Introduction to Virtual Worlds

Introduction to Virtual Worlds

Dr. C. Candace ChouSchool of Education

University of St. Thomas

Chientzu Candace Chou, Ph.D.

Yiyi Levee (SL)ccchou@stthomas.eduAssociate Professor in Learning TechnologyResearch interests: pedagogy of virtual worlds teaching and learning, learner interaction

IntroductionWhyWhat & Where

Second Life Places to visit

How

Your Experience in Virtual Worlds

Brand-new to it?Tried it?Experienced with it?Using it for training?

•Never heard of it?•Tried it?•Experienced with it?•Using it for training?

What is 3D Virtual World

Three-dimensional learning environments that allow participants to represent themselves with an avatar to interact with other avatars and to offer opportunities to create authentic learning contexts.

Why

Types of Learning

Webvolution

Kapp & O’Driscoll, 2010

Formal Learning

Informal Learning

Learning in 2D

Learning in 3D

Organizational Applications

Corporate trainingRecruiting and new hire orientationTeam building and leadership trainingEnterprise collaborationCommerce, marketing, and other applications

Educational ApplicationsCreating online communities for professional developmentEngage science-based activities while promoting socially responsive behaviorUnderstand and experience history by immersing emotionally and politically in a historical contextProvide an environment for programming and collaboration

Dieterle, E., & Clarke, J. (2008).

Affordances of Virtual Worlds

Affordance Extended CapabilityCommunication/community Voice, chat, SL groups, searchEmbodied social presence 3-D perspective on avatars

(oneself & others)Building/engineering/design/sculpting

Highly flexible robust tools & training

Animation and scripting Motion, behaviors, sensors, lighting, sound

Data visualizations & simulations

Modeling, infinite scale, micro/macro, role-play, spreadsheet conversion, historical, art

Sound & spatial relationships Example: reflexive architecture, avatar orchestra

(Jarmon, 2008)

Affordances of VW (cont.)Affordance Extended CapabilityLanguage immersion Example: 27 language-specific

islandsLearning communities created by & for users

Example: Educators Coop Residential Island

International SL collapses geographyLow capital expense operations costs

Overhead, travel, equipment, training, energy

Fundraising Am. Cancer Soc., Katrina Relief, kiva.org

Recruitment/administration/management

Universities, IBM > 1500 employees in SL

Bringing distance & online learning together in the 3-D virtual world

Online-course class photo only in SL

Types of Learning & DevelopmentBest Practices

1.Simulation2.Demonstration3.Virtual Meetings4.Team-building5.Role Play6.Communities of Practice (CoP)

1. Simulation

IBM Business Center

Heart Murmur Sim

Exploratorium

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Exploratorium/19/34/25

•Asteroid crashing Mars•Big Bang•Circle the earth on Newton’s canon•Ecliptic

Tsunami Demonstration

NOAA Tsunami

NOAA Tsunami

Palomar West Hospital

Palomar West Hospital

2. Demonstration

3. Virtual Meeting: IBM • Academy of Technology Virtual World

Conference 2008• 3-day conference with 3 Keynotes and 37

breakout sessions• Over 200 members globally

IBM Case Study: Benefits•Initial investment of $80,000

•A saving of $250,000 in travel and venue •Same virtual venue can be reused

IBM SurveyHow does the virtual world conference compare to face-to-face?• Content: 96% said the same or better

• Presentation style: 85% said same or better

• Learning: 78% said the same or better

• Networking: 62% said the same or better

4. Team-Building & Role PlayDeep Down Virtual Mine

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual Mine/164/233/68 

5. Role Play: Macbeth

http://virtualmacbeth.wikispaces.com/Teleport to : http://slurl.com/secondlife/Macbeth/44/54/54

6. Community of Practice

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ISTE%20Island/86/46/30

“groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something that they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly” (Lave & Wenger, 1991)

What to do next?• Check out class wiki: http://ustsl.pbworks.com• Join professional groups– Real-life education in Second Life (inworld group)– EdTech Community (inworld group)– Second Life Educators mailing list,

https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators– Second Life Education Wiki (SIMTEACH)

• Participate inworld activities– ISTE for K-12– Gronstedt Group “Train for Success” Thursday 9-10am, PST

• Check out ISTE events– http://secondlife.iste.wikispaces.net/events

– Resources– Jokaydia: http://wiki.jokaydia.com/page/Main_Page

ReferencesAnnotated Bibliography, http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~mpepper/slbib#research

Aldrich, C. (2009). Learning online with games, simulations, and virtual worlds. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Dieterle, E., & Clarke, J. (2008). Multi-User Virtual Environments for Teaching and Learning. Encyclopedia of multimedia technology and networking  2nd. Retrieved December 10, 2009, from http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/rivercityproject/documents/MUVE-for-TandL-Dieterle-Clarke.pdf

Heiphetz, A., & Woodill, G. (2010). Training and collaboration with virtual worlds: How to create cost-saving, effecient, and engaging programs. New York: McGraw Hill.

Jarmon, L. (2008). Learning in Virtual World Environments: Social Presence, Engagement, & Pedagogy. In Encyclopedia of Distance and Online Learning: IGI Global.

Reeves, B., & Read, J. L. (2009). Total Engagement: Using games and virtual worlds to change the way people work and business compete. Boston: Harvard Business School.

Zielke, M. A., Roome, T. C., & Krueger, A. B. (April 2009). A Composite Adult Learning Model for Virtual World Residents with Disabilities: A Case Study of the Virtual Ability Second Life® Island [Electronic Version]. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 2(1). Retrieved April 17, 2009 from http://jvwresearch.org/ .