How do I make my rubber duck spin?

Creativity and learning in Second Life

Judy Robertson and Nicole Cargill-Kipar

Dr Judy RobertsonJudy.Robertson@hw.ac.ukSecond Life name: Jxr Greenwood

Nicole Cargill-Kiparn.kipar@hw.ac.ukSecond Life name: Khaythora Kirax

Overview

• A bit about Second Life

• A bit about my module

• Supporting creativity on my module with Second Life

• Group work in SL

• Should you use SL for teaching?

What is Second Life anyway?

• It’s a massively multiplayer immersive 3D virtual environment

• (Not a game)

• Population: 11,175,710 (Nov 2007)• Total hours spent: 24,625,902 (Nov 2007)• Represents the intersection of user

generated content, social networking and 3D worlds

• Thriving arts and educational communities• Growing business opportunities

I hope you have some good theoretical

motivations for all this nonsense

Sure I do!Constructionism

Hard fun

Plus 4 years empirical data on computer game

authoring

Ask them about Curriculum for Excellence at

the end

Multimedia Design Module

• 4th year Computer Science/Information Technology/MEng students (~35)

• MSc students in CS (from a range of degrees (~35)

• Very mixed range of backgrounds• Previous version of module was out of

date with a failing average• Last year the assignment was to make a

film- not enough computer science• Students finish their assignment today –

not yet marked!

The visionStudents will terraform the HeriotWatt

Second Life island

?

Assessment: 100% coursework

Submit an individual portfolio containing:• An area of land in the Heriot-Watt Second

Life island (group work) (25%);

• A multimedia tutorial to help other students learn about Second Life (25%);

• A fun interactive Second Life exhibit for visitors to the Heriot-Watt island (25%);

• A learning log (15%).

• A review of other students’ multimedia work (10%);

Research data

• We will publish this study, but are currently still collecting data.– Questionnaires– Interviews– Learning logs– Artefacts on island– Participant observer notes

• This is exploratory work

Second Life Demo

Stop talking and show us!

Can I spin now?

Supporting creativity

We was robbed! You said this talk was about creativity…

Group work in SL

• Group work in Second Life and the idea of Self

• Pilot study• Work in progress

– data has not been analysed yet, just a dip into it for today’s talk

– not all interviews have been conducted yet

and the

Undecided

The Weird

“I had taken a snapshot from earlier lab sessions where we had a group meeting in second life discussing things related to the group portfolio.”

“Our group got together about a week ago and we started throwing ideas about.”

“Unlike most of my friends, I don't know any of my group members, which will probably make it more interesting. Now, what's most ironic is that I have actually met two of them in Second Life already, but I have no idea who they are in real life. It would be quite interesting if the whole work was done without us ever meeting face-to-face :)) (we're meeting next Monday in person :))”

“I don’t like impersonations of real life into the digital world. Because of that in particular I didn’t enjoy Second Life too much. I didn’t modify my avatar or anything else, I just worked on the assignment.”

The Good

“The group worked as single entity during the weekend, through meetings conducted in the Second Life environment […]. It was an remarkable effort what everyone did, as we agreed to split all the work among the four of us to have something we can proudly present during the Oscar event that will take place the following Monday.”

“The teamwork spirit was greatly exposed as we were working along the portfolio, which was by itself an experience worth all the efforts spent up the moment.”

“During lab time, one of my colleagues asked for my help in order to overcome a problem he was having in his script. I thought sharing the experience would be of great benefit which might be added to an error knowledge base later on.”

“So it is not a matter of criticising only, but a constructive way to have your project baby get

accepted by the public after all. I was personally evaluated by two of my class colleagues […]. The

comments were all valid since they were truly touching some missing bits and pieces of my

design.”

The Bad

“The group are still not pulling their weight unfortunately.”

“I've built everything else, so I'm a little overworked and disappointed by the amount of effort the others have put in.”

“I asked [my group member] if he was planning on doing any more work before we submit and he replied with the mantra he has been slavering all term.

"I can do whatever you want me to do / You tell me what to do, and I'll do it".

I wish he would use some initiative. I'm not his parent or minder!”

“All the member agreed with all the suggestion that

I made. Seems that I'm the one who make all the

think. I'm just hoping of some ideas from them as

this is a team work.

“I might have to say that working in group this time really tough. I don't mind being the group anchor and being the one who generates the idea. Although I have explained what should be put to fit the concept still they are relying on me of everything.”

“We had some bigger issues when somebody actually started building and never removed their stuff in our land. Another group member encountered that problem. He actually received quite hostile behaviour from the intruders, so to say. […] So I guess people toughen up in virtual life.”

“I wonder if I had spoken to them face-to-face .. would they react in the same way ...”

The Undecided

“I haven’t met avatars when they were building something for my group, we always worked at different times.”

“Other group work that we had to do everything had to be really tightly interconnected in order to make sense. Whereas in Second Life […] Although we had a common theme each person could express their individual views on that.”

“I remember in the beginning one of the [neighbour groups] just made complete terraforming changes to their land and when we logged in next time what we planned to put on that side no longer possible. Initially it was flat and the next time it was a huge cliff.”

Benefits of Group work in SL

• Individual work needs to gel together to form a coherent piece

• Chance to express oneself

• Group meetings can take on a more immersive dimension

• Negotiation skills are required to a greater extent

• Creative process might be guided by external influences

What do you think?

Well…?

???

Should you use Second Life?

YES if you are teaching programming

YES if you want to / need to use simulations

YES if you’re fostering creativity or design skills

NO if it’s just going to be a virtual lecture theatre

YES if you want to explore immersion

Any questions?

• www.judyrobertson.typepad.com

• flexiblelearning.wordpress.com

Ask now for practical tips!

Wish Nicole a happy birthday!