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It’s all fun and games until someone loses an avatar. Library instruction in a 3D virtual world. Denyse Rodrigues May 2007. What is Second Life?. The buzz. Everyone’s in SL Business large and small Non profits Universities and colleges Government interest. The beginning. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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It’s all fun and games until someone loses an avatar.
Library instruction in a 3D virtual world
Denyse Rodrigues
May 2007
What is Second Life?
The buzz . . . Everyone’s in SL Business large and small Non profits Universities and colleges Government interest
The beginning
Could a small academic library with no budget and little experience in SL effectively use this platform?
Is there any research on the use of SL for academic purposes?
Do any of our faculty members have an interest?
Research: Second Life for Academic purposes
being used as a service point for both business and universities
differentiated from other online gaming environments and redefined as a community space
systematic research to define Second Life as a platform for course delivery has not yet been published
Research: MMOs in education(Massively Multiplayer Online environments/games/worlds)
Helps develop “the motivation for an extended engagement” that is crucial to mastering a complex body of knowledge (Gee, 2004).
“Students learn in a flow state where they are not just passive recipients of knowledge, but active learners who are in control of the learning activity and are challenged to reach a certain goal” (Peng, 2004)
The course
Employee relations/internal communications taught by Dr. DeNel Rehberg Sedo
Objectivesa) evaluate this new teaching and learning
environment; and b) help students better understand how to critically
evaluate the various communication tools and social environments available to them in the workplace.
The classes
4th year cohort 2 sections with 25 students each 6 class meetings in Second Life Reasons for use of Second Life clearly
outlined in syllabus Recording and posting of SL class logs to
course site clearly stated Evaluation included working on group wikis
and a final research paper
SL Class 1
“Introduction to CULTURE in Second Life”
•Location: everyone in a computer lab
•This class started with a presentation on how SL is being used by business and educational organizations.
•Avatar behaviour and classroom codes of conduct discussed
•Students signed up for avatar and completed the SL orientation
SL Class 2
Scavenger hunt
•Location: everyone in a computer lab
•SL environment: Outdoor auditorium on Info Island.
•Continued to orient students to SL via a scavenger hunt which took them to business and educational sites
•Formation of groups using SL groups
Scavenger hunt: Crayon public relations firm in SL
Scavenger hunt: Aspects of Learning
SL Class 3
Small group work
•Location: most in a computer lab, a few students signing in from home
•SL environment: Talis Library, Cybrary City
•Students met in small groups to generate and discuss questions for a guest speaker
•Questions later posted to group wiki
SL Class 4
Meeting with CC Chapman
•Location: most in a computer lab, a few students signing in from home
•SL environment: U-Turn Café by invitation of CC Chapman
•Guest speaker: CC Chapman, VP New Marketing, Crayon (Public Relations firm)
•Issues of how to evaluate information sources emerged as a theme in student questions and discussions
SL Class 5
Library research presentation
•Location: most in a computer lab, a few students including myself signing in from home
•SL environment: Parvenau Tower, Info Isand
•Lack of in-world browser resulted in a more traditional lecture/question period style approach
SL Class 6
Class discussion
•Location: most in a computer lab, a few students including myself signing in from home
•SL environment: Canada Nexus, Cybrary City
•Class discussion on ethics based on class reading list
Expectations and realities . . .
Expectations and realities
Web savvy students
Most well versed in chat, email, and social networking
Unfamiliar with second life Several students at first uncomfortable
with gaming nature of the environment
Expectations and realities
‘Griefing’ and intrusions
No instances of harassment A couple of avatars politely asked to
be included in our conversation
Expectations and realities
Technical learning curve & limitations
Steep learning curve Controlling your avatar Creating groups Recording logs Working with scripts and objects Troubleshooting with students
Not always a stable platform time lags, teleporting problems
Expectations and realities
On-campus option would mitigate some technical difficulties
Lab required SL software to be installed every class
Assistance essential for the first 2 classes Allowed for troubleshooting and face-to-face
assistance during orientation session Some students found communicating online
while being in a shared physical space disconcerting
After first 2 classes some students logged in from home or other labs
Expectations and realities
Course content was integrated with use of SL
Took a couple of sessions for a comfort level with the environment to develop
Some students were concerned by time spent in SL More focused on grades
Some students saw the connections, enjoyed the element of play and the opportunities to experience the new environment
Expectations and realities
Meeting in virtual environment would mitigate some in-class inequities
Some students reported group conversations were too fast paced for them to participate
Some students reading the other groups transcripts reported that they were not able to identify the true identity of the participants
Opinions were sometimes stated a bit more strongly in SL then in regular class discussions
Expectations and realities
High levels of engagement
A high level of engagement among students and instructors
Reactions were both pro and con
Things to consider . . .
Considerations:
Risk taking
Both very stressful and exciting Increased need for facilitation and support Takes time Newness of the environment seem to invite
a questioning and critical climate the “newness” of SL will fade so important to
continue to expose students to new technologies
Considerations:
Avatars
How does real life affect online identities?
How do you decide what/who is legitimate?
What are the implications for the classroom?
Considerations:Collaboration with faculty
Worked together previously Trust Roles well defined Good communication Debriefed after each SL class
Considerations:
Resources and support
Second Life Library on Info Island I & II Librarians were tremendously generous with
time and resources Tours and orientation sessions Free educational scripts and tools available Space can be booked (Lori Bell/Lorelei Junot)
Administrative & collegial support supportive workplace and University Librarian
(Donna Bourne-Tyson/Laken Burns) MacMaster SL librarian (Krista Godfrey/Danu
Dhalstrom)
Considerations:
Costs
Less than $1 Can. $250 Linden = $1 U.S.
Avatars – free Space – free courtesy of the kind
generousity of the Info Island Library Groups – $90 Linden
(9 groups @ $10 Linden each)
PowerPoint presentation - $110 Linden (11 slides @ $10 Linden each)
Next time?
Have students do a bit more research before entering the space
Leave class related learning objects in SL for students or try Sloodle
Focus more on small group activities and discussions
Reinforce learning objectives in each class
What’s next?
MSVU storefront Services by request of faculty and/or
students