Identities within Virtual Worlds and Future

Metaverses: Implications for our Existence in Online

Spaces

• The implications of the change to digital learning• Will it be accepted by the

society?

Marc Prensky said, ‘Our

students have changed radically. Today’s students are no longer the

people our educational system was designed to

teach’ (Prensky, 2011, p.1)

The human brain, that most

sensitive of organs, is under threat from the modern world

(Greenfield, 2011)

The change is needed?

Is the students changing through

nurture or are they being

influenced by technology?

Is digital learning already in used?

Virtual worlds are already being used?

‘The education community is the fastest growing and among the most vibrant, active, and dynamic in Second Life’ (second life, 2011)

‘There are ‘over 700 educational institutions from all over the world are in Second Life today’ (Linden

Lab, 2011)

‘Dozens of highly successful projects are proving that Second Life can be as effective as traditional

classrooms and for many students it’s an even more effective learning environment’ (Linden Lab, 2011) .

Loyalist college: Virtual World Simulation Training Prepares

Real Guards on the US-Canadian Border: Loyalist College in Second Life

‘Before September 11, 2001, Customs and Immigration students at Loyalist College spent three weeks tailing professional border guards to experience the daily routine of their future job.

However, In a post-911 environment, this was no longer allowed. Training suffered until the Director of Educational Technology at Loyalist College catalyzed a virtual border crossing simulation in Second Life for Loyalist students’. (second life, 2011)

scores from a 56% success in 2007, to 95% at the end of

2008

Over 650 students and 8

faculty explored Second Life for

mixed purposes.

‘The new media consortium: Developing New Learning and Collaboration Environments for Educators

‘The New Media Consortium (NMC) is a non-profit consortium of learning-focused organizations founded in 1993. it has nearly 300 members, including most of the top colleges and universities in the world, museums, research centers, foundations, and other forward-thinking organizations. Since 2006 the NMC has used Second Life as another medium to achieve their mission - to encourage the use of emerging technologies in support of teaching, learning, research, and creative expression – with remarkable results’. (second life, 2009)

The open university: Providing Geographically Dispersed Students & Faculty A

Place to Meet and Learn Together:

• Funded by a Royal Charter in 1969, the Open University (OU) is the largest university in the United Kingdom and the only one dedicated to providing quality Although there is only one physical campus - in Milton Keynes, England

• OU students living outside of the Milton Keynes area, or the UK, can participate in classes via local tutorials, postal and telephone tuition, the Internet and now Second Life. a chance to meet, work and live together in a virtual community.’ (Second life, 2009)

Advantages

• ‘Today's challenging environment: Economic pressures from budget cuts and the rising cost of

education continue to mount. While students are forced to pay higher tuition fees, share resources, and even drop classes, educators are obligated to creatively “do more with less” by designing curricula that accommodates economic constraints’ (Linden Lab, 2011)

‘Virtual worlds enable real life learning’

They can also work with students from various areas which broaden their imaginations.

It amplifies learning via presentations, chat, calls.

And most importantly, ‘You feel like you’re there. We call it a sense of “presence”’. (Linden Lab, 2011)

You can prototype real life productions.

Ken Hudson, Managing Director, Virtual World Design Center, Loyalist College says

“Loyalist College believes strongly

that were it not for Second Life, we

would not be involved in virtual

worlds whatsoever. The learning in these spaces is

amazing, and when we are working with

30% increases in success, there is

nothing more memorable than

that.” (Linden Lab, 2011)

‘Engaging learning environment: It enables deeply immersive,

meaningful, and memorable experiences’ (Linden Lab, 2011)

Think green Although ‘virtual worlds require energy to

power computers and servers, the environmental impact is minimal by comparison’ (Linden Lab, 2011).

DisadvantagesIt may not be relevant for all subjects

Students might display cyberdisinhibition as i experienced on Unity 3d.

Ontology

Addiction (Vine,2010)

Bennetsen (2006) observed the two dominant modes in which activities take place within virtual worlds, in his case Second Life. He

refers to these two modes as Immersion and Augmentation ( Bennetsen, 2006, p. 102)

Immersionist

Augmentationist

There are good and bad effects of virtual learning. Virtual world should be used not so often so it does not become a game for students.

References

• Bennetsen, H. (2006) augmentation vs immersion. Available AT: HTTP://SLCREATIVITY.Org/WIKI/INDEX.Php?Title=augmentation_vs_immersion (ACCESSED: 10TH DECEMBER 2011)

• Greenfield, S. (2011) modern technology is changing the way our brains work, says neuroscientist. Available AT: HTTP://WWW.Dailymail.Co.Uk/SCIENCETECH/ARTICLE-565207/MODERN-TECHNOLOGY-CHANGING-WAY-BRAINS-WORK-SAYS-NEUROSCIENTIST.Html#ixzz1gfb8ba3y (ACCESSED: 10TH DECEMBER 2011)

• Linden LAB (2011) SECOND LIFE EDUCATION: THE VIRTUAL LEARNING ADVANTAGE. Available AT: HTTP://LECS-STATIC-SECONDLIFE-COM.S3.Amazonaws.Com/WORK/SL-EDU-BROCHURE-010411.Pdf (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)

• Prensky, M (2001) ‘DIGITAL NATIVES, DIGITAL IMMIGRANTS’ ON THE HORIZON 9 (5) [ONLINE] AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.Marcprensky.Com/WRITING/PRENSKY%20-%20DIGITAL%20NATIVES,%20DIGITAL%20IMMIGRANTS%20-%20PART1.Pdf (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)

• Second LIFE (2009) CASE STUDY: THE NEW MEDIA CONSORTIUM. Available AT: HTTP://WIKI.Secondlife.Com/WIKI/CASE_STUDY:_THE_NEW_MEDIA_CONSORTIUM_(NMC) (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)

• SECOND LIFE (2009) CASE STUDY: THE OPEN UNIVERSITY. Availability AT: HTTP://WIKI.Secondlife.Com/WIKI/CASE_STUDY:_THE_OPEN_UNIVERSITY (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)

• Second LIFE (2011) CASE STUDY: LOYALIST COLLEGE. Available AT: HTTP://WIKI.Secondlife.Com/WIKI/CASE_STUDY:_LOYALIST_COLLEGE (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)

• Second LIFE (2011) SECOND LIFE EDUCATION/ RESOURCES. Available AT: HTTP://WIKI.Secondlife.Com/WIKI/SECOND_LIFE_EDUCATION/RESOURCES (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)

• Vine, J (2010) BBC’S PANORAMA- VIDEOGAMES ADDICTION? Available AT: HTTP://WWW.Youtube.Com/WATCH?V=r83287n6kfg (ACCESSED:10TH DECEMBER 2011)