virtual worlds, real learning? the uptake of virtual worlds for teaching and learning in uk...
DESCRIPTION
A presentation at the TERENA Networking Conference 2009 in Malaga.TRANSCRIPT
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Andy Powell, EduservSL: Art Fossett
[email protected]/research
Virtual worlds, real learning?
The uptake of virtual worlds for teaching and learning in UK universities
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what are the definitive features of virtual worlds like Second Life?
what are the affordances of virtual world’s for teaching and learning?
overview of uptake in the UK
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what are the definitive features of virtual worlds like Second Life?
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on the Internet no one knows you’re a dog
but wings and tails (‘furries’) seem oddly popular!
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what are the affordances of virtual world’s for teaching and learning?
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SL can be used to deliver lectures, but…
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...most suited to “active” and “collaborative” learning styles
building
coding
discussion groups
machinima and drama production
role-play
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meetings, particularly hybrid-meetings, work well
(given communication limitations)
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overview of uptake in the UK
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Hype
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Second Life hype
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Second Life in education hype
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poor “orientation” experience
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technical barriers and relatively poor graphics
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people simply don’t “get it”
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communication issues
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Eduserv has funded a series of snapshots since 2006
undertaken by John Kirriemuir
(SL: Silversprite Helsinki)
http://tinyurl.com/3ps2f3
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virtualworldwatch.net
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active development at over 90% of UK universities
http://tinyurl.com/3ps2f3
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core of early adopters, e.g. Edinburgh and Open University, using it extensively in teaching and
learning
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units and teams in quite a few other universities, typically run by “strong-headed” people, using
SL for both teaching and learning and other research
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massive duplication of research across UK universities as to whether virtual worlds have a
valuable role in teaching and learning
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many individual academics undertaking isolated work in SL, usually under the radar, often
unwilling to share outcomes
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SL still very predominant – some (growing) interest in OpenSim but likely to be a long while
before SL loses its place as market leader
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overall, very fragmented picture both within and across universities
impossible to make generalisations for UK as a whole
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Conclusions
SL remains the market leader by far
despite all the negativity around SL it remains the best educational MUVE offering
but… competition is coming
which is good for everyone (except Linden Lab!)
it is probably too early (i.e. expensive) for most educational institutions to experiment with
other virtual worlds right now
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Questions
questions…