Teaching Science inTeaching Science inSecond LifeSecond Life

Dr. Clare SansomDr. Clare Sansom

Centre for Distance EducationCentre for Distance Education

London, 19 April 2011London, 19 April 2011

What is Second Life?What is Second Life? A fully immersive “online virtual world”A fully immersive “online virtual world” Users explore the world and interact with Users explore the world and interact with

each other as “avatars”each other as “avatars”• Launched 2003: basic service (only) freeLaunched 2003: basic service (only) free• More than 20 million user accounts (2011 data)More than 20 million user accounts (2011 data)

~ 1.5M “active” accounts~ 1.5M “active” accounts HE institutions with significant presence HE institutions with significant presence

includeinclude

Indiana University The Open University Imperial College, Medicine

Objects in Second LifeObjects in Second Life Second Life includes software for Second Life includes software for

creating objectscreating objects• A basic “rezzer” to build 3D objects from A basic “rezzer” to build 3D objects from

simple geometric shapes (primitives, or simple geometric shapes (primitives, or “prims”)“prims”)

• Software to enable avatars to interact Software to enable avatars to interact with objectswith objects

• More complex, sculpted prims and More complex, sculpted prims and texturestextures

• Software for creating special types of Software for creating special types of objectobject

(e.g. molecular structures) (e.g. molecular structures)

Molecules in Second Life…Molecules in Second Life…

Model of the protein cytochrome C created in Second Life using a “Protein Rezzing Toolkit”

Software © Peter Miller, Andrew Lang, Troy McConagh

My Background:My Background:Birkbeck’s Distance Learning MSc Birkbeck’s Distance Learning MSc

Modular MSc Structural Molecular Biology launched Modular MSc Structural Molecular Biology launched 2001 2001

First Internet-only course launched 1995First Internet-only course launched 1995• Principles of Protein StructurePrinciples of Protein Structure• First completely web-based formal University course in First completely web-based formal University course in

biological sciences in the UK biological sciences in the UK Students have come from 5 continentsStudents have come from 5 continents

• 1998-9: ~40 students from central / eastern Europe, funded 1998-9: ~40 students from central / eastern Europe, funded through Open Society Foundationthrough Open Society Foundation

• 2007-9: ~25 students from southern Commonwealth 2007-9: ~25 students from southern Commonwealth countries, funded through Commonwealth Scholarshipscountries, funded through Commonwealth Scholarships

Immersive Worlds: The BeginningsImmersive Worlds: The Beginnings

For 10 years until 2008 Birkbeck students For 10 years until 2008 Birkbeck students and tutors met in a and tutors met in a MUDMUD • MUD = MUD = MMulti ulti UUser ser DDimension imension • ~ “rich” chat room type experience~ “rich” chat room type experience• An Internet environment in which participants An Internet environment in which participants

move around and interact with each othermove around and interact with each other Using 1980s technologyUsing 1980s technology

• Mostly text-based; Web interface popular Mostly text-based; Web interface popular Initially used “BioMOO”Initially used “BioMOO” Replaced with dedicated server at BirkbeckReplaced with dedicated server at Birkbeck

BioMOO: BioMOO: A Precursor to Second Life?A Precursor to Second Life?

A mainly text based A mainly text based “virtual world”“virtual world”

Included different Included different environments including environments including “tutorial rooms”“tutorial rooms”

Some students developed Some students developed Some (limited) use of Some (limited) use of

objectsobjects• e.g. transcripts of tutorial e.g. transcripts of tutorial

sessionssessions Public area: tutorials Public area: tutorials

could be “gatecrashed”could be “gatecrashed”

BioMOO “screen shot” : 1997

Web 2.0 Social Software at BirkbeckWeb 2.0 Social Software at Birkbeck Project funded for one year (2008) by Centre Project funded for one year (2008) by Centre

for Distance Educationfor Distance Education Explored use of Web 2.0 tools Explored use of Web 2.0 tools

• BlogBlog• WikiWiki• Social bookmarking Social bookmarking • Instant MessengerInstant Messenger

Instead of or in addition to the existing MUD?Instead of or in addition to the existing MUD?• Second LifeSecond Life

Do they enhance our students’ learning? Do they enhance our students’ learning? How? Which work best?How? Which work best?

Concentrating on one cohort: Concentrating on one cohort: • Students taking Principles of Protein Structure Students taking Principles of Protein Structure

2007-82007-8

Birkbeck Structural BiologyBirkbeck Structural Biology in Second Life in Second Life

Tested Second Life with a “focus group” of past and present Tested Second Life with a “focus group” of past and present students… students… • ……including one Commonwealth Scholar, and one ex-student including one Commonwealth Scholar, and one ex-student

with Asperger’s syndromewith Asperger’s syndrome• Held informal discussionsHeld informal discussions

Demonstrated “walk through” molecules illustrating aspects Demonstrated “walk through” molecules illustrating aspects of 3D structureof 3D structure• Did not attempt to construct our own!Did not attempt to construct our own!

Focus Group ConclusionsFocus Group Conclusions Almost all students had no prior experience of Almost all students had no prior experience of

immersive virtual worldsimmersive virtual worlds Students’ experiences of Second Life varied Students’ experiences of Second Life varied

enormouslyenormously Many found it impossible to useMany found it impossible to use

• Almost all Commonwealth ScholarsAlmost all Commonwealth Scholars• Industry-sponsored students using sites protected using Industry-sponsored students using sites protected using

firewallsfirewalls More found it “intriguing” and quite useful in More found it “intriguing” and quite useful in

learninglearning A few were hookedA few were hooked

• Including the former student with Asperger’s Syndrome Including the former student with Asperger’s Syndrome Second Life depends on state-of-the-art hardware, Second Life depends on state-of-the-art hardware,

and fast Internet linesand fast Internet lines• Should that prevent its adoption or merely modify the way Should that prevent its adoption or merely modify the way

we use it?we use it?

Interacting with Molecules and Interacting with Molecules and Biological Systems Biological Systems

Other groups are further advanced:Other groups are further advanced:

Peter MillerPeter Miller (University of Liverpool, UK) (University of Liverpool, UK)• Visualising Microbial and Molecular StructuresVisualising Microbial and Molecular Structures

Jean-Claude BradleyJean-Claude Bradley (Drexel University, (Drexel University, USA)USA)• Visualising Organic ChemistryVisualising Organic Chemistry

Andrew LangAndrew Lang (Oral Roberts University, (Oral Roberts University, USA)USA)• Student Projects: “Learning by Doing”Student Projects: “Learning by Doing”

Molecular and Microbial StructuresMolecular and Microbial Structures

Second Life used in undergraduate Second Life used in undergraduate microbiologymicrobiology “core skills” course“core skills” course

Student projects have includedStudent projects have included• Illustrating mechanisms through models of Illustrating mechanisms through models of

bacterial cell wallsbacterial cell walls• Building displays describing the structure and Building displays describing the structure and

properties of genes in properties of genes in Mycobacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosistuberculosis

• Annotating a 160m-diameter representation of Annotating a 160m-diameter representation of thethe M. tuberculosis M. tuberculosis genomegenome

• Visualising human gut biotaVisualising human gut biota

Images of Genes and ProteinsImages of Genes and Proteins

Part of the M. tuberculosis “giant genome”

Lysin B from mycobacteriophage D29:A “multi-sculpted” protein

© Peter Miller

Genes are touch sensitiveMenu of information revealed on clicking

Visualising Organic ChemistryVisualising Organic Chemistry

Interactive 3D models of organic Interactive 3D models of organic molecules can complement other molecules can complement other types of modellingtypes of modelling• Complexity of the modelling interface Complexity of the modelling interface

limits its uselimits its use• Tools to input molecular descriptions as Tools to input molecular descriptions as

SMILES strings have improved ease of SMILES strings have improved ease of useuse

1-methyl histidine

SMILES:CN1C=C(N=C1)CC(C(=O)O)N

SerotoninSerotonin

NH

OH

NH2

C10H12N2O

Second Life representation of serotinin created from its SMILES string using the ORAC program

© Jean-Claude Bradley

““The Spectral Game”The Spectral Game” Students score points by identifying Students score points by identifying

molecules from their NMR spectramolecules from their NMR spectra

© Jean-Claude Bradley

““Learning by Doing”Learning by Doing”

Students at Oral Roberts University learn Students at Oral Roberts University learn by building Second Life representations of by building Second Life representations of biological and chemical entities biological and chemical entities • Building scale models of hydrogen atom Building scale models of hydrogen atom

orbitalsorbitals• Illustrating Conway’s Game of LifeIllustrating Conway’s Game of Life• Demonstrating algal bloomDemonstrating algal bloom

Public domain tools built by collaborators Public domain tools built by collaborators regularly used by studentsregularly used by students• Protein structure rendering toolsProtein structure rendering tools• ORAC molecular rezzer (using SMILES strings)ORAC molecular rezzer (using SMILES strings)

Problems in Second Life?Problems in Second Life? Second Life’s developer, Linden Lab, is cutting Second Life’s developer, Linden Lab, is cutting

down on discounts and perks for educational down on discounts and perks for educational customerscustomers

Steep learning curve is still a serious problem!Steep learning curve is still a serious problem! NatureNature’s four-year experiment using Second Life ’s four-year experiment using Second Life

for lectures and discussions ended in 2010for lectures and discussions ended in 2010

Solutions…?Solutions…?• A “basic” version of Second Life for beginnersA “basic” version of Second Life for beginners• Education-focused virtual worldsEducation-focused virtual worlds

Commercial examples include ReactionGridCommercial examples include ReactionGrid• Open source solutionsOpen source solutions

Open SimOpen Sim• To be explored in another lecture in this seriesTo be explored in another lecture in this series

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements At Birkbeck:At Birkbeck:

• David Moss, Peter Murray-Rust and Alan Mills, distance David Moss, Peter Murray-Rust and Alan Mills, distance education pioneerseducation pioneers

• Dave Houldershaw, technical coordinatorDave Houldershaw, technical coordinator

In Second Life:In Second Life:• Peter Miller (avatar Graham Mills)Peter Miller (avatar Graham Mills)• Andrew Lang (avatar Hiro Sheridan)Andrew Lang (avatar Hiro Sheridan)• Jean-Claude Bradley (avatar Horace Moody)Jean-Claude Bradley (avatar Horace Moody)

• (I am Rosalind Heliosense)(I am Rosalind Heliosense)