Virtual Worlds.What is

the point?

Coventry UniversitySteve Cadman

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stevecadman/2653563318/

www.virtualworldwatch.

net

These slides look a little familiar...

VWW: Virtual World Watch

“Snapshots” of who is using virtual worlds, and how, in UK universities and colleges.

Unexpectedly large numbers of downloads.

Funded by Eduserv from 2007 to 2010.

Self-funded for the next few years.

www.virtualworldwatch.netRoo Reynolds http://www.flickr.com/photos/rooreynolds/493815619/

why use a virtual world in education?

What is the point?

The death of travel to learn?

Quoting Martin Bean, Vice-Chancellor, Open University

CO2 and global warming

Timothy Hamilton http://www.flickr.com/photos/bestrated1/205117457/

Tomorrow we are all screwed...

Dipesh Soneji http://www.flickr.com/photos/dipeshsoneji/1019702760/

John Kirriemuir http://www.flickr.com/photos/silversprite/492471374/

Build what you need...

PF Anderson http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosefirerising/456065514/

Blend Info and social

Sheila Webber http://www.flickr.com/photos/23396182@N00/4259812586/

Mix up your media

N Speller http://www.flickr.com/photos/spellers/2833505085/

...increasingly, any media

Annabeth Robinson

http://www.flickr.com/photos/annamorphic/4382933824/

Bleed in Geo-stuff, maps

DadenMedia

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dadenmedia/2984446235/

Virtual World USE by UK academics

Current State of PLAY

•95%+ of UK academics who use VWs use Second Life.

•(newish) Every UK university has done something in VWs.

•Activity in UK colleges much patchier.

•Some, but not much, overlap with academic communities who use other technologies e.g. Blackboard, digital games.

•Steadily growing research base of materials.

•Difficulty in quickly/simply showing benefits of virtual worlds to colleagues, students, noobs underlying problem.

Main Subject areas of VW use

Health and medicine.

Nursing training.

Midwifery.

Health and safety training.

Physics simulations e.g. wind turbines.

Information science theory.

Art and fashion.

Legal training.

Theatre and drama.

Computer science programming.

Languages, esp. Spanish.

CRIME AND FORENSICS

Sheila Webber

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23396182@N00/4680574100/

Physics

SGVW Team, University of Ulster

http://www.flickr.com/photos/33422226@N04/

Midwifery

Kate Boardman

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kattanhurnung/4115602444/

Mechanics and history

Kate Boardman

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kattanhurnung/4398763759/

Micro level stuff

Hiro Sheridan

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hirosheridan/524368209/

Simulation (Quarry)

University of Derby / Institute of Quarrying

Attitude problems with virtual worlds

(often applicable to other technologies in education)

Second Life: EMBRACE or AVOID?

“It’s easy to use.”

“There’s loads of free stuff in there already.”

“There’s lots of other academics in my subject area using it.”

“Been around for many years, so looks solid.”

“It’s hard to use.”

“Bloody expensive to get a decent chunk of land.”

“Academics I know have been scared off it because of newspaper stories.”

“Every week a VW seems to fold; is Second Life next?”

“It’s just a game!”

Things wrong with the ‘game’ thing:

1.It isn’t (what’s the game objective if it is?). You don’t understand what a game is.

2.What’s wrong with games anyway?

3.Some games used in teaching and learning.

4.Psychological limitations: fun is dangerous, not useful?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunechaser/103300924/

wtf is going on?!!

Bettina Tizzy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettinatizzy/2308041401/

Finding ‘stuff’ is hard

Millions of people use virtual worlds.

There are many virtual worlds.

Search facilities range from basic to non-existent.

“Stuff” is inconsistently labelled.

There is no ‘google’. John Kirriemuir

http://www.flickr.com/photos/silversprite/2346333322/

“There’s no-one here.” Um, so?

OH no! Something bad!

“The Internet is bad.”

“If you go online you will immediately encounter sex, nudity, perversion, wherever you go.”

“University students must be kept away from it.”

(Rather than teach them how to deal with it in all forms of life). Sari Choche

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sari-coche/2537936209/

Tech support say “no.”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/procsilas/378146339/

Academic says no

“I don’t have the time to learn new stuff.”

“What I use works fine for me.”

“I’m retiring soon so it’s not worth it.”

“It’ll never catch on.”

“In my day...”Pelican http://www.flickr.com/photos/pelican/2147350197/

Now your turn (if you want)

Go into Second Life with a purpose. An event, a group meeting, a specific list of locations to explore.

Allow an hour (yes, 60 minutes of your life) to edit your avatar and get used to flying around.

Try all forms of communication.

Trying clicking on interesting stuff to see what happens.

Do physical stuff; ride a fairwheel, go skydiving, drop in at a pub, go disco dancing, try on some free costumes.