Ahmer Iqbal

PhD student atDepartment of Mathematical Information

TechnologyCOMAS Graduate School

Agora Game Lab

Pedagogical Facilitation in Multi-User Virtual Environmnets (MUVEs)

• The aim of this research is to understand the possibilities of learning in multi-user virtual environments (MUVES).

• Making them suitable for teachers and learners so that they can be used in both formal and informal settings.

• To conduct an in-depth study about the opportunities that MUVEs have for collaborative learning and self-regulated learning.

What are MUVEs• Three dimensional

– objects have x, y and z coordinates

• Interactive– users can interact with objects, environment and other users

• Dynamically rendered – the view of the environment and sound depends on the

position of the user in three dimensional space

• Navigate able – users can move through the three dimensional space

(Dalgarno, 2002)

What are MUVEs• Constructed by users

– users are allowed to build in them

• Persistent– objects created by users exist there for a long time

• For example– Second Life– ActiveWorlds– There.com– Forterra – Open Croquet

• Introduction to SecondLife (Video)

Characteristics of MUVEs• Notions of distance or time hold no significance.• Divided into different virtual spaces or worlds

(called ‘island’ in Second Life and ‘world’ in ActiveWorld)

• The users can move from one world to another world through ‘teleports’.

Characteristics of MUVEs - Avatars

• Users of MUVEs are represented by ‘avatars’. • Users can define different appearances for their

avatar. • Avatars can interact with other avatars or with

objects or artifacts placed in the environment.• Communication with other avatars is typically

done through text chat or voice chat.• MUVE defined gestures. • Users can make their own gestures.

Characteristics of MUVEs - Interaction

• Interaction with the objects is mostly click oriented which is predefined by the owner of the environment.

• Clicking on an object (or options defined on object) results in – an activity like displaying media (pictures,

presentations, videos, simulations, audio)– or can result in an action in-world (like opening

of doors or changing positions of objects or interacting with the interfaces of the objects).

– can cause activity in the browsers as well.

Characteristics of MUVEs - Building

• MUVEs are coupled with modeling tools which make it possible to create objects.

• Use of scripting and programming languages.

• Needs some experience.

Economic aspects of MUVEs

Economic aspects of MUVEs

Economic aspects of MUVEs – in-world

• SecondLife (1 USD = 273 Linden Dollar)

Source: http://secondlife.com/whatis/economy-graphs.php

Uses of MUVEs in different fields -Education

• Educational Institutions in SL– Harvard University – Princeton University – New York University – San Diego State University – Stanford University – Texas State University

• In-world courses– Lectures – Discussions– 3D exploration

Uses of MUVEs in different fields -Education

• River City (Harvard University)– deals with the health science issues that are

rising in a virtual world called ‘River City’

• Quest Atlantis (Indiana University)– deals with mostly ecological issues and

characteristics of different habitats and causes of problems in them

Uses of MUVEs in different fields –Sociology

• Digital natives – Online society• Hangouts

– IMVU– Kaneva– There.com

• Sharing feelings• Dance parties, music evenings, sex, movie

theaters, gaming.• Impact on real life.

Uses of MUVEs in different fields –Economics

• Sell real life products.• Hold in-person meetings without leaving the

office, using real-time 3D collaboration.• Construct product and process simulations so

employees and business collaborators from all over the world can test new designs and concepts.

• Conduct employee training especially one-on-one training.

• Meet with global partners at your virtual headquarters.

• Receive product feedback from clients. • Build community around your brand.• Sell virtual products.

Uses of MUVEs in different fields –Politics

• US election campaigns in SL– Obama and McCain Speeches– Obama avatar in SL– Political SL

Uses of MUVEs in different fields –Culture

• Japan’s Geisha district in SL – GION• Twinity - Virtual Berlin• Bolywood Island in SL – The Desi

destination

Uses of MUVEs in different fields – Arts

• Machinima – making films in MUVEs• Art exhibitions.• Non-realistic art

Uses of MUVEs in different fields – Other

• Music• Religion

References and resources• Dalgarno, B. (2002). The Potential of 3D Virtual Learning

Environments: A Constructivist Analysis. Electronic Journal of Instructional Science and Technology, Volume 5, Issue 2.

• ActiveWorlds. http://www.activeworlds.com/ • Forterra Systems Inc. http://www.forterrainc.com/

• Quest Atlantis. http://atlantis.crlt.indiana.edu/ • Second Life. http://www.secondlife.com • There.com. http://www.there.com/ • The Croquet Consortium. http://

www.opencroquet.org/index.php/Main_Page • The River City Project.

http://muve.gse.harvard.edu/muvees2003/

Thankyou