November 10, 2011Athabasca University
From Margins to Mainstream:Successfully Integrating Virtual Worlds
into Educational Institutions
John LesterDirector, Community Development
ReactionGrid Inc.
These Slides: http://bit.ly/Athabasca2011
● Creating 3D Simulation and Virtual World platforms for general purpose use.
● Developing desktop and mobile applications. ● Helping clients with best practices for developing
successful immersive learning projects.
ReactionGrid Inc. Services
● Government: NASA, NOAA, DOE, GovGrid, Veterans Administration
● Enterprise: IBM, Microsoft, Xerox, Siemens, Raytheon,
Novonics, Emdeon, American Cancer Society, Aspyr Gaming Studios
● Universities: Boston College, Cedar Crest Academy,
Chanchung American International School, Colorado Mountain College, George Mason University, Georgia Tech, Hong Kong Polytechnic, Future University Japan, Perdue, Rutgers
ReactionGrid Inc. Clients
● "Emotional Bandwidth" ● Building new tools to increase it. ● Learning how to use existing tools better.
Immersive Learningand some Best Practices
● Our brain is designed to thrive in a 3d environment full of embodied people and places.
● We forget the importance of
social cues that build empathy and trust.
● What we experience in a virtual
environment feels real because our brain fills in the gaps.
Bound by our Biology
● Pattern Matching ● The Tiger in the Grass ● Lost Opportunities caused by
using a new tool like an old tool.
Common Pitfalls
● We tend to recreate the familiar. ● We do this because the familiar feels safe. ● The deepest learning happens not when we
feel safe, but when we are fascinated with and challenged by our environment.
Creating Engagement
RSU3 Virtual Learning Center (Adult Education, Maine)
Challenge: Reduce Rural Isolation
● Define and Remember your Strategic Goals
My Favorite Best Practice
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. -Sun Tzu
● Engage people Easily and Everywhere (3Es). ● Make sure your tools work with each other.
● Use industry standards whenever possible. ● Focus on Augmenting, not Replacing.
More Best Practices
● Jibe is a multiuser 3d virtual world platform created by ReactionGrid using Unity3D technology.
● A Jibe world can be embedded on any web page, with mobile
support in progress. ● Jibe integrates and communicates with web portals,
LMS/CMS and industry standard databases.
The Jibe Platform
Visit this Jibe world
Fish where the Fish Live
Thank you
twitter: @pathfinder
contact: about.me/pathfinder
Jibe-Unity3d Discussions:bit.ly/Jibe-Unity3d-Discussions
slides: bit.ly/Athabasca2011
www.reactiongrid.com
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