second life and virtual academics
DESCRIPTION
This presentation was delivered at the 2008 League for Innovation Conference in Denver, CO.TRANSCRIPT
Second Life and Virtual Academics: Using MUVEs to Enhance Teaching and Learning
Beth Ritter-Guth (Desideria Stockton)
David Longenbach (Foe Hammerer)
Your Guides• Beth Ritter-Guth, Instructor of English,
Communication, and Women’s Studies, LCCC, CEO of Literature Alive, [email protected]
• David Longenbach, Dean of Academic Services, LCCC, [email protected]
• Lisa Plummer, Associate Dean of Institutional Statistics, [email protected]
• Eloise Pasteur, Educational Designer, UK, [email protected]
• Daliah Carter, Literature Alive! Assistant, Displaced Worker/Graduate, LCCC
The Vestibule• Creating Desideria Stockton
– Gender Discourse Research Exploration– The Birth of Literature Alive!
• Lack of Humanities Content• Lack of Faculty Development Opportunities• Need for Edifying Content• Collaboration with Eloise Pasteur (Virgil)
Spotlight
The Archetypal Cavern
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Cevert/131/87/50
Limbo• Challenges
– No Connections, No Money, No Clue
• Strategies– Quit– Found Harvard – Joined Sled List (
http://secondlife.com/education)– Met Sarah Robbins (Intellagirl Tully) and
Bryan Carter (Bryan Mnemonic)– Met Eloise Pasteur– Became a Student
Spotlight
Mama Day Interactivehttp://slurl.com/secondlife/Montclair%20State%20CHSS/222/160/0
The Lustful• Fears
– Adult Content– Counter Culture (BDSM/Furry/Gor/Child
RP/RC RP) – Griefing– Addiction
• Strategies– Prepare Students for International Travel– Engage Students– Provide Safe Havens
• Visit Literature Alive! Headquarters Lucky Chairs and Gaming Station
Spotlight
The Gothic Literature Classroomhttp://slurl.com/secondlife/Eduisland%203/224/32/0
The Gluttonous• Challenges to Finding Good Content:
– Educators Do Not Promote (strip clubs do)
• Strategies:– Started Building British Literature Classroom– Created Open Access Policy via Creative
Commons– Listed All Builds in Classifieds
Spotlight
Literature of the Progressive Erahttp://slurl.com/secondlife/VIT%20World/151/128/23
Hoarders and Wasters• Challenges:
– Some Educators Do Not Share– Locked Sims– No Place to Learn HOW to teach using SL
(lots of places to learn WHY)
• Strategies– Open SLedware Project (Hiro Sheridan,
Eloise Pasteur)– Creative Commons Licensing– Faculty Workshops @ the Collaboration
Station
Spotlight
The Walden Farm Projecthttp://slurl.com/secondlife/Monroe%20CC%202/210/212/0
The Wrathful
• Challenges:– Peer Faculty Perceptions– Bad Press– Frustrated Students
• Strategies:– Recruited Dean Dave– Good Press– Listened to Students
Spotlight
Grendel’s Lair
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Io/19/201/54
The Heretics• Challenges:
– Virtual Literature versus “Real Literature”– Perception of “Unethical Practice”– Restricted Classrooms
• Strategies:– Commitment to Virtual Ethics– Commitment to Global Partnerships– Tour
• Poe Classroom• Spoon River Anthology• Archetypal Cavern
Spotlight
Rime of the Ancient Marinerhttp://slurl.com/secondlife/Lehigh%20Carbon%20Island/194/89/31
The Violent• The Death of Good Ideas
– Lack of Funding, Lack of IT Support (Public Disapproval), Lack of Peer Support (Tenure/Promotion)
• Strategies:– Remember the Cause: STUDENTS!– “If you are going to kick up sand, expect to get sand in
your eye” – Former Administrator– Create Partnerships
• Community College Consortium (Pipsqueak Fiddlesticks)
– Sponsorships • Super Sponsors: Finger Lakes CC, Monroe CC, NMC,
FireSabre Consulting, Eloise Pasteur Educational Designs
The Women and War Partnershiphttp://slurl.com/secondlife/Drexel/194/30/0
• Introduction to Women’s Studies (online)
• History of World War II (F2F)– Shared Resources– Collaboration– Joint Projects– Assessment
The Fraudulent• Recreating Real Life
– Lack of Immersion– Empty Shells– Politics
• Strategies:– Revised Projects– Self Sustaining Builds– Surrounded by GREAT and AWESOME
people!!!!
Spotlight
Edgar Allan Poe’s House of Usherhttp://slurl.com/secondlife/Lehigh%20Carbon%20Island/194/89/31
The Treacherous
• The Nay Sayers– They do not go away!!!
• Strategies:– Start Somewhere (find a guide)– Build a Reputation– Celebrate the Success of All– Share Resources– Collaborate– Present– Publish (Innovate)
