Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education ConferenceIn Second Life (and other platforms)

Brief Look at VWBPE 2014

Image courtesy of http://echtvirtuell.blogspot.com

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Sean Henry - 4/2014

About VWBPE Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education is a global grass-roots community

event focusing on education in immersive virtual environments.

VWBPE is an open conference is organized by educators, for educators, to provide an opportunity to showcase the learning that takes place in this community of practice.

All educators K-12 and in Higher Education are encouraged to present, attend and take part in this discussion of collaborative deeper learning and co-presence in virtual worlds and games.

The 2014 Theme “Connections” challenged us educators to explore relationships and reflect on the tapestry of how we became who we are, those we connect with, and the innovations in education that brought us to where we are today. “The virtual frontier provides new tools and techniques to recognize these interconnections as well as new means to build previously impossible paths which help establish the links between us all.”

Promotional Video

Sean Henry - 4/2014

VWBPE 2014 Attendance Statistics4500 total attendees from around the world:3400 in Second Life100 in OSgrid (open source alternative to Second Life)

1000 in Livestream

VWBPE Presentation Formats:Seven keynote addresses from cutting-edge educators as well as the both the creator of Second Life as well as the new CEO

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Image courtesy of http://joyardley.wordpress.com

Keynote from new Second Life CEOIn “Reconnecting with the Education Market,” new CEO Ebbe Altberg promises to restore broken connections in a rousing keynote and lengthy Q & A “town hall”session

Sean Henry - 4/2014Image courtesy of http://joyardley.wordpress.com

Sean Henry - 4/2014

VWBPE Presentation Formats:21 Workshops, including “Creating Immersive Environments” by Isa Goodman in New Zealand

Second Life supports many media formats for presentations. Currently, YouTube and Slideshare are very popular.

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Part of “Creating Immersive Environments

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Other VWBPE Presentation Formats:

LecturesFormal panel discussionsInformal roundtable discussions, and …

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Sim Tours … … such as a guided tour of “Hitsville USA,” a recreation of 1960’s Motown/Detroit

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Plus a live theatrical play!The Quill and Quarrel Theatre production company presented their production of Margaret Edson's WIT, winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama

Sean Henry - 4/2014

Social Media Communication at VWBPE

Live nearby conference chat stream or personal IMs to individual attendees/avatars, plus other conversations with friends or groups you have going on simultaneously in Second Life

This green sound wave pattern indicates that voice chat is enabled and the avatar is speaking

Sean Henry - 4/2014

A few VWBPE 2014 observationsMuch emphasis on gamification and game-based

learningLarge representation of language education and

online nursing programs

More emphasis on libraries and information literacy

Some restored faith in Second Life while noting that it has never reached its huge potential as a social media platform due to access issues

Recognition that Second Life needs to set clear, strategic future goals to remain a viable platform

Sean Henry - 4/2014

VWBPE Conference Links

VWBPE WebsiteVWBPE on FlickrVWBPE on YouTube