ASSET 2010SECOND LIFE AND ITS POTENTIAL AS

A VIRTUAL LEARNING SPACE

Bette Schneiderman withChristine DePalo andJessica Ovanessian

Huntington Hilton, March 15, 2010

Jewel Renard at Genome Island

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfsSGBraUhc&NR=1

Genome Island Info Card“Genome island is a place to explore genetics. . . .

There are four sections on the Island. The Abbey and Gardens deal with inheritance

patterns. The Tower houses molecular genetics, human

genetics and bacterial and Drosophila genetics. The Gene Pool, still under development, will have

models for population genetics. The Terrace overlooks a mix of exhibits with animal

models, and the Garden of Prokaryote Genomes.

The Atelier is the sandbox for students and others working on new activities for Genome Island.

Imagine this. . .

A learning environment in which you become a presence or persona (of yourself or

anything you wish to be), called an avatar move in a created 3D space (walk, fly, sit,

open doors, dance, gesture, teleport from one location to another)

Communicate and share experiences in that (in text or audio) with others

Renaissance Island in 1599

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCYYD1jCzcc

Not possible in Real Life (RL)

Visit historical sites that no longer exit as your avatar today or dressed and role played as a character from the past Explore medieval Italy

Visit someplace dangerous or undesired by you in RL Stand in a simulation of an avalanche while

skiing Visit someplace that you could not now visit

(something that could or does not exist) Travel inside a cell

Skydive?

Possible in RL, but expansive

Enter a replica of something that exists today? Visit any place, any time, with anyone

Learn from experts Converse with experts in whatever you are studying

Create something with others Make music with musicians from around the world

who join together to plan, practice, and perform Learn language naturally

Partner with children and adults from varied cultures, naturally speaking someone’s first language

Why VR?

Immersive Multimedia (e.g., visual, auditory) Communicative Individuals and collaborative groups are

identified and interact to build communities of practice

Reality and learning is constructed in social and simulated authentic contexts

Is it Entertainment?

No need to approach SL to appeal to a gaming generation

No need to approach SL because youth want to be entertained

You might approach SL as engaging, offering opportunities that you would not otherwise have. AND it is motivating, too

Safe?

Teen grid (ages 13-17) Rules Adults after security check Rules for adults Transitions for young adults who turn 18

Main grid (ages 18+) Rules More than education sites

What might be the issues?

Professional Development First

Rather than just jump into the teen grid and plan a project, become part of the Second Life (SL) culture yourself – create an avatar, learn with and from others, find out what is possible, what it feels like to be in a Virtual Reality Environment (VRE), and then decide what you wish to do with your students.

ISTE

ISTE video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP137QgYKvQ

Information about ISTE in SL at http

://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Membership/Member_Networking/ISTE_Second_Life.htm

When in Second Life: http://slurl.com/secondlife/ISTE%20Island/87/58/30

Christine DePalo and Jessica Ovanessian

So, how do I learn how to set up Second Life (SL), create an avatar, move, communicate, and meet others?

What might I want to learn as I consider the educational applications of VR for teaching and learning in my future?

Join Christine and Jess. They will guide you and open up the ways to thereafter learn yourselves.

A few resources for educators Educators experiences at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HA&feature=PlayList&p=60B508787800A0E9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2

*San Francisco’s Exploratorium at http://www.exploratorium.edu/worlds/secondlife/

*Dresden gallery at http://dresdengallery.com/information.php

List of educator resources for SL at https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators

AECT video on CAVE at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8_lsxLnKA4

Explore the possibilities at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMGR9q43dag&NR=1

Education in Second Life at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB6EfHXomE8

Virtual Harlem project at http://www.evl.uic.edu/cavern/harlem/

Lighthouse learning island has professional development for teachers in SL http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlwsXsTptbs

How to find landmarks in SL

Vassar College: Sistine Chapel

Tour http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AoHiaQPGTQ

Jewel Renard in the Sistine Chapel Contact bes@liu.edu for this video

When IN SLLocations to visit http://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Top_20_Educational_Locations_in_Second_Life

San Francesco Assisi http://slurl.com/secondlife/san%20francesco%20assisi/246/109/65

Arles - Vincent Van Gogh's Home http://slurl.com/secondlife/Arles/126/110/25

Botanical Landscaping, Garden and Environmental Design Center http://slurl.com/secondlife/Straylight/183/52/25

Discovery Educator Network - Welcome to the DEN http://slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%202/131/132/22

Dresden Gallery http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dresden%20Gallery/120/128/26

Gotham City http://slurl.com/secondlife/Gotham%20City/51/199/28

Mexico ~Chichen Itza~Archeological Site http://slurl.com/secondlife/Visit%20Mexico/55/214/24

Russian Red Square - Moscow Island http://slurl.com/secondlife/Moscow%20Island/79/212/21

Sistine Chapel http://slurl.com/secondlife/Vassar/168/88/24

Rembrandthuis http://slurl.com/secondlife/Long%20Island%20University/67/109/795

Rembrandthuis Foyer

Rembrandthuis Printing Room

Rembrandthuis upstairs

Rembrandthuis Studio

The Teen Grid *Working with Teens

http://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life:_Educators_Working_with_Teens Suffern Middle School

http://ramapoislands.edublogs.org/2009/03/04/139. See the video, although it is a little harsh about teachers and learning today, it has a positive stance, too.

Ramapo’s fly to music and observe video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvMp3Rm_on4

*Peggy Sheehy talks about the impact of SL on her middle school students in this jumpy and poor visual video, but with good content http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYJTPhw_d7Q

Ray Bradbury Village experience http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyhQo0Q2M_g

Teens tackle real issues, UN leadership http://www.unicef.org/adolescence/index_38145.html

Teen Educators meeting at Cybrary City http://infoisland.org/2006/11/14/teen-educators-meeting-at-cybrary-city

• An interesting 2006 article by Henry Jenkins of MIT: Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century Confronting the Challenges• http

://www.digitallearning.macfound.org/atf/cf/%7B7E45C7E0-A3E0-4B89-AC9C-E807E1B0AE4E%7D/JENKINS_WHITE_PAPER.PDF

• Teens in Second Life at• http://www.shambles.net/pages/learning/ict/slteengrid

Teen Grid Continued *Skoolaborate

http://www.skoolaborate.com. See the Jidaimatsuri project recreating a Kyoto festival. Pacific Rim group joins with others.

Resources http

://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life:_Educators_Working_with_Teens#Teen_Second_Life_Educational_Projects

Wascana Island highlights two projects http://heyjude.wordpress.com/2009/05/31/teen-second-life-wascana-island

Edutopia article highlighting SL teen projects http://www.edutopia.org/second-life-virtual-reality-collaboration

Cyprus Village learn English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYJTPhw_d7Q

Global Kids science in SL project videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPrj5ojin_0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHUocLcj1eU&NR=1

Model UN http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qFNlBgoa2c

Youth violence, pregnancy, and other issues http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlwsXsTptbs

Science lab http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvbPYCaCCyY. This is an early try at such a lab. Imagine a

next generation that is more dynamic.

What else do you want to know?

Cost Set up Undesired behavior in the Main Grid Linden governance Learning curve Time commitment Open source VR products for the future

(e.g., Forterra’s OLIVE)

Some terms

Avatar – an individual’s presence Real Life (RL) Second Life (SL) Teen Grid – separate environment for

13-17 year olds Teleport – move from one location to

another Virtual Reality (VR) Virtual Reality Environment (VRE)

Discussion and Questions

As time permits in the session During lunch Afterwards at:

bes@liu.edu christinedepalo@gmail.com Genga34@gmail.com In learning sessions with Christine and Jess

(contact for details)