suny cit 2015 - immersive virtual environments & open source
TRANSCRIPT
PLANNING AND DESIGNING IN NEXT-GENERATION VIRTUAL REALITY: LESSONS LEARNED WITHIN AN IMMERSIVE COURSE ENVIRONMENT
▪ With the advent of open source in virtual reality, the process of planning and designing in virtual reality has taken new dimensions. Moving beyond the costs and constraints of Second Life, students in an immersive practicum course planned and then designed their own virtual reality islands or events. This presentation will share the work of the students and will consider the challenges and victories that emerged – from the perspective of the students and the instructor.
▪ By: Eileen O’Connor, Irene Cruz, Al Ritondo, Marjorie Thompson, Terri Worman
▪ Agenda: Background on virtual; movement to open-source; general course info; explanations from students themselves
Presented May 2015
Ways to procure your own virtual
experiences
Virtual Usage Approaches (join communities)
Second Life / Active Worlds / other providers
Rent islands
Get advanced avatar w/ small land
Sharecrop / field trips
Or, get Open Source (code from SL)
Stand alone or
hypergrid
Types of viewers
Try on your computer
Various platforms today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenSimulator
http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Main_Page
New providers are emerging; lower
cost, more features . . .
stability?
http://www.kitely.com/
http://www.dreamlandmetaverse.com/
What changes has open source allowed? • A larger, more cohesive framework for complex designs
• A location where students could have ownership and control over an entire process / learning by reading, watching, doing, testing, sharing
• A framework that allowed students to develop projects for others beyond themselves and their direct work /school experience
• Greater sophistication in the work that emerged – from limited applications/all move towards things they would like to see that were not feasible in their current environment/students came with expertise and content areas
• A more comprehensive and applied understanding of a complete learning environment • Freed from the constraints of “reality” – but held to a standard of sense-
making, application, quality
• Something that could be saved and used later – entire island downloads
Why virtual? And, what can you REALLY do? • Students could now develop an entire “concept” for an education
/ communication / interaction environment
• The bi-weekly meeting were about real events and designs – not just simple widgets and whirly-gigs
• Students visited and share each others design ideas
• Students could envision an entire process or project – and create a starting point that they could continue to develop
Design, immersion & conceptual framing became a reality
What was the process of learning & community building? – working together in comfortable settings
• Meeting and sharing• Ideas / technologies eventually, articulating a large and visionary
instructional purpose within the space
• Framing theoretical papers were produced by each student
• Work in progress and “homework” via video (Screencast-o-matic)
Working within the individual students ideas and conceptualization / visiting their works-in-progress – not just the once-removed, abstraction of writing
• Moving toward pilots and learner testing in the second course
Visiting each others “visualizations” and the approaches & skills they were developing
Fascinating projects emerged – the experience, talents, desires of the students emerged
And, all of these could be saved onto their computer at the end of the semester for later implementation
English language learners start with safe and then expansive experiences
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JBp4rMIoXo
High school students can make and test theater sets thus learning set design and collaboration skills in a low cost yet highly flexible virtual environment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36RrsY9aiuM
Artist and art students can come to learn, experience and develop virtual creations that they can bring to fabricators later; they can begin to understand art exhibitions too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBI0bIGBto
This spearheaded the creation of an exhibit booth at a virtual conference on virtual reality – she brought us to the conference, and got us great publicity too
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEML-r94xwo
Middle school students (in an after school program) can come to a fun & informative cell biology simulations – with simulations, tutorials, and prizes
A VP2 student brings a class to her Creative Center
Virtual Conference Planner
Conference Planning -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBI0bIGBto
Created an Exhibit Area for Empire State College at the virtual conference –a space to create a community of
practice and sharing.
Attended the OpenSimulator Conference as Both Participant
And Documenter for Future Mini-Conference
“The Beginner’s Guide to Second Life: Explanation & Exploration”
In anticipation of our own future virtual mini-conference and in consideration of individuals who
want to attend the conference but are new to virtual worlds, my next steps are to create this five-part
series – a tutorial project that will take adult newcomers to Second Life through a structured, yet
experiential adventure that will have them build knowledge, acquire skills, and gather badges along
the way.
AL RITONDO
Video Production
Video Production - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfpWLVImKUc&feature=youtu.be
VIDEO PRODUCTION WORLDVisitors will experience a professional TV Studio, learn about different production topics in the amphitheater, learn indoor and outdoor lighting techniques, have hands-on with camera jibs and dollies, test their new-found knowledge at different shooting locations, and enjoy the gift shop.
A Virtual 3D Island Where Video Production Skills Are Learned and Practiced
INDOOR LIGHTING WELCOME BOOTH TV STUDIO
AL RITONDO HAS BEEN IN VIDEO PRODUCTION FOR OVER 35 YEARS
Awards:WEVA Creative Excellence Awards
TellyCommunicator
VisionWEVA Hall of Fame
Video Producer/DirectorTeacherPodcasterAwards Judge
Learners on Video Production World are mainly novices to video production, and would like to receive an immersive crash course in the tools, skills, and strategies to achieve a finished, professional corporate video for their company or client.
STILL TO BE DONE
Still need a technical semester to work out and program all the “physics” and technical requirements such as:
•Functioning lights that act like real lights•Reflectors that bounce light from the in-world sun•Boom arms that act normally with counter weights•In-World camera sending images to In-World screens•Learn programs like SketchUp and Blender
Also need a semester to develop curriculum, training tutorials, assessments and website, culminating in a two-cohort pilot launch of video pros and video novices.
ESOL/ELL Learning Site in Kitely
C R E ATE D AN D PR E S EN TE D B Y I R E N E T. C R U Z
ELL / ESOL (English learners) support –https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bk7kUlfOkI
Criteria for Mini-pilot Framework
Theoretical Framework established:
The Theoretical Framework was comprised of a condensed pilot and study of the outcomes of an ESOL/ELL Learning Site. The ESOL/ELL Learning Site was created to enable adult learners in the practices of immersive and authentic learning within a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment).
Steps involved in this process:
Documented steps in designing a VLE. Learners creating an Avatar and it’s function within the VLE
(Virtual Learning Environment)What types of learning benefited the learners?
Creating an immersive learning environment
Initial Set-up in Kitely
Choosing an island and it’s design plan
Decisions, alterations, on the design plan for effective immersive learning.
Connecting the Design to the Learning
Learning Styles considered in the Design
This framework follows through with the use of learning by exploring, collaborating, being, building, championing, and expression. (Lim, Kenneth Y. T., 2009)
Collaboration of ideas within English Skill Sets.
Design Principles applied to the rendering of this VLE.
Within this piloted framework, two of the principles that I focused on were; Contiguity Principle and the Redundancy Principle. (Clark R.C., Mayer, R.E. 2011).
Contiguity Principle – evident in the graphics and text that are balanced for the learners to easily understand. The Redundancy Principle - repetitious use of learned information for compounded learning effect.
Signage for easy transition
Welcome Center with Documented How-To’s
Future Considerations and Queries regarding the implementation of VLE’s
Queries
Viable option for educational benefits – depends largely on financial sources to support cost of programs.
Ethical and Moral Issues that must be addressed with learners.
Excellent resource of educational connection for learners from all over the world – anytime/day.
Issues with technical availability for learners and level of computer’s successful outcomes
Future Consideration:
Potentially incorporated with existing ESOL/ELL Learning Sites within VLE’s and MOOCS.
Potential to be converted to corporate training site for ESOL Speakers who require additional hands-on English skills to improve their job performance.
Incorporated with children’s programs and existing Online Schooling.
References:Ackermann, Edith Dr. (April 30, 2010). Playful Inventions and Explorations: What's to be Learned from Kids? Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3jI19vR5bIAlgere, D., Backstrom, A., Clayton, J., Cotton, K., Davis, C., and Fleszczynski, C. (2012). Instructional Design Trends Investigation. Retrieved from https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=http%3A%2F%2Fkriscot38.weebly.com%2Fuploads%2F2%2F1%2F6%2F9%2F21693500%2Ftrends_invstigation_learning_team_project.docxAntonacci, Dave, DiBartolo, Salli, Edwards, Nancy, Fritch, Karen, Murch-Shafer, Rick. (2008) The Power of Virtual Worlds in Education: A Second Life Primer and Resource for Exploring the Potential of Virtual Worlds to Impact Teaching and Learning. Retrieved fromhttp://www.angellearning.com/products/secondlife/downloads/The%20Power%20of%20Virtual%20Worlds%20in%20Education_0708.pdfDesignboom - SecondLife. (2010). Designing a Second Life. Retrieved from http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/secondlife.htmlCaillois, Roger. (2001). The Definition of Play and the Classification of Games, Retrieved from https://moodle.esc.edu/pluginfile.php/947064/mod_resource/content/3/caillois.pdfClark R.C., Mayer, R.E. (2011). E-Learning and the Science of Instruction. John Wiley & Sons; San Francisco, CACheong, P.H., Dutton, W. H., Namkee P., (2014). The Social Shaping of a Virtual Learning Environment: The Case of a University-wide Course Management System. Retrieved from www.ejel.org/issue/download.html?idArticle=317/ http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.101.1869&rep=rep1&type=pdfCudworth, Ann. (2014).Virtual World Design - a trailer about the book. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV1J9QWwVOwHyperreality. (2014). Hyperreality. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyperrealityIlyas, Mareena, Kelly, Oriel. (2011).Let’s talk - providing virtual ESL learning support from a distance. Retrieved from http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/hobart11/downloads/papers/Ilyas-concise.pdfJones, D. E. (2006). I, Avatar: Constructions of Self and Place in Second Life and the Technological Imagination. Journal of Communication, Culture and Technology. Retrieved from http://moodle.esc.edu/mod/resource/view,php?id=663024.Lim, Kenneth Y. T. (April, 2009). The six learnings of Second Life: A framework for designing curricular interventions in-world. Source Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 2(1), 3-11. Retrieved from https://repository.nie.edu.sg/bitstream/10497/15413/1/JVWR-2-1-3_a.pdfMacedo, Angelina, Morgado, Lina. (2014). Learning to Teach in Second Life. Retrieved from http://www.eden-online.org/contents/conferences/OCRCs/Porto/AM_LM.pdfNelson, B., & Erlandson, B. (2012). Design for Learning in Virtual Worlds. New York: Routledge.Science Clarified. (2014). Which World Is Real? The Future of Virtual Reality. Retrieved from http://www.scienceclarified.com/scitech/Virtual-Reality/Which-World-Is-Real-The-Future-of-Virtual-Reality.htmlVarli, Ozan. (2009). An Exploration of Three-Dimensional (3D) Virtual Worlds through ESL/EFL Teachers’ Perspectives in Second Life Retrieved from http://home.ku.edu.tr/~ovarli/docs/Master's%20Thesis.pdf
Marjorie Thompson
Art, sculpture and design
Art teaching & design - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36RrsY9aiuM
Sculpture Island is a virtual reality island dedicated to exploring the interface between art in reality and art in virtual reality. It has outdoor
park areas and interior gallery spaces to develop art in a simulated controlled environment.. There is also an opportunity to create
landscaping.to further visualize how art will interact with architecture, landscaping and people as they use public and private spaces.
Sculpture Island gives visitors the opportunity to view art in a 3-D space from different perspectives. People from all over the world can visit an art
installation. Virtual reality would be useful in creating models of art installations, for feasibility studies of public art and proposals for public and
private clients.
Sculpture Island has many sculptures which were created with 3-D modeling, exploring the interface of technology and art. There will be information
about intellectual property information. There will also be information about creating art through traditional methods such as casting and mold making.
Examples -- students sharing their work
• Virtual tutoring - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhmnGi-8VxI&feature=youtu.be
• ELL / ESOL (English learners) support – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bk7kUlfOkI
• Healthcare training - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDRDMMUZ2sw
• Art teaching & design - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36RrsY9aiuM
• Video Production - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfpWLVImKUc&feature=youtu.be
• Conference Planning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBI0bIGBto
• Theater set design - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JBp4rMIoXo
• Biology for middle school - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEML-r94xwo
• A science lesson built within a complex island design framework -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiNzhaM7siI