SciLands Best Practices in Education Panel

VWBPE 2010Greyark Hightower

Max ChatnoirFreka Salsman

Clowey Greenwood

The SciLands is a mini-continent and user community in Second Life devoted exclusively to science and technology. There are more than sixty sims dedicated to science and technology run by more than 20 organizations. SciLands organizations include government agencies, universities, museums, radio programs, non-governmental organizations and individuals. SciLands members have regular meetings where they share ideas, help each other, and plan future projects. Members also share resources like meeting spaces on their islands. Careful planning, organization, and technical features ensure that SciLands continues to grow.

http://www.scilands.org/

Virtual Worlds Best Practices in EducationDebbie Denise Reese, Ph.D. – a.k.a. SL Frecka Salsman

Affordances• [Virtual] transactions with

environment• Social• Real time

• VW analog of domain of practice

Be a MoonWorld Explorer• Simulation• Virtual world• Second Life• Realistic environment• Authentic inquiry

PLANETARY FIELD GEOLOGIST

MoonWorld is a virtual lunar landscape that is designed to explore learning opportunities in virtual worlds such as Second Life.

PLANETARY FIELD GEOLOGIST

Collaborative learning.Authentic Field Work: Inquiry – What is the sequence of formation of features on the Moon?

17 Field Stations• Explore • Topography - measure• Morphology - describe• Team work• Analyze

17 Field Stations• Explore • Topography - measure• Morphology - describe

1. Observe2. Collect data3. Analyze

Videos of MW Missions• MoonWorld Mission Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=TXpTKp35clg

• MoonWorld like Apollo - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hiiNTGFRjQ&feature=email

Research Facility• Analyze samplesAnalyze samples• Analyze core sampleAnalyze core sample• Integration questions

Analysis

Research Facility• Analyze samples• Analyze core sample• Integration questionsIntegration questions

Technical Best Practice• Web integration– Registration– Portal– Database backend– Summary, results,

history– Reporting tools

• In-world innovations– Sizing and proportions– Bypassing the inventory– Customized themes and

viewer selection– Consistent HUD based

instructions– Managing cam controls

Register for your Mission

Coming 2010• Teens• Families• Informal Ed• Formal Ed• Public Second Life

• Website: Support materials• Training• Certification• Mentars = mentors• Life support challenges

•Q&A•Contact

Debbie Denise Reese, Ph.D.a.k.a. Frecka Salsman in SLdebbie@cet.edu

http://moonworld.cet.edu

Clowey Greenwood

• Belongs to Northern Michigan University• Which is

Here

• Dedicated to science education for NMU students.

• Open to the public for informal learning or just visiting.

• Available to all NMU instructors for their courses.

• Constantly evolving.

• A model of the natural ecosystems of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan with Real-Time weather (i.e., there may be snow in April)

• SL used to augment face-to-face courses• Courses taught:– Technology for educators– Life Science for Educators (elementary teachers to

be)– Fundamental Concepts in Science (interdisciplinary

content course for secondary science teachers).– Science Methods

• Part of our Masters of Science in Science Education Program – recently moved to completely online

• Students are elementary and secondary science teachers

• My courses are taught in Second Life with some augmentation using WebCT – soon moving to Moodle and Sloodle.

• Basic Principles of Science (to be taught next Summer 2010)

• Contemporary Scientific Issues (to be taught next Fall 2010)

• Modeling in Science• Technology Assisted Science Instruction• Current Issues in Science Education• Teaching Life Science• Special Topics: Teaching in a Virtual World

http://slurl.com/secondlife/BIOME/49/49/54

• Field Trips• Guest Speakers• Doing things you can’t do in real life• The innovative nature• Able to look the way they want• Fun stuff – fly, teleport, vehicles, etc.

• Get students up and running quickly. Presentation tomorrow at 6am SLT on that.

• Get them involved in SL beyond your island and course.

• Engage one or more guest speakers• Encourage emoticons – lol, brb, ty, ttyl. These

are not only shortcuts – they are body language.

• Attend an event if possible.• Have them join one or more groups beyond

your institution.• Be understanding with technological issues.• Take field trips• Help students feel comfortable about the way

they look.

• Benefits of Voice:–What we are used to.– Includes inflection– Good for slow typing

• Benefits of text:– Participation increased– Log is kept– Good for many disabled students

• I prefer and use text

• Some say we shouldn’t use traditional strategies in SL. Others say we should. My opinion:– For the most part, there is no reason in a face-to-

face class. Save SL for the unique aspects– In an online course – it makes sense to use

PowerPoint presentations, lectures, discussions, etc. as well as the unique things.

• Feelings of inadequacy by students• Learning Curve• SL Glitches• Some students just don’t like learning this

way – anti-technology.• Technology issues – graphics card, internet

connection, etc.

• Inworld(SL & RG): Clowey Greenwood• Inworld (TG): Clowey Forster• RL: Carolyn Lowe• E-mail clowe@nmu.edu

NASA eEducation Island

VW Education Don’ts

• Don’t build without a specific purpose• Don’t expect potential users to understand

the opportunities• Don’t let expectations run out of control• Don’t mistake staying busy with being

productive• Don’t let your administration use you as an

innovation goat

NASA eEducation Island Plan

• Bring NASA projects into SL to deliver their educational professional development to teachers all over the world.

• Bring NASA Education into SL to eliminate the physical proximity bias for teachers wanting NASA Education resources.

• Bring NASA presenters and events into SL so anyone would be able to attend “in person”.

John Mather Presentation

Real life name: Daniel Laughlin, Ph.D. (Chair)Real life organization: NASA Learning Technologies, University of Maryland Baltimore CountyEmail address: daniel.d.laughlin@nasa.gov Avatar name: Greyark Hightower

Real life name: Mary Anne Clark, Ph.D.Real life organization: Texas Wesleyan UniversityEmail address: mclark@txwes.edu Avatar name: Max Chatnoir

Real life name: Debbie Denise Reese, Ph.D. Real life organization: Wheeling Jesuit University Center for Educational Technologies, NASA-sponsored Classroom of the FutureEmail address: debbie@cet.edu Avatar name: Frecka Salsman

Real life name: Carolyn Lowe, Ph.D.Real life organization: Northern Michigan UniversityEmail address:  clowe@nmu.eduAvatar name:  Clowey Greenwood

Panelists