linden” gives a lot of good tips on taking pictures in SL and organizing your inventory. There are lots of posts to choose from, each with a in-world YouTube video tutorial.
- Engaging with Second Life. Reflect and discuss Real Education in a Virtual World.
This is a reflection on the “Engaging with Second Life: Real Education in a Virtual World” literary review by Ben Salt, Clare Atkins, and Leigh Blackall.
Multi-User Virtual Environments
Multi User Virtual Environments (MUVEs) or virtual worlds are computer generated 3D environments that allow multiple users from multiple interfaces to interact with one another in a lifelike or hyper lifelike setting. MUVEs originates as gaming environments but games like World of Warcraft have caught the eye of developers who realize that MUVEs are an ideal setting for visually dynamic instruction. There are many MUVEs on the market but education has gravitated towards Second Life (SL) for its ease of use and free student accounts. MUVEs can provide rich, immersive, collaborative environments and facilitate easy social interaction. It is well suited for learning activities which are enhanced by realistic simulation, meaningful role-play and wide-ranging communication.
Second Life and Education
Second Life has user developed content that covers a vast array of disciplines. These can include “art and music projects, computer programming and artificial intelligence, literature studies, theatre and performance art, language teaching and practice, politics, commerce, architectural design and modeling and urban planning.” The medical field has taken an interest in SL as an educational and training tool. This has included virtual clinics where med students can diagnose virtual patents. Another island created virtual hallucinations so psychiatric students could better understand schizophrenia. SL also offers language students access to native speakers to develop fluency. Business students can experiment in running a business in a low risk environment with SL’s readymade currency, the Linden dollar. Genome Island, a science and technology themed destination created by Mary Anne Clark of Texas Wesleyan University, offers and award winning example of how education can use MUVEs to enhance instruction. Clark created Genome Island as a way that all of her students in Biology could perform the lab experiments for her courses in a manner that best fit their schedule.
Architecture students and professionals use SL as a virtual design studio. Architects can create 3D walkthroughs of their designs for their clients or instructors. Interior designers similarly can show their clients what a room or home will look like using the actual textures, colors, and perspectives.
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| Genome Island - Revised Bloom's Taxonomy |
Theoretical Frameworks
The article discusses, in great detail, SL as it relates to educational theory. The “holy trinity” of educational theory, behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism, is married with linguistic and socio-cultural theory. While elements of all three educational theories can be found in SL, Constructivism seems most at home. M. Ally states, “In online instruction, learners experience the information first-hand, which gives them the opportunity to contextualize and personalize the information themselves.” In MUVEs, students can learn from experience through personal and group refection, problem-based learning, informal learning, peer-supported learning and action-learning. This new thinking points to learning through activity, authenticity, and feedback.
Designing Learning in Second Life
The article goes on to discuss the design of educational tools in Second Life. As with most activities, it suggests that you begin with your expected outcome in mind. SL activities should involve lots of interaction between the student and with their instructor. The activity should also simulate a rich environment. Teachers should design orientation activities to get students acquainted with the SL environment before beginning class projects. Lessons should be designed using gamer theory, which is to obstruct progress by challenges. Challenges will entertain as well as facilitate learning. Game theory is also relevant in the student’s identification with their avatar. One should also use the Seven Principles of Universal Design to construct the lesson environment. Supports should be established which should include the schedules, structures, encouragements, motivators, assistance.
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| Ancient Rome |
Developing Builds in Second Life
As discussed in the previous section, developing your lesson must involve a gaming approach. The lesson should be non-linear and student driven. As with other problem-based learning, this gives the perception that they make their story as they go along. The article goes on to describe different methods of programming software from a design point of view.
Reflections
I hadn’t put much thought into the theory behind games and MUVEs. I was fascinated by the gaming concepts and how they can be employed into the educational process, specifically with SL. I think this article will make me more mindful of these concepts when designing SL lessons and other tech related projects.
- My Explorations. A major part of this course will involve independently exploring your own interests in Second Life. The more you read and view others’ contributions to using virtual worlds in education, the more you will appreciate the possibilities. You will also discover the whole concept is changing rapidly in order to for educators to not only find the appropriate environments – but also to help flatten the hardware requirements.
- Designing in Second Life - http://youtu.be/sL2T4L3SoH4
This video addresses some the things that can be done with Education in SL.
- Second Life Building Basics 101 - http://youtu.be/-D3GVm7L-I8
This is a very basic guide to building a 1 prim box. Extremely basic but good if you are trying to refresh your memory on how to do things in SL.
- Creating Clothes in Second Life using Photoshop - http://www.mermaiddiaries.com/2007/04/day-195-creating-clothes-with-photoshop.html
This website takes you step by step on how to make clothing in SL. It is fairly simple if you know your way around Photoshop. Practice is key and it takes several attempts to get it exactly right.
- Making a Colored and Textured shirt for Second Life - http://youtu.be/vDI9BHEWUuY
This is a more advanced tutorial using layers with wrinkle templates to add texture to your clothing. These templates make a more lifelike look to clothing and help to stylize your avatar.
- Creating Realistic Clothing for Second Life from Start to Finish - http://youtu.be/cF_g2J5uvfY
This video was simply amazing. It is twelve minutes long but is the time laps of hours of work. It is awesome to watch this skilled creator at work taking a real life design and replicating it in SL. Far above my expertise but someday, who knows.
- Immersive Learning. http://youtu.be/ARf8VMYRQy0
This video discusses Immersive Learning or what we call Multi User Virtual Environments. It shows an excitement for Virtual Environments and how education can be enhanced through its use. Unfortunately many of the educational examples are no longer available in SL.
- I Wonder About … My only question is a minor one, mainly for preparation. Will we be getting Lindens to work with or will we have to budget for that?
