DEBBIE OAKESEMERGING TECHNOLOGIES PROJECT

ITEC-7445SPRING, 2012

Virtual Worlds: Avatar Storytellers

What are Virtual Worlds?

A virtual world is a computer-based, on-line community that takes the form of a stimulated environment where its users can inhabit and interact with each other using “avatars”

An “avatar” is the graphical representation of the user Done in a 2D or 3D setting Virtual worlds encourage:

Teamwork and the opportunity to network with users from around the world in protected environments.

Exploring multimedia and multimodal texts Negotiating meanings and values

Second Life: http://secondlife.com Leading 3D virtual world You can be whoever you life Buy land Build and sell whatever you can imagine Started by Linden Lab, San Francisco, California

PSC 1.1

Avatar Story Tellers:

A K-12 immersive education curriculum and virtual world for K-12

First multiplayer online educational virtual world Created by WiloStar3D LLC

http://www.wilostar3d.com/default.asp?iID=GFGHIH Student safe Builds 21st century skills How it works:

Designed around a six week, 18 lesson format 50 minute time frame is suggested for each lesson Students complete 3 lessons per week http://www.avatarstorytellers.com/default.asp?iId=GDHJMI

PSC 6.1

School Vision:

Prepares students for the 21st century global workplace

Provides a variety of learning opportunities and experiences for students

Can meet the needs of the broad range of abilities, disabilities, cultural backgrounds, and ethnic populations

Improve student learningCan be integrated into the curriculumMeets National Technology Standards for Students

(NETS)Meets National English Language Art standards

PSC 1.1

Funding sources:

Apply for grants: ESchool News: 3 grants being awarded from $15,000 to$40,000 for the best K-12

school who can best exhibit the capability to innovatively incorporate computer and video games into the curriculum.

Contact Information: Grant Organization: ESA Foundation Contact URL: http://www.esafoundation.org/ Eligbility: K-12 teachers and administrators Grant deadline: Friday, April 6, 2012

PTA funds Fundraisers Partnerships with local and national businesses Build community support and develop funding out of local resources Donations

(HTTP://WWW.CNYTEA.ORG/301-TECHNOLOGY-EDUCATION.HTML) PSC 1.3

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Teaching, Learning, and Assessment 1: Content and Technology Standards:

Enhances the current language arts curriculum: Can be used to meet content standards for writing, spelling, and grammar. Math standards for problem solving can be met. Teach and apply writing process and language arts skills while creating

immersive 3D digital stories. Integrated language arts, technology, visual arts and media lessons

Exposes students to new technology: Students use meet technology standards by using the computers and software. Students move from passive learners to active learners by making their avatars

come alive and tell stories Focuses on scripting, storyboard development, creative direction, compositional

technique, photography, and digital manipulation, rather than advanced drawing ability.

National Standards and NETS: http://www.avatarstorytellers.com/default.asp?iId=GDIGJE PSC 2.1

Teaching, Learning, and Assessment 2:

Authentic Learning: Self: designing the avatar Exploration: traveling around the world Communication: sharing information with other people Navigation: looking at 3D content Creation: planning a class project Delivery: sending the projects to the instructor Assessment: evaluating the project by a rubric Feedback: gathering progress and performance

Higher Order Thinking Skills: Coming up with new and novel uses for concepts that are learned. Students come up with questions and issues; then they go analyze and find the answers to

those questions. They take responsibility of their own learning. Become problem solvers and problem finders. Based on Blooms Taxonomy Brainstorming

PSC 2.3, 2.4

Teaching, Learning, and Assessment 3:

Differentiated Instruction: Meets the needs of each student by scaffolding Providing materials and tasks on standards based by the level of

difficulty Working with various instructional groups

Exs: pre-teach key concepts, hands-on activities, concrete examples Works with all multi-intelligences; especially visual Created with all types of learning styles in mind

Individualized educational instruction plans (IEPs): Provide meaningful and ongoing goals Students can have input on goals Helps students reflect on current learning

Exs: use different visual aids, enlarged text, peer-buddies, time-linesPSC 2.5

Teaching, Learning and Assessment 4:

Age and Grade Levels: Ages: 9-12 Students: 4th through 12th Can be used in K-3 classrooms as well

Equitable Access for all students and teachers: Mobile labs in classrooms Each classroom is equipped with 5 computers, including a teacher laptop Enfocus Promethean board The use of 2 computer labs:

30 computers in each lab 1 printer Enfocus promethean board

PSC 2.6, 4.1

PSC 2.6, 4.1

Digital Learning Environments:

Collaborative Learning: Excellent for a diverse group of learners Individual accountability: students must complete a

number of lessons in a certain time frame. Students must reflect on their writing. Successful with gifted as well as mainstream classes On-line collaborative thinking Active Learning: learn at a young age to become

leaders by thinking than by following.

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Equipment and Software:

Minimum System Requirements: * Pentium 3 CPU 650mhz or equivalent

* 128MB RAM* Microsoft Windows 2000, XP or Vista or Windows 7* DirectX 7 or later* Windows Media Player 9 or later* D3D video card with at least 16MB and the latest drivers

However, for the best possible experience in Avatar Storytellers we recommend the following minimum:

Pentium 4 CPU 1600mhz or equivalent512 MB RAMMicrosoft Windows 2000, XP or Vista or Windows 7DirectX 9.0 or laterWindows Media Player 9 or later3D accelerated video card with at least 64MB and its latest drivers

Macintosh Compatibility Avatar Storyteller will run on a Mac with Bootcamp. Every new Mac lets you install Windows

XP and Vista and run them at native speeds, using a built-in utility called Boot Camp. Headphones with built in microphones Printers Editing imaging program: Snagit or Jing PSC 3.6

What kind of technical support is needed?

School technical support person to: Download software Make sure hardware is working properly, such as computers and printers Check headphones

Technical support from Avatar Storytellers: Live virtual support during specified hours During that time, an Avatar storyteller team member will be present to assist

teachers and students Video demos to teach students how to create and build a 3D quest in Land of

Tales Access to individual student writing stations Access to virtual world assessment tools and rubrics to measure the success

of each student

PSC 3.6

Limitations of Virtual Worlds:

A substitute for face-to-face learningLoss of body language Loss of social interaction; if the person has a social disorderThis software is safe for students to use, because they are

not going out onto the internet Computer equipment not working properlyLoss of InternetFunding not available for technology

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Cost of this technology:

The Avatar Storyteller Teacher Pack provides hard copies of one Teacher Guide, one Student Edition, and one DVD video

The Classroom Pack includes one Teacher Guide, 24 full-color Student Editions, 1 DVD video, and 24 memberships to the Avatar Storytellers virtual world

The School Pack includes three Teacher Guides, 100 Student Editions, three VHS or DVD videos, and 100 memberships to the Avatar Storytellers virtual world. Individual Student memberships can also be purchased if more are needed

I received an e-mail from Wilostar saying they would contact me shortly; unfortunately I have not heard back in time to give prices.

To sign-up, http://www.avatarstorytellers.com/default.asp?iId=HILHG. From there you'll fill out some simple contact information; and choose your unique username. Once we have a chance to review your request, we will email you a confirmation that your account has been activated. You will then have access to the Avatar Storytellers Teacher area at any time by returning to www.avatarstorytellers.com and logging in.

After completing the registration process and setting up your own account, you will have access to the video demo library, program download instructions, and your image upload tool for avatar customization. If you need assistance with the registration or log in process, please contact the Avatar Storytellers help desk at help@avatarstorytellers.com or at 877-711-8117; or refer to the Avatar Storytellers information pages in your curriculum pack.

PSC 3.6

Research of the effectiveness:

See news clip:http://avatarstorytellers.com/newsclip Case Study:

Tested with 2 public schools with great success With the feedback they received they made their

program even betterStudent Survey:http://avatarstorytellers.com/userfiles/file/survey.pdf

PSC 3.6

Digital Citizenship and Responsibility:

Safety: Software can be installed behind firewalls Takes advantage of existing security Privacy Ease of use “Imagination is the key to competitiveness in today’s globally integrated

technology” (Hale, 2011)

Diversity: Communicate successfully in different environments which include

multi-lingual

PSC 4.2, 4.3

Professional Learning:

Professional Development Designed to increase teachers' expertise in

implementing our 3D virtual world K-12 curricula in the classroom

Offers both on-site curriculum and virtual world training as well as online webinars for our program

Curriculum workshops to help teachers build their 21st century skills, as well as implement Avatar Storytellers in the classroom or computer lab

Customized training sessions Summer Academy virtual world camps for teachers and

students PSC 5.2

WiloStar3D LLC27499 Riverview Center Blvd. STE 246Bonita Springs, Florida 34134Phone: (877) 711- 8117 Fax: (877) 679-3777

Reflection:

As I reflect on this project, at first I was frustrated with the topic I chose: “Virtual Worlds.” In the beginning I was going to focus on SecondLife. Then I came across Avatar Storytellers and I became fascinated with everything that it could do to increase student learning. I could see how this program could influence todays students. Computer games and video games are used by a majority of today’s students. With Avatar Storytellers, students get to create their own “avatar” and write stories. This is a wonderful way for students to show creativity, address higher-level thinking skills, can be used with a diverse group of students, and exposes students to new technology.

By doing this project, I have come to realize that technology has so much to offer students. Since I am a paraprofessional instructor and do not have my own classroom, I find myself helping the teachers I work with by showing them what kind of technology is out there. I work with IEP students and have found websites that help them by using visuals, watching movies, playing games that work with what they are learning in the classroom, and having the information read to them instead of them reading themselves. With Quizlet.com, I have made study guides and flashcards. My students go onto Quizlet.com to study their words, listen to definitions, and even do practice quizzes so that they are ready for their real test. They have created projects by using what they have learned from the Internet and have used the different software applications that are available to them. PSC 6.2

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References:

http://www.eschoolnews.com/2012/03/13/up-to-40k-for-educational-gaming/

http://www.wilostar3d.com/default.asp?iID=GFGHIHhttp://avatarstorytellers.com/newsclip http://avatarstorytellers.com/userfiles/file/survey.pdf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_worldhttp://secondlife.comhttp://www.cnytea.org/301-technology-education.html http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/

g/a/2011/02/03/prweb5025714.DTL