Principles of Distance EducationEDUC 7102Jane DeWitt

Walden UniversityDr. Schnellert

October 11, 2009

In defining the rhymes of history, maybe we’re at the dawn of a new Renaissance, producing in its

own way earthshaking developments in the sciences, arts, and other fields…Dr. David

Thornburg(Laureate Education Inc., 2008)

What is Distance Learning?• the process of transferring knowledge to

learners who are separated from the instructor by time and/or physical distance

• make use of technology components to accomplish learning

Internet Video CD's Tapes •

Why Distant Learning?The biggest motivation behind

distance learning has been social changes.

Over the years, individuals, institutions, businesses, and the military have

continuously sought for alternative means of access to higher education as they strive to cope with the lifestyles

and the changing demands of the economies and societies in which they

live.

Collaboration forms the foundation of an online learning community

Brings students together

Supports the learning of each member

Promotes creativityPromotes critical

thinking

(Palloff & Pratt, 2005, p. xi)

Bloom’s Taxonomy

The goal of

learning is to move along the hierarchic

al pathway

Taxonomy for Digital Age

Virtual Worlds

Second Life (SL) developed by Linden Lab

Launched on June 23, 2003Accessible via the internetFree client program allows

users (Residents) to interact as avatars

What is Second Life?• Largest Virtual

World• Tens of

millions of square meters of virtual lands

• More than 13 million registered users (residents) http://horizonproject.wikispaces.com/file/view/Second_Life_Logo.jpg

Residents can…

ExploreSocializeParticipate in group or individual

activitiesCreate and trade virtual propertyTravelCollaborate Participate in online

conferences/training

Applications of Second LifeEducation

Open University (OU) Largest university in the United

KingdomOver 2 million people have studied

at OUCurrently 150,000 undergraduatesMore than 30,000 postgraduates

The OU Campus in Second Life

Offers something completely new and invigorating for a varied and

widely dispersed student body

A chance to meet Work

Live together in a virtual community

(Linden Research, Inc. 2009)

Who is using Virtual Worlds?

• Artist have set up galleries• Musicians have held concerts• Authors have read their work

• Churches have set up congregations• Therapists and Counselors have

sessions using avatars• Governments have established

virtual embassies where people may speak to representatives

• Large numbers of colleges and Universities have established a presence in virtual worlds

• Faculty members use avatars to collaborate with students

• Courses are taught in-world providing among members compelling interaction http://iste-eduverse.typepad.com/.a/6a010536eeac90970b01116845a89d970c-pi

Significance of Second Life

• Offers synchronous experience to geographically disparate users

• Strong attraction for academics and researchers

• Legitimate surrogate for the real world

• Teach users how to work effectively in a group

• Results may influence real world classrooms

Where’s it going?

• Educational settings in Second Life look like real classrooms

• Used for distance learning• Instructors and students can

communicate• Prepares for the real world in which

many types of interactions are essential

Virtual WorldsReshaping Human Interaction Imagine a future where virtual reality and the real world blend

together…. It’s a real possibility, and all it

takes is an ordinary PC.

(Edward Castronova, Indiana University, 2006)

http://www.avatarplanet.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/2009_09_18_MultipleComputers_002_400px.jpg

References

Avasthi, A. (2006, October 17). "second life" other virtual worlds reshaping human interaction.

Retrieved from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061017-second-life.html. Dickey, M. D. (2005). Three-dimensional virtual worlds and distance learning: two case

studies of Active Worlds as a medium for distance education. British Journal of Educational Technology, 36, 439-451.

Kemp, J., & Livingstone, D. (2007). Putting a second life metaverse skin on learning mangement systems. Manuscript submitted for publication, San Jose State University,. San Jose, USA. Retrieved from http://www.sloodle.com/whitepaper.pdf.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Distance education: Identifying Trends [Motion picture]. (Available from Laureate Education, Inc., Baltimore)

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual classroom. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Salzman, M., Dede, C., Loftin, R., & Chen, J. (1999). A Model for understanding how virtual reality aids complex conceptual learning. Manuscript submitted for publication, Department of Psycholog, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA. Retrieved from http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1246824.

(2009). Second Life. Wikipedia. Retrieved (2009, October 1) from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_life.

(2008). 7 things you should know about...second life. Educause Leaerning Initiativ, Retrieved from www.educause.edu/eli.