Using 3D Virtual Worlds – OpenSimulator, Quest Atlantis –

to Teach International School Students Computer Science and Human Values

David W. Deeds and Alex Makosz

Changchun American International School, Jilin Province, China

AACE ED-MEDIA: June 30, 2011 Lisbon, Portugal

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

Quest Atlantis is:

3D MUVE

Aimed at students 9-16

It’s a rich, pre-built game environment with structured learning activities

Provide both content & character education

20,000 children over the last 5 years

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

Other important things Quest Atlantis is:

Visually appealing

Fun to engage in

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

What QA looks like:

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

Why did we select Quest Atlantis?

Increase independent problem solving abilities

Inspire students to take positive action, reflect upon the consequences and develop confidence in making a difference

Support solid disciplinary learning

Provide opportunities for transdisciplinary learning

Stay in touch with digital trends in education

It’s free!

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

The Process of Getting in:

Visit http://atlantis.crlt.indiana.edu/

Teacher induction processes

Student signing of release forms

Laying down the story and setting up the context

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

Setting the Stage:

YouTube QA Legend Video

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

The Importance of Context:

There is a rich narrative

Skill, attitude and knowledge development are integral to the narrative

Students play a key role in the narrative

QA engages students in transformational play

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

Student Experience

Immediately drawn into the narrative of the world

Open-ended exploration as well as guided interaction through completing ‘quests’ that they find or are assigned by the teacher

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

Examples

Plague World

Taiga

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

Students were:

highly motivated

able to demonstrate learning of subject specific skills and knowledge

independently integrating skills and knowledge from multiple disciplines in practical, problem-solving contexts

required to take action, then to demonstrate reflection upon and justification of their decisions

able to immediately see the complex results of their decisions

Results

“I never thought picking up

garbage could be so much fun!”

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

The teacher was:

Able to select and assign quests according to class content and student interests

able to monitor student progress and provide specific feedback in context through the game interface

supported through a community of real teachers working in QA as well as though in game learning

Results

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

The teacher was:

Able to select and assign quests according to class content and student interests

able to monitor student progress and provide specific feedback in context through the game interface

supported through a community of real teachers working in QA as well as though in game learning activities and materials

highly motivated

Results

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

The administrator is:

Confident in the learning value of activities in QA

Confident in teacher development opportunities

Able to justify the use of QA as an educational tool to parents

Not required to swallow large budgetary implications – because it’s free!

Results

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest AtlantisNot a simple tool, but an extremely versatile

environment with many tools inside and space to use those tools in supporting student learning

We hope for other educational game developers to consider the importance of teacher education in their development

Closing Thoughts

3D Virtual Worlds: Quest Atlantis

Thank you!

Alex Makosz David Deedsagmakosz@gmail.comdavidwdeeds@yahoo.com

Changchun American International School

Very interested in working together with more schools in 3D virtual worlds!!

3D Virtual Worlds: More Info

http://www.makosz.org – resource to support new teachers and admin in understanding and adopting 3D virtual worlds

http://atlantis.crlt.indiana.edu/ - QA home, with downloads & info

http://questatlantisblog.org – QA blog, for ongoing updates

http://www.youtube.com/user/questatlantis - QA YouTube channel

http://workedexamples.org/projects/taiga-virtual-park – focused look at Taiga world in QA

http://workedexamples.org/projects/plague-world-a-modern-prometheus – focused look at Plague world in QA

http://vhil.stanford.edu/ - Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab, for further research on impacts of virtual worlds on identity and behaviour

Further Links

3D Virtual Worlds: More Info Barab, S. A., Dodge, T., Ingram-Goble, A., Volk, C., Peppler, K., Pettyjohn, P. & Solomou, M. (2009). 'Pedagogical

Dramas and Transformational Play: Realizing Narrative through Videogames Design.' Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 59(15), 332-335.

Barab, S., Dodge, T., Tuzun, H., Job-Sluder, K., Jackson, C., Arici, A., Job-Sluder, L., Carteaux, R., Gilbertson, J. & Heiselt, C. (2007). 'The Quest Atlantis Project: A Socially-Responsive Play Space for Learning.' The Educational Design and Use of Simulation Computer Games, 00-00.

Barab, S. A., Thomas, M. K., Dodge, T., Squire, K. & Newell, M. (2004). 'Critical Design Ethnography: Designing for Change.' Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 35(2), 254-268..

Dodge, T., Barab, S., Stuckey, B., Warren, S., Heiselt, C. & Stein, R. (2008). 'Children's Sense of Self: Learning and Meaning in the Digital Age.' Journal of Interactive Learning Research, 19(2), 225-249.

Other Relevant Papers

3D Virtual Worlds: More Info

2011 Horizon Report: nmc.org/publications/2011-horizon-report

Published by the New Media Consortium and the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (www.educause.edu/eli)

3D Virtual Worlds: More InfoOpenSimulator Wiki:

opensimulator.org/wiki/Main_Page

Maria Korolov’s Hypergrid Business Ezine:

www.hypergridbusiness.com/

Mary Miner’s Wiki:

virtualworldspresentation.pbworks.com/w/page/27991248/FrontPage

3D Virtual Worlds: More Info

Jeff Heaton Books (www.heatonresearch.com/book/cat/3)

“Introduction to Linden Scripting Language for Second Life,” ISBN: 978-1604390049

“Scripting Recipes for Second Life,” ISBN: 978-1604390001

“Introduction to Textures, Animation Audio and Sculpting in Second Life,” ISBN: 978-1604390025

3D Virtual Worlds: More Info

“Second Life: The TOG” by Michael Rymaszewski, et al., ISBN: 978-0470227756

“Creating Your World: TOG Advanced Content Creation for Second Life” by Aimee Weber, et al., ISBN: 978-0470171141

“Scripting Your World: TOG to Second Life Scripting” by Dana Moore, ISBN: 978-0470339831

3D Virtual Worlds: More Info

“A Practical Guide to Using Second Life in Higher Education” by Maggi Savin-Baden, Open University Press, ISBN: 978-0335242146

“The Second Life Grid: The Official Guide to Communication, Collaboration and Community Engagement” by Kimberly Rufer-Bach, Wiley Publishing, ISBN: 978-0-470-41291-6

“The Entrepreneur's Guide to Second Life: Making Money in the Metaverse” by Daniel Terdiman, Wiley Press, ISBN: 978-0470179147