david w. deeds: global education conference 2012
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David W. Deeds' presentation: Global Education Conference 2012. Title: "Information Technology in a Global Society Goes 3D!"TRANSCRIPT
Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS) Goes 3D!
David W. DeedsColegios Peterson, Mexico City
Global Education ConferenceNovember 14, 2012
Background: International Baccalaureate (IB): nonprofit
educational foundation, helps students to develop skills (intellectual, social, emotional, personal) needed to live/work in a “rapidly globalizing world”
Diploma Program (DP): IB high school, prepares students for 21st century: inter- connectedness, international-mindedness, critical thinking
ITGS Goes 3D!
Background (cont.):
Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS): “…the study and evaluation of the impacts of Information Technology (IT) on individuals and society…[i]t explores the advantages and disadvantages of the access and use of digitized information at the local and global level”- IB ITGS Handbook
ITGS Goes 3D!
Background (cont.):
ITGS: Not a technology class per se, but lots of
geekiness involved In the IB’s Individuals and Societies Group, so
is considered a Humanities class Overarching goal is to enable a “global
village,” but until Second Life no practical way of achieving this
ITGS Goes 3D!
Background (cont.): Virtual world: computer-based interactive 3D
simulation, in which users take the form of avatars visible to others graphically
Second Life – commercial 3D virtual world with millions of users, hundreds of educational organizations “inworld”
OpenSimulator – “open source” version of Second Life, used for students 3-15 (Second Life only for learners 16 and older)
ITGS Goes 3D!
Background (cont.):Second Life (http://secondlife.com): Launched in 2003 by Linden Labs (company),
not a game in the usual sense Can blow stuff up, but the main idea is to
interact with others (plus build and program) Own economy and currency (average quarterly
holdings exceed: US $25,000,000) Intellectual property respected, everything you
make/code is yours to sell
ITGS Goes 3D!
Background (cont.): Peterson Schools leases its Second Life
cybercampus from the New Media Consortium (http://www.nmc.org), contact Carol Pfeifer if interested: [email protected]
Peterson Schools leases its OpenSimulator cybercampus from Dreamland Metaverse (http://www.dreamlandmetaverse.com), contact Snoopy Pfeffer if interested:[email protected]
ITGS Goes 3D!
Game-based learning will happen with or without you! Get on board or get left behind!
Get the 2012 Horizon Report, K-12 or Higher Ed: http://www.nmc.org/horizon-project/horizon-reports
Predicts that game-based learning will be MAINSTREAM in schools by as early as 2014. Why wait until then to get started?
ITGS Goes 3D!
Better Traditional Academic Results:
“The early evidence, both rigorous and anecdotal, seems to strongly suggest that highly interactive virtual learning is a permanent transformation of the educational landscape…[t]his is due in part to interactive environments’ ability to produce better traditional academic results.”
- Clark Aldrich
ITGS Goes 3D!
ITGS Goes 3D!
ITGS Versus Computer Science:
ITGS – main focus is people, systems thinking, using existing software (and hardware), social context is vital, global reach
Computer Science – main focus is hardware/software, algorithmic thinking, creation of new software, business context is vital, usually limited audience
ITGS Goes 3D!
ITGS Three Strands:1. Social and Ethical Significance: intellectual
property, the digital divide, globalization and cultural diversity, etc.
2. Application to Specified Scenarios: business and employment, education and training, home and leisure, etc.
3. IT Systems: hardware/software, digital multimedia, project management, etc.
ITGS Goes 3D!
ITGS Three Strands (cont.):
Strands are to be taught in an integrated way, with the focus on stakeholders (individuals or groups affected by IT developments and/or proposed solutions).
Strands can be taught in any order. A project might be started via an issue, or a particular objective, or the IT systems involved.
ITGS International Dimension:
Embodies global and international awareness Emphasizes global reach (and effects) of
technological advancements Explores advantages and disadvantages of
technology at local and international levels Seeks to develop international connections
and cooperation, concept of “global village”
ITGS Goes 3D!
IB Learner Profile Qualities: Inquirers/Thinkers Knowledgeable Communicators Principled Open-minded Caring Risk-takers Balanced/Reflective
ITGS Goes 3D!
Traditionally Taught:
Textbooks such as: “Discovering Computers” for hardware/software, “Gift of Fire” for social/ethical considerations (now: ITGS textbook)
Online components such as: nings, wikis, blogs, websites in general (2D, not 3D!)
Generally, still typical classroom instruction (where’s the GLOBAL if it’s mostly LOCAL?)
ITGS Goes 3D!
Colegios Peterson Cybercampus, SL Teaching 6
ITGS Goes 3D!
ITGS Art Gallery Project (featured music too!)
ITGS Goes 3D!
ITGS Concert Stage (songs now, podcasts later)!
ITGS Goes 3D!
Students manage their own collaborative projects!
ITGS Goes 3D!
No better way to enable student-centric instruction!
ITGS Goes 3D!
China International Schools Inworld (CISI) Project
ITGS Goes 3D!
Changchun American Int’l School Cybercampus
ITGS Goes 3D!
Now 3D ITGS: Students maintain cybercampus in Second
Life, put on art/music/other shows for now Enables students (and teachers) to connect,
communicate and collaborate with others all over the (real) world
Learners actually are members of a global society (versus just reading about it!)
Products/services can help local and global students and teachers
ITGS Goes 3D!
Now 3D ITGS (cont.): Taken more than 600 students inworld since
first university cybercampus in 2006 Language exchanges: our students hosted
and visited others, learning/teaching English Concerts and exhibits: kids’ art included in
international show, thousands of visitors For ITGS, started with China schools and then
started expanding to different countries and continents
ITGS Goes 3D!
Strand-Specific: Social and Ethical Significance: Students are
part of a million-user online community, joining hundreds of other schools
Application to Specified Scenarios: Students will run actual businesses in online economy, create/maintain intellectual property, etc.
IT Systems: Students must master Computer Aided Design, graphics/photography, project management, programming, etc.
ITGS Goes 3D!
Strand-Specific (cont.): Social and Ethical Significance: Students will
interact with other schools, ideally helping to bridge the digital divide
Application to Specified Scenarios: Student products/services will benefit others, will enable cross-curricular instruction locally
IT Systems: Instruction is student-centric, so students design and manage own projects, learning hardware/software in the process
ITGS Goes 3D!
Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project I: Art/Music Show Social and Ethical Significance: Art itself,
collaboration and cooperation, cross-curricular efforts, marketing
Application to Specified Scenarios: Project management, deliverables by deadlines
IT Systems: Computer Aided Design building, some programming, graphic/music production
ITGS Goes 3D!
Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project I: Art/Music Show
ITGS Goes 3D!
Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project I: Art/Music Show
ITGS Goes 3D!
Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project II: 3D Tutorials Social and Ethical Significance: Digital divide,
reciprocal guidance, interaction with students and teachers in different countries
Application to Specified Scenarios: Creating and/or selling product/service to help others
IT Systems: More sophisticated building and programming, but mainly understanding to teach others (hardware and software)
ITGS Goes 3D!
Strand-Specific (cont.):Example Project II: 3D Tutorials
ITGS Goes 3D!
Integration/Dimension-Specific:
Enables integration of the three strands in ways never possible before (direct relation- ships between technology, applications and social/ethical implications)
Literally (virtually) creates an interconnected “global village” via which students can not just study but impact fellow digital citizens around the (real) world
ITGS Goes 3D!
Profile-Specific:All qualities covered, particularly: Inquirers/Thinkers: Students are in charge of
their investigations/research Communicators: Students will meet and train
others to use 3D virtual worlds Risk-Takers: Students know about 3D games,
but have never done anything like this before! Principled: Students must develop and
practice digital citizenship skills
ITGS Goes 3D!
Summary: Peterson’s 3D ITGS surpasses all IB require-
ments: strands, profiles, dimensions, etc. Our 3D ITGS will revolutionize the way not just
this course is taught, but all IB classes Art and Music already involved, soon Science,
Math and other subjects (locally/globally) Ideal: 3D community of international schools,
sharing sims/regions/campuses (contact me if you’re interested in participating)
ITGS Goes 3D!
Invitation: If your students are 16 or older, come visit us
on our Second Life cybercampus! We can conduct language exchanges or just
plain meetings (ideally lessons/seminars) If your students are younger than 16, we can
meet on our OpenSimulator cybercampus (or a public grid with permissions)
Again, one goal could be to get your school started with 3D virtual worlds!
ITGS Goes 3D!
Summary (cont.): Perhaps most important: “Global village” is a
possible reality (well, virtually!) Can be not just for ITGS/DP students but
learners of all ages via OpenSimulator! Share sims in Second Life or own entire sims
in OpenSimulator (one school could host the gateway and then all others would accessible via hypergridding)
SL tomorrow, OpenSimulator maybe 1 year off
ITGS Goes 3D!
Global Education Conference: “Seeks to present ideas, examples, and
projects related to connecting educators and classrooms with a strong emphasis on promoting global awareness, fostering global competency, and inspiring action towards solving real–world problems.”
How about having sessions in Second Life and/or OpenSimulator next year?
Join us for meetings/projects in the meantime!
ITGS Goes 3D!
Student Quotations: “It is incredible to see how you can relate to
people all around the world!” “I really like this course because it encourages
you to create new things and meet different people.”
And I’ll conclude with my favorite learner quip: “This is education's way to say ‘Welcome to the 21st century!’"
ITGS Goes 3D!
2012 Educational Technology Conferences: Otavan Opisto (Finnish academy, online) Flat Classroom Workshop, part of ASB
Unplugged in Mumbai (to students!) Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education
Conference, inworld Meta Institute for Computational Astrophysics,
inworld AACE Global Learn 2012, online Global Education Conference (this one!)
ITGS Goes 3D!
Thank you! Questions/Comments:David W. Deeds (FaceBook, LinkedIn)E-Mail: [email protected]: davidwdeeds, Twitter: dwdeedsScoop.it:
http://www.scoop.it/t/3d-virtual-worlds-educational-technology
Second Life: Deed Davids, visit Teaching 6, SLURL:http://slurl.com/secondlife/Teaching%206/180/132/23
ITGS Goes 3D!