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Second Life – and a short history of developing virtual learning
communities
Eileen O’Connor, Ph.D. Empire State College
[email protected] Presented at Tec2011 of the
College of St. RoseMay 16, 2011
In graduate school / in K12
http://www.slideshare.net/eoconnor/sl-building-virtualcommunities
Agenda • Poll of your background and experience • Pictorial overview of uses of Second Life • Pictorial overview and history of O’Connor’s
work – in graduate course & in K12 pilot• K12 work in progress -- SER/VE• Questions? Your input on usage and design
NOTE: I am a graduate instructor preparing K12
teachers . . . I must bridge two worlds
that have very different attitudes
towards virtual
PRIMARY MOTIVATION FOR WORKING WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING
• Kids learn this way • Kids are engaged, challenge, tested, and
exercised this way (aka, gaming)• SO, why aren’t we using it in K12 teaching???
. . . because it ain’t easyBUT IT IS DO-ABLE
http://www.interactivelearningsolutions.net/serve
If you build it, they will come
but what do you want to build?
An aside: general uses of Second Life
• Overview of places that are open to the public • Second Life is: – Available to 15 year olds now – Undergoing change
• Other virtual platforms exist & are becoming stronger
• Stay tuned
• What might a graduate program use?
Key considerations in any virtual design
What do they do there?
How do you teach & assess them?
How do they learn what’s going on and
how to behave?
Graduate school applications
Much already in the design & assumptions within online teaching w/ adults
What to DO there?
Assessment
Communications & behavior
MAT Science Center – meetings & presentations
Students across the state give virtual presentations
Meeting the Dean
Field Trips: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
Class meeting using ISTE space
Virtual Science: National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA – virtual, real-time weather Map (Northeast)
Visit cultural locations
And man-made
wonders
Best expressed through an instructional metaphor: like designing an intelligent experience (field trip / discussions /
role playing / construction) . . . with an assessment
Discussions / collaborations /
role playing
Explorations - Field trips
- Simulations
Building / creating
More advanced uses
Much needs to be established in K12
What to DO there?
Assessment
Communications & behavior
• From a development & fun six months with the Mall of the Universe to SER/VE – The STEM Exploratory Real/Virtual Environment
Moving to K12
Also starting,
• Pre-service / in-service teacher as designer:
• http://www.interactivelearningsolutions.net/tutorials/sl-pod-make-med.html
With sophisticated interiors
Students could learn & practice before going into the mall
It even had an apartment building
However, post grant . . .
• Focused only on the science – NSF suggested informal science
• Began a pilot in SER/VE• Continuing with pre-service teacher
development
Much needs to be established in K12
What to DO there?
Assessment
Communications & behavior
The STEM Exploratory Real/Virtual Environment (SER/VE) – the main Science Center w/ the bulk of the meetings and interactions
Created by a 13 yr. old student
. . . a very mobile environment
Working w/
students on their
territory
First week: interest, energy . . . and confusion
1. The setting for the meetings
2. The first meeting; going over the instructions on location
3. Improving independent instruction: placing instructional & interactive materials on the island
4. Ongoing: making animated tutorials to teach tech & the adventure & game concept
The virtual setting
Tutorial website put
onto the island
The virtual interactions were clarified
The information website was updated weekly; emails were sent too
An animated co-instructor helped with the weekly requirements – AKA, DaddyDarren Denver
Resources & background:
• http://www.interactivelearningsolutions.net/serve-background/index.html
• Students talk: • Overview:
Later week: now paying more attention (really), because more assessments had been embedded
Additional directions were built into the placards to make it easier to learn if no one was present to explain them
Students often came to the island on their own
Finally, the final presentations – see the different ways for viewing & navigating
In a place where anything can
happen, it usually did
The students & judges were very engaged they came forward to see better
. . . but still some inappropriate (silly) texting
New science pod area
New Science Pods
To be developed by graduate students – with minimal knowledge of Second Life
What might you want to build yourself? What would it look like?
• Work in teams; Don’t worry about how to’s now
What would you have students do there? Who else would you invite? And, how would you get them on-track at-a-distance?
The MANY other considerations:
• Planning – what would you want? • How would you monitor & plan? • What would you do for fun? Who would you
ask? • How would you learn SL? How would your
students learn SL? • What would you design into virtual spaces?
What are the challenges?
• School security / school access • Finding when / where to integrate into the
courses • Teacher education / after school – informal /
eventually in school• If you build it, they will come – Develop the things they want to come to
• Please contact me for more info and links to more details: [email protected]
Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. ([email protected] )Recent Publications – Emerging technologies:
O’Connor, E. A. (2011) Migrating Towards K12 in Virtual Spaces: Second Life Lessons Learned as Higher Education Meets Middle School Students. Published with the AACE Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, March 2011
O’Connor, E.A. (June 2010) Using Second Life (a virtual reality) in Language Instruction: Practical Advice on Getting Started; published with the proceedings of the 4th International Scientific and Methodological Conferenceon "Information and Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching‖
O’Connor, E. A. (2010- 2011) The effect on learning, communication, and assessment when student-created YouTubes of microteaching were used in an online teacher-education course. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 39(2), pp. 135-154.
O’Connor, E. A. (2010) Practical Considerations When Using Virtual Spaces for Learning and Collaboration, with Minimal Setup and Support. A book chapter published in the Handbook of Research on Practices and Outcomes in Virtual Worlds and Environment, IGI Global publishers
Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. ([email protected] )Recent Publications – Emerging technologies:O’Connor, E. A. The Use of a Wiki in Teacher Education: How Does Learning and Instruction Change When Work Can ―Go Public‖? Published with the AACE Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference in March 2010
O’Connor, E. A. (2009-2010) Instructional and Design Elements that Support Effective Use of Virtual Worlds: What Graduate Student Work Reveals about Second Life. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 38(2), pp. 214 – 234.
O’Connor, E. A. and Sakshaug, L. (2009) Preparing for Second Life: Two Teacher Educators Reflect on Their Initial Foray into Virtual Teaching and Learning, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 37(3), pp. 259-272.
O'Connor, E. (2008). Becoming a Virtual Instructor: How Can Higher Education Faculty Prepare for Second Life?. In G. Richards (Ed.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2008 (pp. 1144-1149). Chesapeake, VA: AACE.
O’Connor, E. A. (2008) Initial Study of Pre-Service Teachers’ Comments on a Reality-Based, Urban-Student Video Streamed within an Online Course, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 37(2), pp. 139-158.
Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. ([email protected] )Recent Publications – Emerging technologies:O’Connor, E. A. (2008) Moving Beyond Text Interactions: The Use of Streaming Video in Internet-Based Courses. Published with the 3rd International Scientific and Methodological Conference on "Information and Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching‖
Sakshaug, L. and O’Connor, E.A. (2008) Pedagogical, cultural and epistemological shifts: The dynamics of learning to teach in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program at SUNY Empire College – published with 2009 National Conference proceedings of the National Center for Alternative Certification;http://www.teach-now.org/Sakshaug_OConnor.doc - retrieved on 7/22/09
Oconnor, E. (2007). Using Reality-Based, Authentic Streamed-Videos and Online Conversations to Prepare Pre-Service Teachers for Urban Classrooms: A Pilot Study. In T. Bastiaens & S. Carliner (Eds.), Proceedings of WorldConference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2007 (pp. 1179-1184). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. O’Connor, E. A. (2007) A Case Study of the Approach to Teaching and to Technology of Three New Teachers in an Alternative Teacher Certification Program, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 35(3), pp. 357-382.O’Connor, E. A. (2006). Encouraging community: Why, when, and how to structure online interactions to support collegiality and honesty. Published with the 2nd International Scientific and Methodological Conference on "Information and Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching ‖(http://distance.ffl.msu.ru/cdo/conf0606/oconnor.doc - retrieved August 2007)Presentations
