Learning to Teach in Second Life A Hands-On

Learning to Teach in Second Life: A Hands-On Workshop Lisa Dawley & Chris Haskell Dept. of Educational Technology

Audience l l l How many have been in a virtual world of any kind? How many have created an account, an avatar in Second Life? How many are inworld more than 1 hour per week? How many are inworld more than 3 hours per week? How many currently teach in SL?

Overview of Today’s Session Short overview on Second Life & Teen SL l Split into two groups & rotate l ¡ ¡ l Hands-on learning centers on EDTECH Island Discussion group on pedagogical techniques Questions & Next Steps

Web 2. 0 Tools Ø Explore social networking technologies… ¡ ¡ ¡ Blogs - web journal www. blogger. com Wikis - collaborative online space, editable by community www. pbwiki. com Photo & Video Sharing www. flickr. com photobucket. com www. youtube. com Virtual Worlds - online 3 D, immersive environments Active. Worlds Second Life There Hipihi Teen. Second Life Habbo 3 B Gogofrog Why. Ville Toon. Town Club Penguin

Why Virtual Worlds? Ø The Internet is Going 3 D ¡ In 2007, 24%, or 8. 2 million children, visited virtual worlds. ¡ By 2011, the estimate is 53% or 20 million. • Over 100 virtual worlds are in use or planned for release this year. • By the end of the year, Club Penguin will be the largest with over 50 million kids. 3 DLearn Interactive Academy http: //www. 3 dlearn. com/ • By 2011, 80% of internet users will use virtual worlds.

EDTECH Island Ø What is EDTECH Island? EDTECH Island is located on the main grid of Second Life (18 and over) Ø Began in January 2007 offering graduate courses in educational technology Ø Over 1, 000 educators in our EDTECH community group (please join us!) Ø

EDTECH Island Designed in response to students’ needs: • • • Building skills Information Meeting place Social area Living areas Amphitheater

Handling Griefers • • Close Second Life Turn off your computer Ignore them Teleport or fly away Mute them (right click on their avatar & mute) Report them using the “Abuse” feature Ban or eject them

EDTECH Island Wiki http: //edtechisland. wetpaint. com/

Activities in Second Life Ø What can you do in Second Life? ¡ Because SL is a simulation, possibilities are endless ¡ Build & Script: the entire world is designed and built by users ¡ Role play: human, alien, animal, mermaid… ¡ Activities: fly, run, roller skate, swim, surf, race boats, dance, parachute, play music, sing, write books, visit a famous city, explore museums, meet historical figures, date, ski, attend classes, create a living ecosystem, stage and film a movie, meditate, attend church, participate in charitable events, start a real business that generates revenues

Pedagogy in Second Life Ø What teaching approaches and techniques are used in Second Life? Ø Ø Ø Ø Lecture Whole group discussion Small group discussion Collaborative projects Scavenger hunts Peer observation and feedback Surveys, tests Note-taking Field trips Simulations Guest speakers Design & building Commerce-based learning Interviews And more….

K-12 Education in Second Life Ø Examples of Second Life in K-12 Education ¡ Camp Global Kids 2006 was the first virtual summer camp. ¡ Global Kids Island in the teen grid is a place for teen residents to learn about important social and world issues. ¡ Kids Connect is a series of workshops for young people in multiple locations, teaching them to connect and work together via performance, storytelling and collaboration by both physical and digital means. ¡ Exploratorium in San Francisco, the museum of science, art, and human perception, mixed real- and virtual-world experiences when they presented a live Webcast of a solar eclipse from Side, Turkey, in three virtual SL amphitheaters.

Diversity & Culture Ø Choose Your Appearance Ø SL has many diverse cultures, sub-cultures, and social networking groups. SL provides teachers and students the opportunity to engage in experiential learning opportunities with diversity, in a non-threatening environment. Avatars can take on any physical shape including human, animal, robots, and objects such as the Kool. Aid man.

Socialization Ø Students can socialize beyond the classroom Ø Back-to-school party Ø Social events, like this back-to-school party on EDTECH Island, provide students and other educators a way to socialize and build relationships beyond the classroom.

Sciences Ø International Space Flight Museum Ø Experiential learning in space Ø Life size replicas of actual rockets, NASA video, and interactive exhibits. Ride a rocket into space, land walk on a space station, see the Hubble Telescope, and teleports to planets in the solar system created from actual space photography.

Music & Theater Ø Live Music, Theater & Poetry Ø Hundreds of Artists Play Live Everyday Ø SL streams live audio. Musicians, singers, and actors find a willing audience any time of day. • Suzanne Vega • Sting • U 2

Literacy Ø The Edgar Allen Poe House Ø Immersive Education in the Literature Alive! Project Visit scenes recreated from Edgar Allen Poe’s novels. Explore activities designed to engage you with the text.

Impact of Social Networking Ø Why Use Social Networking? ¡ Web 2. 0 technologies are changing the way we communicate. Communication influences how people think and learn. ¡ Historically, mass communication has involved transmission from a main source to many users. Note the same is basically true for all levels of education since the Industrial Age. Teacher, TV, advertiser Student

Teacher’s Role in Social Networks Ø Why Use Social Networking? ¡ ¡ Social networking promotes mass communication among all users, thus supporting constructivist approaches to teaching. Teacher Student Examples of influence of social networks: political campaign blogs, You. Tube, My. Space ¡ Role of teacher: facilitator of the network ¡ In an era of social networking, those participating WITHIN the network are most credible. Student Teacher Student Parent

SL’s Social Network SL’s intersection with the social network is vast, and takes many forms: Ø Ø Ø Ø SL currently interfaces with blogs, email, web pages, audio, video streams Sloodle: Moodle and SL mashup Geo. Globe: brings Google Earth into SL Salamander: Merlot database project Inworld groups and ads Slurls SLExchange: The “ebay” for SL Anything on the internet can be brought into Second Life. SL is the “web plus. ”

Educator Networks In Second Life

Educator Networks Around Second Life

Educator Networks In and Around Second Life

Challenges & Concerns Ø Some Challenges and Concerns with Second Life ¡ Mature content on the main grid ¡ TOS and community standards ¡ Access for all students ¡ Faculty training, learning curve ¡ Costs & management ¡ Griefers

Videos on Second Life Ø Watch These Videos to See What SL is All About… ¡ New Media Consortium Second Life Video www. youtube. com/watch? v=K 8 wm_1 TIHGA ¡ ¡ Global Kids in Second Life (3 videos) http: //secondlife. com/businesseducation/education. php NOAA's Virtual Island www. youtube. com/watch? ¡ Architecture in Second Life Machinima www. youtube. com/watch? v=Kruz. H 82 Z 2 q. Q ¡ The Making of Suzanne Vega's Second Life Guitar www. youtube. com/watch? v=b. QL 8_HB 1 Ht. Q

Getting Started in SL Ø Getting Started in Second Life… ¡ Second Life Education Wiki - everything you need to know about SL. http: //sleducation. wikispaces. com/ ¡ Introducing your Real Life Students to Second Life - provides overview of things to consider when using SL with your students. www. cxknowledge. com ¡ Rez Ed: The Hub for Learning & Virtual Worlds http: //www. rezed. org/ ¡ Second Life Education Grid http: //secondlifegrid. net/slfe/education-usevirtual-world

How do I teach in Second Life? 1. 2. 3. 4. First, be a learner, not a teacher. Spend time on the main grid. Take as many free classes as you can! Understand the basics of the interface (Torley’s You. Tube videos!) Get involved in virtual educator groups: l l l 5. Learn where to find information: l l 6. 7. 8. 9. Second Life (listserv) Teen Second Life (listserv) Rez Ed (website) SL Education wiki Sim. Teach wiki Learn to build Carefully plan your Teen SL project Stock up your avatar before you move over Keep it fun! Allow you and your kids to be creative