Immersive Virtual Worlds in Educational Practice: Introducing Educators to Second Life

LESSONSLEARNED  SLisacomplex

environmentrequiring:  Highleveloffacilitationandresourcesupport

  Timecommitmenttodevelopcompetencies

  However…  Supportspersonal&emotionalconnections

  Promiseforeducation

ACTIONPLAN  TweakTheoretical

Framework  ContinueDevelopment:

  PDopportunitiesinSL  VLEresourcefor

learning&application  Pre‐classOrientation

  SkydeckinSL Wiki

Vygotsky 1978; Bruner, 1961…

http://communitiesofinquiry.com/

Goals:  Tolearnhowtosurviveasaresidentinworld  Toexperienceacollaborativecommunity  Tobecomefamiliarwithsomebasicresources&examplesofpracticeinSL

  ToengageinacriticalevaluationofthepotentialofVirtualWorldsforeducation

  Graduateleveldistancecourse  Pre‐courseorientationrequirement

  11Students[PhD,Faculty,Administrators],1Instructor,&2SLMentors

  1hourx15weeks Meet/DirectInstruction/ReviewinSL@Skydeck  Participateintour,presentation,orotheractivity

  CriticalWikireflectionofinworldexperience  Assignmentshttp://introto2ndlifeforeducators.pbworks.com/Weekly‐Course‐Assignments

  Howdidparticipantsevaluate:  theirlearningexperience?  theirabilitytoengageandinteractinSL?  theeducationalpotentialofSL?

  IsframeworkausefulconstructforunderstandingtheaffordancesofSLforteaching&informal/formallearning?

DataAnalysis  ParticipantsWikiPostings  ExitSurvey

Cogn

itive

Social

Teac

her

Find

ings

  MybiglearningeventforthiscoursewasthesenseofconnectednessI’vefeltinthisgroup,goingthroughthematerial.It’sanexperienceI’vefelthasbeenabsentfrommyon‐linepostingformatclassesintheAdministratorsLicenseprogram.They’reallgoodclasses,butmybighookintoeducationisthesocialaspect.SecondLifebringsthatinawaythat’smademefeelmoreconnectedtothiscoursethananyotherI’vetakenon‐line.There’sanimmediacyandalmosttactilequalitytoexperiencesgeneratedinSLthatanentirelytext‐drivencoursewillfundamentallybeunabletoprovide.

  There’sacertainharmonytoawell‐designedislandinSecondLife–abalancebetweeninfinitecomplexityandcleanlines.Eachofthesiteswevisitedseemedtoreflectacombinationofwide‐openspacesandthenrichlyconvolutednestsofideas,eachtakingaphysicalformforinteraction…ThisiswhatSecondLifeseemstobe.IseeSLasachanceforstudentstomakedeeperconnectionsbetweencontentandthemselves.Andifchallengedtobuildsomethingrepresentingtheirlearning,studentswouldbeexcitedtohaveatit.

  …IletstudentsknowIwouldbetherewatchingandreadytoassistwithanyquestions.BeforewelefttheSkydeckwewentoverhow‘basicslike’tosendaprivateInstantMessage[IM]andhowtoaskforateleportiftheygotstucksomewhere.Iwentwiththemandaftermakingsuretheyallmadeittothewelcomeareaandwereclickingtogetnotecards,Isentthemontheirowntoexploreandhoveredabovethebuild.UsingcameracontrolsIwasabletokeeptrackfairlywell(feltabitlikeamotherhentryingtokeeptrackofherchicks).IftheyranintoproblemsIcouldquicklybetheretohelp.ThisworkedverywellandsomestudentsdidInstantMessagemeforhelp,oreventosharetheirexcitementaboutwhattheywereexperiencing.

LESSONSLEARNED  Theoreticalframework

wellsupported  ConstructivistID▪  Facilitation/Scaffolding▪  LearningEnvironment▪  Active Learning

  CoIModel▪  TP&SP▪  CPactivitiesreflection*

  SLLearning&PD°

ACTIONPLAN  Continuemandatory

pre‐courseorientation  handsonsandbox

activities/skillbuilding   Betteralignmentwith

themestheoreticalframework*

  participationSLliveeventsassignments°