EDUCAUSE | Virtual Worlds

E07 Podcast: Teaching & Learning Experiences in a User-Created Virtual World

gbayne — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:37:25 -0500

This forty-three minute podcast, we feature a panel discussion from the EDUCAUSE 2007 Annual Conference. The panel, "Teaching & Learning Experiences in a User-Created Virtual World,"shares their experiences with teaching in Second Life. Using the interaction combinations integration model they developed as a framework, the panel describes the projects, outcomes, and gives some recommendations.

The panel includes:

David M. Antonacci, Director of Teaching & Learning Technologies, The University of Kansas Medical Center
Stephanie Gerald, Educational Technologist, The University of Kansas Medical Center
Randolph Hollingsworth, Assistant Provost for Integrated Academic Services, University of Kentucky
Edward Lamoureux, Associate Professor, Multimedia Program and Department of Communication, Bradley University
Nicholas S. Noakes, Director, Center for Enhanced Learning and Teaching, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology
David Thomas, Lecturer, School of Architecture and Planning, University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center
Session convener: Mary Jane Clerkin, Coordinator of Online Faculty Support, Berkeley College

September/October 2008 EDUCAUSE Review Virtual Worlds Theme Issue Now Available

cluckett — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 10:37:49 -0500

The September/October 2008 EDUCAUSE Review is now available online, a "back-to-school" theme issue on virtual worlds with feature articles by Cynthia M. Calongne, Chris Collins, Chris Johnson, AJ Kelton, and Sarah Robbins-Bell plus an online "web bonus" featuring 12 case studies.

EDUCAUSE Review is also available via RSS feed. Click the orange RSS icon on the EDUCAUSE Review home page to access the XML required to subscribe.

EDUCAUSE Now - Show #7 - Virtual Worlds

gbayne — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:41:14 -0500

Welcome to our Virtual Worlds edition of EDUCAUSE Now! Join co-hosts Gerry Bayne and Colleen Luckett for a look at the intelligent use of Virtual Worlds. How can Second Life be best utilized in a curriculum? What virtual world is best for your institution? Take a listen and find out!

Each episode of EDUCAUSE Now features a variety of stories, interviews, and views that relate to IT in higher education. Let us know what you would like to hear at podcast@educause.edu.

Subscribe to EDUCAUSE NOW RSS feed

This episode of EDUCAUSE Now features:

ELI In Conversation: Second Life in Curriculum
(02:05–09:28)
At the ELI 2008 Annual Conference, a roundtable discussion on virtual world was recorded for podcast. This episode of EDUCAUSE Now features an excerpt of the longer conversation. The participants include:

Sarah Smith Robbins, PhD Candidate at Ball State University.
Teshia Roby, Assistant Professor of Educational Multimedia at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Chris Johnson, Adjunct Assistant Professor at The University of Arizona.

Commentary from EDUCAUSE President Diana Oblinger
(09:29–12:24)
Diana considers how virtual worlds fit into the larger picture of socio-technical systems.

Which Virtual World is Right for Your Institution?
(12:58–20:24)
Virtual worlds have great potential in education, but much needs to be learned about them. One of the biggest questions is whether the best venue is the public mixed-use virtual world, a private education-only space, or a hybrid. We spoke with Donald J. Welch, President and CEO, Merit Network, Inc., who presented the session, “Virtual Worlds: Which Type is Right for Your Institution,” at the 2008 EDUCAUSE Midwest Regional Conference.

Music for EDUCAUSE Now:

"Symmetry and the Pocket of Angels" by Josh Woodward
"Lazy Afternoon Sun" by Ekayani & the Healing Band
"F1-11" by Blues Garden

EDUCAUSE Virtual Worlds Second Life Group Meeting

AJKelton — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:44:06 -0500

In coordination with the Virtual Worlds Hot Topic Discussion at lsat years EDUCAUSE Annual Conference, a group was starting in Second Life. That group had its first meeting on Monday, June 9th. Following is the edited transcript of that meeting (edited for clarity and readability).

If you are in Second Life, please join the group EDUCAUSE VIRTUAL WORLDS or contact AJ Brooks in world for an invite.

*****

AJ Brooks: ok - lets get started. Welcome. Thanks everyone for coming. I'd like to get some info before we get started. If you could introduce yourself, that would be great. Name, where you work, what you do, etc...Go ahead and type all at once, we’ll all catch up in chat history

•    Vivistar Benoir: Terry, Purdue University, Educational Technologist
•    JeanClaude Vollmar: I'm JC (Jeff Le Blanc) and work at the University of Northwestern Ohio as the VP for IT.
•    Fletcher Pinion: Corrie Bergeron (twitter:skydaddy) instructional designer Lakeland CC OH
•    Greyce Congrejo: Hi I'm Greyce...high school principal in charge of technology integration
•    Zosia Bade: Niki, San Jacinto College, VP for Educational Technology
•    Jonathon Dunn: I'm Deke Kassabian from the University of Pennsylvania, a Senior Director and communications architect
•    AJ Brooks: I am AJ Kelton, I am the Director of Emerging Instructional Technology for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Montclair State University in northern NJ
•    Topher Zwiers is Director of Training (& Emerging Technology) at San Jacinto College in Houston, TX... Chris
•    Mercury Barnes: At Univ. of Illinois (Education), moving to Univ. Wisconsin Milwaukee (Research Support)
•    dante Vanbeeck: Tim, Duke University, Director of IT for Student Affairs.
•    WYNN Criss: Cheryl, RL, Meredith College Campus Computing Specialist
•    Grinn Pidgeon: Grinn Pidgeon (Barbara Pittman), Director of the Center for Instructional Technology at Mercyhurst College in Erie, PA. I'm the owner of Mercyhurst College island.

AJ Brooks: great – thanks. How many of you have ever been to the EDUCAUSE Annual Conference - just say YES

AJ Brooks: Yes
COD Zeitlich: yes
Grinn Pidgeon: yes
Jonathon Dunn: Yes
JeanClaude Vollmar: yes
Vivistar Benoir: yes
Fletcher Pinion: don't I wish... :-(
WYNN Criss: Regional only
Mercury Barnes: yes
Zosia Bade: plan to go this year
Vic Michalak: nope... regional
dante Vanbeeck: yes

AJ Brooks: great - this year it is in Orlando. Should be a good crowd - nice size. There will hopefully be a lot on Virtual Worlds there.
Mercury Barnes: Midwest had a packed session.
AJ Brooks: Of course, the EDUCAUSE Virtual Worlds Constituent Group will be meeting. How many of you currently are members of the VW CG?

WYNN Criss: I am
Zosia Bade: I am
dante Vanbeeck: yes
Grinn Pidgeon: I am
Mercury Barnes: I Am
Topher Zwiers: I think I am ;-) but not entirely sure - have attended ELI Annual & Regional.
Fletcher Pinion: not sure
JeanClaude Vollmar: hmm, not sure
Vic Michalak: in SL?
Greyce Congrejo: I am

AJ Brooks: excellent. There will be meeting information coming out soon. And for those who can't make it to Orlando, I can tell you that we will most likely be doing a dual meeting again this year
WYNN Criss: Will the SL group meet in SL this year and will non attendees be able to participate in the discussion?
AJ Brooks: that is the plan at this point
WYNN Criss: Great
AJ Brooks: Was anyone at last years? AJ Brooks: I know JC was. :-) I couldn't have done it without him and a few others who helped out

JeanClaude Vollmar: Yup
Grinn Pidgeon: yes
Jonathon Dunn: yes

AJ Brooks: That meeting was fun. Exhausting for me, but fun. This year there will be a more formal agenda
JeanClaude Vollmar: It was a good one. standing room only.
AJ Brooks: which is one thing I'd like to chat with you folks about. Before we go there, how many of you are planning on going to Orlando in October?

Jonathon Dunn: I am.
Grinn Pidgeon: Yes me
JeanClaude Vollmar: I am
Mercury Barnes: yes
dante Vanbeeck: I'll be there.
Zosia Bade: I am
Vivistar Benoir: I am
Fletcher Pinion: no
Greyce Congrejo: Only virtually
Vic Michalak: inworld for me too..
WYNN Criss: Same here
Topher Zwiers: inworld perhaps.

AJ Brooks: awww - Fletcher - you can come meet us in world.
Fletcher Pinion: I'll be delighted to come in-world
AJ Brooks: thats great we need people both in world and in person. It proves the point, no?
Mercury Barnes: I was both at Seattle, so was my wife...:)
Vic Michalak: yes, that VWs are useful...
AJ Brooks: useful in many many ways, not the last of which is as a pedagogical tool :-) but I digress, that's another meeting lol
Fletcher Pinion: but how to show that VW is different than just logging into a webcast?
WYNN Criss: VW is more engaging to me.
Mercury Barnes: Show a chatting session between a professor and a student -- simple, but important.
AJ Brooks: so let me ask - if you were making the agenda for this RL/SL meeting at the annual conference, what would you want to see on the agenda. Remember, we have about 70 minutes
Fletcher Pinion: affordances of attending a conference in SL that RL doesn't have...like checking out the profiles of everyone in the room, including their favorite things
Mercury Barnes: Minimally highlight tools -- the ability to show web pages within SL could help.
AJ Brooks: Fletcher, can you say more about that?
WYNN Criss: The reality of setting up a place for instruction- getting started in Sl for Educators
Topher Zwiers: what's the assumption regarding the audience in that meeting? veteran SL'ers? newbies dropping in to investigate?
AJ Brooks: ah – ty. There is no assumption, I’m afraid. It could be both, so I'd say somewhere in the middle
Vivistar Benoir: Best orientation practices for students
Mercury Barnes: Show how extensive NMC is.
Fletcher Pinion: I can right-click any of you here and find out stuff about you that doesn't fit on a nametag
dante Vanbeeck: are there examples of SL used by students who are not involved in course related work?
Vivistar Benoir: yes NMC tour would be nice
AJ Brooks: (or in a printed program, Fletcher)
Topher Zwiers: Fletcher - and add additional personal notes too...
AJ Brooks: we need to be leery of seeming to endorse one company over another. I believe EDUCAUSE tries to remain fairly neutral when it comes to vendors
Vic Michalak: educational delivery tools... real life interactive demos (not just static)... reasons to use a 3D world...
AJ Brooks: and in fact, they would like to see us talk about other VWs - but understand the place of SL at the moment
Fletcher Pinion: AJ - good point. How many have accounts in multipleVWs?
WYNN Criss: I agree with Vic
Mercury Barnes: Show the map to give folks an idea of scale, then just zoom on the University Islands, finishing with a notecard, or web page, listing them.
JeanClaude Vollmar: A tour of one of your simulations and how it applies to your literary course work would be great. That would show true application.
AJ Brooks writes that check to JC
Greyce Congrejo: Yes, show a meeting like this one
JeanClaude Vollmar grins
WYNN Criss: I think that would be a great idea.
AJ Brooks: what’s that, wynn?
Topher Zwiers: is there a stated goal/mission for the constituent group? there's a limitless number of directions that meeting could go...
Vic Michalak: I hope everyone will check out the educational exhibits during the 5th Bday SL celebrations at the end of the month...
AJ Brooks: http://www.educause.edu/groups/vw
Mercury Barnes: NMC's Art gallery contrasted with the Gardens of NPIRL.
dante Vanbeeck: student affairs people worry that this reduces personal interaction. can SL actually be used to create real community?
AJ Brooks: Topher asks a good question
WYNN Criss: Vic mentioned educational delivery tools...
Mercury Barnes: Can, JB Kraft has a $375 screen with the most important part, a notecard to explain how to get HTML in-world -- if this approach is expanded...:)
Topher Zwiers: Looking at the purpose of the group - I'm wondering if a looking forward approach to the meeting wouldn't be helpful....
there's tons of resources to point folks to, but how and when do we begin to move toward something a little more cohesive - as individual institutions - use of SL?
Fletcher Pinion: who is the audience for the sessions? familiar w. VR or not?
Vivistar Benoir: I think resources are scattered... we should group them somehow
AJ Brooks: the audience is not defined that way I'm afraid. A clearing house! GREAT IDEA
Vivistar Benoir: familiar
AJ Brooks: the audience is defined as those who have self identified in being interested in virtual worlds
Fletcher Pinion: for me, ANY technology is a question of affordances and constraints...
AJ Brooks: that is probably the ONLY thing they have in common
Mercury Barnes: No one really knows - that's why the Midwest session on VW's was packed with nervously wondering people -- we're in the time akin to web adoption or LMS's.
Vivistar Benoir: true Fletcher
Fletcher Pinion: ...what does this let me do that nothing else can? Ansswer that question for present andf looking forward
AJ Brooks: ok - so we're looking at two paths here
Topher Zwiers: my thought is... a discussion about "Here's a way to engage/approach SL from an institutional perspective" -- thoughts on how to organize within an institution to move beyond the individual, leading edge faculty that have engaged it...
AJ Brooks: if I may summarize a bit
Fletcher Pinion: go, AJ
Zosia Bade: What about some comparison of the VWs available? Pros/cons, experiences attendees may have had.
Topher Zwiers: that discusison could provide insight for attendees of any experience level...
Vivistar Benoir: Fletcher, that is exactly what I wonder about using this platform
AJ Brooks: a conversation that leads to becoming a clearing house for dta and information (which EDUCAUSE can host for us)
Mercury Barnes: SL gives you presence and a feeling of connection -- it's a "social interface" and does this job well (especially with voice).
Vivistar Benoir: Zosia, good suggestion
Vic Michalak: the problem is the really good information is scattered as you said... I wish there were some central place to find educational information - besides SLED (way too busy for me to read most of the time)
AJ Brooks: yes - I like the idea of looking at other VWs
Fletcher Pinion: Mercury - maybe for some. For others is disorienting
Mercury Barnes: Only 8% hang around -- it's a real issue.
Fletcher Pinion: not to get into that discussion, but suggesting that that discussion might be a good starting point
WYNN Criss: What other VWs are focusing on Education?
AJ Brooks: pretty much none. Active Worlds tried but SL is a better product for most. My understanding is that people flocked away from AW when SL first took hold
Vivistar Benoir: I think a central place --- past the orientation part
AJ Brooks: i was not involved at that point
Vivistar Benoir: we're looking for meat
Vic Michalak: As I mentioned, Active Worlds is big into education and has been since 1999, but it is just not as well known... I am not advertising for them... just check out the differences...
Robin Mochi: Croquet, I believe has a pretty strong educational focus.
Raine Whitman: http://www.activeworlds.com/edu/
Fletcher Pinion: I've got an AW acct - Fleep gave some OLN folks a tour a while back
Fletcher Pinion: but most activity seems to be on SL
Mercury Barnes: Content in/out is weak, student management is weak, reliability is weak -- SL has none of the core tenets that make it a good LMS.
WYNN Criss: Thanks for the URL-I will take a look at it.
Raine Whitman: your welcome
Fletcher Pinion: Not to mention that 18yr limit - tough for high schools and community colleges...
AJ Brooks: SL cannot be an LMS at this point in time
Fletcher Pinion: that's why the open grid project is important
Mercury Barnes: What SL has, for those that "break through," is a great social interface -- good for discussion, chatting, meetings, office hours, etc..
AJ Brooks: activities
Fletcher Pinion: collaborative building - wikitecture
Vic Michalak: that would be very interesting...
AJ Brooks: it is prosumeristic, a word I just made up ! lol
Mercury Barnes: AND foreign language instruction -- excellent chat and voice to this (which is almost impossible any other way).
Vivistar Benoir: well, what I like about SL is simulating places and things
Vivistar Benoir: like the virtual hallucinations place from uc davis, that was a great sim
Robin Mochi: I agree SL seems to be the most developed for education, but still problems like reliability and ease of use. Both are big problems for many. Still, so far it seems the best there out there.
Fletcher Pinion: reliability and ease of use were a problem with the first airplanes, too
AJ Brooks: lets hope people don't die testing out SL
Topher Zwiers: (twitter... cough cough)
Vic Michalak: Except for going to conferences, there are few other forums where I can meet so many people from different parts of the country and world with similar interests... SL is a tremendous platform for social networking and collaborative projects...
AJ Brooks: it breaks down the barriers of the classroom AND the world
Fletcher Pinion: and even if the interface hovers, the concept isn’t going away
AJ Brooks: right on
AJ Brooks wonders why he jus said "right on"
Fletcher Pinion: because he's an eduhippie, not an edupunk :-D
Vivistar Benoir: what worries me is introducing it to students if they haven't experienced vw
Vic Michalak: I co-taught a class this semester with two other profs I have never met in person (one in Chicago and one in France) - where else could I do that?
AJ Brooks: lol
Vivistar Benoir: it would be difficult
AJ Brooks: crap - I have to leave that group now
Mercury Barnes: Agreed -- it seems inevitable that VW's will be somewhere in education in the present/future.
Vivistar Benoir: frustrating
Vivistar Benoir: Vic, that's awesome
AJ Brooks: students get this
Fletcher Pinion: Vic - um, via interactive cc tv, actually...
AJ Brooks: they just still see it as educational
Robin Mochi: yes, I was wondering if any of you heard recently about ExitReality? http://www.exitreality.com/
AJ Brooks: we need to make sure it stays fun also
Mercury Barnes: Most students get it...with more on the way.
Vic Michalak: yes, it was - with students in Mexico, France, and the U.S. who had never met each other...
Vic Michalak: What is ExitReality? Another VE?
Vivistar Benoir: AJ, yeah... maybe is just fear
Fletcher Pinion: 3D SN
Robin Mochi: Exit reality is still very much in beta, and will not run on a mac!
WYNN Criss: The opportunity for Global collaboration is phenomenal.
dante Vanbeeck: students may "get it" but many stop using it after the class ends.
AJ Brooks: dante - yes - we need to change that
Vivistar Benoir: Exit reality seems to be aimed much for commerce
Robin Mochi: But yes, a whole new type of VW really
AJ Brooks: introducing them to thing during the class that will get them to explore. I've been working on a SL Student Center, it will be located on the NMC Orientation Island
Mercury Barnes: Yeah...:)
dante Vanbeeck: the student center is a good idea, gather students from all over world to interact.
AJ Brooks: if THEY start meeting others the way WE have, they stay
Vic Michalak: YES! My experience is that you have to get students oriented before you can get a useful class going...
WYNN Criss: I am trying to design a Universal Design Lab.
Robin Mochi: the thing about that is if Exit Reality works as the video indicates it will it could transform all VWs, I believe.
Grinn Pidgeon: what would students build if the islands were theirs?
Vic Michalak: What is a Universal Design Lab?
Mercury Barnes: Nothing more important for keeping and holding interest than a group of friends.
AJ Brooks: it will be theirs :-)
Vivistar Benoir: Grinn, scary thought
dante Vanbeeck: grinn - that's what i wan to know
Topher Zwiers: for the VW meeting in Orlando - seems like a meeting that gives new faculty/institutions an idea of how (& why) to begin, and gives seasoned faculty/institutions an opportunity to discuss moving forward - toward more institution wide use of SL... would be ideal.
Vivistar Benoir: Robin, I believe you might be right
AJ Brooks: thanks for bringing it back, Chris – yes, we need to have two meetings
Vic Michalak: Yes... but that is our approach right now... what would the students build if we purchased an island?
Robin Mochi: Also, it could be the way that VWs will become very known by mainstream folks who still have not heard of virtual worlds or Second Life. I'm surprised by how many there are out there.
AJ Brooks: one that is more general - for those who are interested
WYNN Criss: In short a lab where students with and without disabilities could meet and interact on the same level.
AJ Brooks: and then move to a few more complex things
Fletcher Pinion: "Here's a vision - here's current reality - here's how to get started"
Mercury Barnes: The content and student management issues will prevent SL from ever getting big -- these problems need to be solved.
AJ Brooks: but I like the idea of the end result being a central repository for information
dante Vanbeeck: I have most of an island unused. I'd like to just give parcels to students and let them go.
AJ Brooks: thats what this island is going to be for, except for educators
Vic Michalak: SL and other VMs have been likened to the Web in about 1994 - few people had heard of it and there were only prototype browsers.... like SL today...
Fletcher Pinion: AJ - the prob is there are a LOT of "central repositories" - maybe we could have a list of lists?
AJ Brooks: yes
Topher Zwiers: I think the two parts of that meeting can be combined... how many different institutions are sharing space they have with ANY faculty?
Zosia Bade: I like the student idea, let them create how/where they learn
Fletcher Pinion: Yes re student builds - they will do wonderful things
Topher Zwiers: I've encountered quite a few...
WYNN Criss: You would definitely get then to buy in if you let them build.
Fletcher Pinion: Look @ artwork at BGSU
Vic Michalak: I taught our class at DePaul CTI... I met the profs I co-taught there and they allowed me to use that space...
AJ Brooks: student leave after their classes because this is JUST another tool for school. We must get them to see what WE see about this
the collaboration, meeting people form ALL OVER THE WORLD. But SL still needs to mature a bit, work out some of the kinks
Vic Michalak: No... not all.. I am working on a collaborative build right now with some students from the Spring semester and this is the summer...
Fletcher Pinion: or perhaps... de-"mature"? ;-^
AJ Brooks: I've called this generation the "O" Generation, Opposable Thumbs - games, texting, etc...
AJ Brooks: they do more with their thumbs that some of us have our whole lives
Fletcher Pinion: when it comes to communication, they're all thumbs
AJ Brooks: lol
Mercury Barnes: SL does run OK on phones now...:)
AJ Brooks: well - in some cases
Vivistar Benoir: I manage student developers... asked them to look into SL
Topher Zwiers: first few minutes could be a general overview of what MUVE's can do... then move quickly into how to get started as an individual faculty member AND as an institution. (i.e. point people to resources - not actually show them) and then point them to locations where they can have their own space - as an experiment (including perhaps to the other half of the room that includes institutions willing to share their space to bring people to their island
AJ Brooks: Chris - that’s wonderful
WYNN Criss: Topher I like that idea.
AJ Brooks: the only thing is that is more like a workshop
Vivistar Benoir: one wrong opinion about SL was that there was too much sex content
Fletcher Pinion: 70 minutes Not enough time for a hands-on session
AJ Brooks: these meetings are supposed to be for the group to be involved in the conversation
Topher Zwiers: then focus on different models for institutions starting to scale out their SL presence....
AJ Brooks: so the tone needs to be conversational, not quite as instructional
Topher Zwiers: and conclude with those institutions that are already starting to involve student services and more full/comprehensive programs... how are they doing it/preparing for it etc...
Mercury Barnes: Maybe not for the class, but at Seattle, people "shoulder surfed" those with machines.
Fletcher Pinion: what about having someone inworld give a tour of their facility?
Fletcher Pinion: esp if they weren't physically present?
AJ Brooks: i can't keep up - have to read back
Topher Zwiers: if you're going to have newbies AND seasoned SL'ers - at least SOME part of it will have to be more presentation like...
WYNN Criss: Well, I do not think I agree with that so much. Faculty need to have something to take back to their administrators that is beyond conversation.
Fletcher Pinion: darn - I gotta run. I've joined the listserve
Topher Zwiers: absolutely Wynn... this group can pull together a collection of resources to go back to institutions with...
AJ Brooks: I agree with you Wynn - but the CG meetings have a specific purpose. The sessions will be for finding stuff to take back
Grinn Pidgeon: that is where the good handout/brochure helps
Fletcher Pinion: WYNN - a "how to get started" list, maybe good youtube videos of good builds, slurls...?
Vic Michalak: good idea about the tour... specially if it were many faceted (like Topher said)...
Vic Michalak: lots of good U-Tube videos on SL...
Vivistar Benoir: right
Topher Zwiers: rather than spending too much time on specific tools or locations - provide a list of where those can be found - for folks to explore afterwards....
Mercury Barnes: Not a ton of Faculty at Educause -- mostly the Administrators the Faculty has to convince.
WYNN Criss: Yes, I know about the videos and they are great.
Topher Zwiers: discuss things that are more focused on what this group may should perhaps be doing - but give attendees resources with all of the HOOKS that will help them get involved...
Vic Michalak: yes, agree with Topher... informational.. cram a lot in the time period...
Fletcher Pinion: Right - collect them, show a couple, and give link to the rest
Grinn Pidgeon: how to develop campus discussion groups
AJ Brooks: yes, great idea
Topher Zwiers: Grinn... yes...
Vic Michalak: Let them explore later... but they have to be aware first...
WYNN Criss: Well, at my last Regional Educause meeting there were no administrators there to speak of- the majority were tech folks and faculty.
Fletcher Pinion: I gotta go - can someone email the chat log?
Vivistar Benoir: I like that very much
AJ Brooks: how did you get things working where you were kinds of stories
Topher Zwiers: how to get started as an institution...
Vic Michalak: okay Fletcher...
Topher Zwiers: right...
AJ Brooks: I'll have captured it Fletcher, IM me later
Topher Zwiers: and there's various models and levels of scale...
Vic Michalak: ...see AJ...
AJ Brooks: that can be the theme for the meeting "Getting Started"
Grinn Pidgeon: I like it
AJ Brooks: resources for individuals
Topher Zwiers: from individual faculty working in a space offered by another institution.. .to buying an island and parceling it out for faculty projects etc.
AJ Brooks: stories from some guests
WYNN Criss: That would be great
Vic Michalak: REALLY getting started... not just talk...
AJ Brooks: then on to starting the conversation at your school
Robin Mochi: I'm using the Sloog hud to create lists of in-world resources with direct teleport ability from Sloog website and that along with basic Torley YouTube video links so I can present one list of resources to all new students in the class I will be assisting this summer.
Vivistar Benoir: nice
Grinn Pidgeon: how to partner an it person with a faculty member to create a project
Mercury Barnes: Examples of currently working or past courses.
AJ Brooks: creating community
Vic Michalak: Grinn... partnering with IT and VP levels is the only way to really make SL work on a campus...
Topher Zwiers: if this group could agree on a social bookmarking tool and relevant anchor tags - the resources could be put together pretty quickly/collaboratively...
Vic Michalak: unless you have your own LARGE budget...
AJ Brooks: yes - it is hard to do this one against the grain
Fletcher Pinion: thanks, all - great ideas - gotta go
WYNN Criss: I would also like to see something on addressing the faculty concerns about copyright infringement.
Robin Mochi: Actually there are many librarians such as myself who are working to assist faculty in SL. Evaluating in-world sites and providing links to those sites is an extension of information literacy skills that librarians already teach.
AJ Brooks nominates Topher as one of the volunteers
Topher Zwiers: Vic... unless you have several levels of scale to suggest to those VP's... start as small as you need to.. .to get buy in... build from there.
Grinn Pidgeon: me too--already on overtime :)
AJ Brooks: lol
WYNN Criss: Unfortunately, here faculty need a rubric or outline for how to deal with this issue in SL or other worlds.
AJ Brooks: a place to post sample rubrics is a great idea. Has anyone heard of connect.educause.edu?
WYNN Criss: Yes I have.
AJ Brooks: http://connect.educause.edu
dante Vanbeeck: yes
AJ Brooks: there is the ability to link from there - blog there - post resources ther e- and EDUCAUSE is already hosting it and wants to expand it, and is looking for ideas on how to do that
Topher Zwiers: imho - best way to do that is for someone to post it on any sort of webspace they may have (even google pages) and then social bookmark it with an anchor tag.. EDUVW -- ?
AJ Brooks: :-)
Topher Zwiers: if we did that, I think Connect can be set to grab tags from the blogosphere....
AJ Brooks: I believe it can. Well - what an amazing and productive conversation
Topher Zwiers: just need a way to communicate what the anchor tags will be... i.e. EDUVW for all resources... then add other tags.. tutorials, locations, etc...
Robin Mochi: I would also like to suggest that we use Sloog, which is an in-world social bookmarking tool, and we could use the same EDUVW tag which would then send all those in-world resources that have been tagged to the sloog website.
AJ Brooks: as a side note - I'll be looking for people who are coming to Orlando to help out during the session. JC can tell you - it’s a bit crazed, but its LOTS of fun
Topher Zwiers: Sloog is good for in world, but does it work well for web-based resources?
JeanClaude Vollmar: I'll be glad to help again AJ. I had fun with it.
Topher Zwiers: Diigo (since it can cross-post to delicious) would be helpful for web-based....
AJ Brooks: Topher - would you have time to follow up with Catherine Yang or someone at EDUCAUSE about the whole connect question
Robin Mochi: Sloog is still in beta, but it has a website like del.icio.us where all the tagged sites are listed and searchable...
AJ Brooks: Robin - would you be interested in setting up the Sloog thing?
Topher Zwiers: can Sloog easily tag web-based tools though?
AJ Brooks: Thanks, JC
Robin Mochi: Actually the entire sloog site is currently being transformed, but should be ready to go in the next couple of weeks...
Topher Zwiers: it's possible to use a HUD to tag SLURLS to delicious or others - but those can also do web-based resources....
Robin Mochi: and yes, I would be glad to follow this part and set that up with sloog.
Topher Zwiers: and does Sloog have all of the API and other tools that would allow us to pull those resources into a Wiki or other site? - like connect?
AJ Brooks: If anyone else is interested in volunteering for the Orlando RL portion, please let me know by IM or later on. We'll also be looking for in-world volunteers, but I'll let the in-world coordinator handle that
WYNN Criss: I got to go--see you later. Thanks for all of the resources and ideas.
AJ Brooks: later wynn
AJ Brooks: thanks for coming and your input
Topher Zwiers: I'm just not familiar enough with Sloog to know if it's going to do what Diigo/Delicious can do for web-based resources.....
AJ Brooks: TY to everyone
Robin Mochi: let me look into that, Topher. but the sloog team is very interested in working with educators, so I suspect it would work soon if not now.
AJ Brooks: if you need to go, feel free - the meeting time is over
Topher Zwiers: AJ - I'll follow up with Catherine etc...
AJ Brooks: I'll be here for at least another 30 minutes, as we have a "social" planned until then. TY Robin, TY Topher
Zosia Bade: Off to another meeting. Thanks.
AJ Brooks: TY all for coming - this was SO great
AJ Brooks: I expect to have the transcript up on the EDUCASUE Virtual Worlds CG web site as soon as I can
Jonathon Dunn: thanks all
Robin Mochi: you're welcome. I do think sloog, when the new site is ready, will be pretty amazing. take a look at the screenshots they sent me here: http://librarianbydesign.blogspot.com/2008/05/sloog-great-tool-for-second-life-users.html
AJ Brooks: TY and thanks for volunteering to help out

Experience the flight deck of the NASA Space Shuttle in Second Life

cclark2 — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:06:35 -0600

The island of Sophia in Second Life now features an immersive depiction of the flight deck of the NASA Space Shuttle (actually, it's the high fidelity mockup at Johnson Space center in Houston). This is a visual representation only - the controls don't work - but it is a compelling effect. The display uses a Virtual Reality Room (VRR), an immersive, photo-realistic environment developed through a partnership between the New Media Consortium (NMC), the Info Island Archipelago, the Commonwealth Islands for not-for-profits, and Stephane Desnault (aka Stephane Zugzwang in SL).

After arriving at the location on Sophia (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sophia/203/217/30/), your avatar enters by walking through the curtain. Once inside it's easy to lose track of where you are; look for the exit sign when you want to leave. Also, be sure to grab a copy of the explanatory notecard. The Island of Sophia is being developed by a faculty learning community at the University of Notre Dame. For more information, please visit our wiki at http://flc-vw.wikispaces.com/.

Stephane first introduced the VRR in 2006; since then he has sold more than a thousand rooms to club owners, individual residents and corporations like IBM. Many scenes are now available for sale, and NMC will be compiling a collection of educational scenes for free distribution. Owners can create their own scenes, as we did. Our images were found at http://www.panoscan.com/CubicDemos/Cubic.html and are used with permission -- special thanks to Ted Chavalas of Panoscan Inc. and NASA!

Educators and not-for-profits can obtain a obtain free, fully functional copy of the VRR at the NMC Campus in Second Life. More information can be found in-world at the VRR Shop (slurl.com/secondlife/Solariam/201/175/431/). You can read more about the VRR on the web at http://sl.nmc.org/2008/01/15/vrr-demo/

- - Chris Clark [SL: Hezekiah Dench]

ELI In Conversation: Second Life and Virtual Worlds - An Approach to Active Learning

gbayne — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 15:03:28 -0600

In this 31 minute podcast we feature a conversation from the ELI 2008 Annual Meeting. The topic is Second Life and virtual worlds. How can virtual world participation help students become active learners? How can instructors approach virtual worlds with an eye toward their own curriculum. Are there any privacy or safety issues that must be breached in getting your students on Second Life? Particpants in this discussion include:

Sarah Smith Robbins, PhD Candidate at Ball State University, who presented a plenary session at ELI 2008 entitled, "Virtual Worlds as Web 2.0 Learning Spaces".
Teshia Roby, Assistant Professor of Educational Multimedia at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona who presented a session at ELI 2008 entitled, "Second Life for the First Time: Learning to Use a Virtual World on a Real Campus".
Chris Johnson, Adjunct Assistant Professor at The University of Arizona who co-presented a session entitled, "Implementing a Presence in Second Life: Pitfalls, Procedures, Policies, and Promises".

ELI Podcast: Virtual Worlds as Web 2.0 Learning Spaces

gbayne — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 17:07:41 -0600

On this podcast we feature a plenary session from the ELI 2008 Annual Meeting. The presenter is Sarah Smith Robbins, PhD Candidate, Ball State University, with a topic entitled, "Virtual Worlds as Web 2.0 Learning Spaces".

Virtual worlds such as Second Life offer powerful teaching and learning opportunities by integrating participatory, social, and immersive media for student-centered learning. Learn about Second Life, its use as a learning space, and its predictive role in the future of learning.

ELI 2008 Spring Focus Session: View Full Program and Register

pkurkowski — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:12:43 -0600

The full program is now available for the ELI 2008 Spring Focus Session, "Real-World and Technology Rich: Learning by Doing, Learning in Context," being held March 18–19 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Register by February 19 to save money with low, early-bird rates.

Some of the featured sessions and speakers will include:

Making Learning Real: Turning Sim City into "Sim Science"!
Tuesday, March 18, 1:45–2:30 p.m.
Diane Jass Ketelhut, Assistant Professor of Science Education, Temple University
Authentic Learning in History and Social Sciences: How "Real" Can We Make the Classroom Experience?
Wednesday, March 19, 8:15–9:00 a.m.
Scot A. French, Associate Professor/Director, University of Virginia
Authentic Critical Reflection: Critique_It in Second Life
Wednesday, March 19, 9:30–10:15 a.m.
Michael Connors, Associate Professor, Digital Printmaking, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Other focus session offerings will include student perspective videos, digital documentaries, project parlors, and more. View the full program for more details.

Learning in Mediated Environments

catherine — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:26:45 -0600

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet Mark Childs from Warwick, in the context of his short visit to CARET. Over an informal lunch, a bunch of CARET researchers and learning technologists battered Mark with questions about his work on interesting projects such as DIVERSE (developing video resources for students) and his PhD research on Learners' Experiences of Mediated Environments.

We had a very enjoyable group discussion around the issues and challenges associated with researching learning in relation to students' lived experiences, and how patterns of learning and student behaviours alike are increasingly mediated by technology. Mark had a lot of stories to share, particularly in relation to using qualitative methods, and the challenges posed by researching learning in mediated environments. He is especially interested in issues associated with "presence" in virtual worlds, such as Second Life. Thanks to Mark for his time and input!

Podcast: Do I Need a Second Life? (ELI '08 Poster)

cclark2 — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:59:17 -0600

Attached is a very brief overview of a project to be presented in a poster session at the ELI 2008 Annual Meeting. If you would like more information after listening, please see the poster session page, visit the home page of Notre Dame's faculty learning community on virtual worlds. or go to the island of Sophia in Second Lfe.