Second Life, a 3D multi-user virtual environment (MUVE), is becoming an increasingly popular topic at educational technology conferences and in the media these days. What’s all the fuss about

Jarrett, Kevin

Levine, Caren

Malmstrom, Marianne

Santiago, Fil

Toth-Cohen, Susan

Name not available

Making the MUVE to virtual education

Jefferson Digital Commons

Thomas Jefferson UniversityJefferson Digital CommonsDepartment of Occupational Therapy FacultyPapers Department of Occupational Therapy6-23-2008Making the MUVE to virtual educationKevin Jarrettkevin_jarrett@yahoo.comCaren LevineMarianne MalmstromFil SantiagoSusan Toth-CohenThomas Jefferson University, susan.toth-cohen@jefferson.eduLet us know how access to this document benefits youFollow this and additional works at: http://jdc.jefferson.edu/otfpPart of the Occupational Therapy CommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Jefferson Digital Commons. The Jefferson Digital Commons is a service of ThomasJefferson University's Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). The Commons is a showcase for Jefferson books and journals, peer-reviewed scholarlypublications, unique historical collections from the University archives, and teaching tools. The Jefferson Digital Commons allows researchers andinterested readers anywhere in the world to learn about and keep up to date with Jefferson scholarship. This article has been accepted for inclusion inDepartment of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers by an authorized administrator of the Jefferson Digital Commons. For more information, pleasecontact: JeffersonDigitalCommons@jefferson.edu.Recommended CitationJarrett, Kevin; Levine, Caren; Malmstrom, Marianne; Santiago, Fil; and Toth-Cohen, Susan, "Makingthe MUVE to virtual education" (2008). Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers. Paper 8.http://jdc.jefferson.edu/otfp/816 to Virtual Educationby Kevin Jarrett, Caren Levine, Marianne Malmstrom, Fil Santiago, and Susan Toth-CohenMaking the MUVE17INTRODUCTIONSecond Life, a 3D multi-user virtual environment(MUVE), is becoming an increasingly popular topic ateducational technology conferences and in the media thesedays. What’s all the fuss about?Imagine entering a virtual environment with a few simpleclicks of the mouse, to meet colleagues from all over theworld, hold discussions, attend and present lectures orlessons, view media, and exchange ideas as well asmaterials.  Imagine learning which new technologies holdthe most promise, and how educators are implementingthem in their schools.  Imagine having access to a networkof educators who are dedicated to formulating bestpractices in using technology to enhance learning.  Imagineforming professional relationships with these colleagues ina virtual world that can transform into real lifefriendships.  All this is literally available at one’sfingertips without leaving the comfort of home, school,office, or favorite Internet cafe.Second Life is a virtual, immersive world in whichmembers, known as residents, not only interact but alsocreate original content.  Registration is free, although thereare expanded privileges for paying members, and specialsoftware (the Second Life “client”) needs to bedownloaded. As part of the registration process, residentscreate online identities represented by avatars.Educators around the world have been exploring SecondLife and its uses in education for some time – professionaldevelopment organizations like ISTE (InternationalSociety for Technology in Education) and DiscoveryEducators Network have a presence inworld, as do anincreasing number of universities, libraries and othereducational institutions. Individual educators are alsosetting up shop to share ideas and to create inworldresource centers.There are many reasons to try Second Life. This articlefocuses on ways in which educators engage in theenvironment, including:• Expanding one’s professional network• Innovating and exploring• Professional growth• Developing leadership skills• Having fun!EXPAND PROFESSIONAL NETWORKSA virtual environment like Second Life can be a powerfulsocial network for educators.  One of the pleasures ofspending time in Second Life is the serendipity of meetingnew and interesting people. Education areas, like ISTEIsland, Discovery Educators Network (DEN), and NewMedia Consortium (NMC) offer educators places toexplore, create, and learn together. Community is builtaround interests and a willingness to share and learntogether – as Marianne Malmstrom, aka KnowClue Kidd,likes to say, “Second Life is a virtual brain trust.” One ofits great strengths is that interactions regularly occur acrossa variety of ages, institutions, and cultures.For example, Susan Toth-Cohen (Zsuzsa Tomsen) met afellow educator from the University of Plymouth in Devon,England in a chance encounter at a Second Life mall.They began a conversation that eventually led to acollaborative project, the Sexual Health SIM described at:http://sl-sexualhealth.org.uk. These happy accidents occurfrequently in Second Life; people come together to discussand create new venues for education, opportunities acrosstime and space that are less likely to occur outside ofSecond Life, if at all.Educational organizations help facilitate theseconnections.  Jennifer Ragan-Fore, the project director forISTE’s Second Life Program, notes that “The uniqueopportunity for membership-based organizations like ISTEand our Affiliates is the potential that Second Life offersISTE headquarters in Second Life18for deepening our infrequent face-to-face encounters withregular, real-time conversations, projects, and relationship-building. Our annual NECC conference offers importantopportunities for members to network and connect withfielding private questions, maintaining complete transcriptsof presentations and questions afterwards to use forassessment and follow-up, and opportunities to create andbuild resources together in real time or over time.  SecondLife is ideal for creating simulationprojects and role playing. Participantsare not bound to “brick & mortar”space; groups can travel to virtuallocations and experience full sized 3Dmodels of tsunamis, visit a holodeck fora virtual field trip around the world, orsimply fly back in the time and explorethe Renaissance.  Try doing that at aconference or classroom in “real life!”Second Life truly promotes activeengagement and learning by doing andinteracting with others. An unexpectedadvantage of being involved in SecondLife as a MUVE (similar in some waysto WoW www.worldofwarcraft.com andSims http://thesims.ea.com/us) is that itraises one’s “cool factor” with students.It also serves to give teachersperspective into the experiences ofchildren and young adults who aresometimes called “digital natives.”These include a better command of chat shorthand and adeeper understanding of the power of social networks.   Inaddition, becoming more conversant in virtual worlds hasthe effect of leveling the playing field and may helpstudents see teachers more as partners in their learning, andnot adults who completely lack insight into their worlds(Second Life is available for adults age 18 and older; theSecond Life Teen Grid is a community for 13 – 17 yearolds).PROFESSIONAL GROWTHSecond Life provides many of the same venues for growingprofessionally that real life (RL) affords. This includesother educators, and our Second Life project provides theregular care and feeding needed to keep thoserelationships going strong year round.” INNOVATE AND EXPLORESecond Life provides educators with new ways to learnand teach. Everyday tasks are transformed and becomemore fun. For example, presenters can lecture, show anddiscuss slide shows, video and audio clips and distributehandouts in ways similar to real life conferences andcourses. Second Life facilitates interactions with one’saudience and students through instantaneouscommunication using text or voice, sharing Internet links,“...becoming more conversant in virtual worlds hasthe effect of  leveling the playing field and may helpstudents see teachers more as partners in theirlearning, and not adults who completely lack insightinto their worlds...”19presenting at conferences as described above, attendingseminars and professional development workshops,working on collaborative projects, and conducting specialevents such as a virtual backpack safety awarenesscampaign led by Susan Toth-Cohen and collaborating onpublications such as this article.In addition, Second Life helps teachers build 21st-Centuryskills by allowing them to explore new ideas and practicesamong colleagues in a supportive, cross-cultural arena. Conferences and presentations bring colleagues togetherfrom around the world.  For example, “Second Life BestPractices in Education,” an international conference, washeld in May 2007 across a number of different sitesinworld. 1300 educators from all over the globeattended the event to hear keynote/academic presentations,attend exhibits, participate in social events, and meetvendors from RL (real life) and SL (Second Life).  Othereducational organizations, like ISTE, offer regular series ofpresentations and learning activities for continuingprofessional development.DEVELOP LEADERSHIP SKILLSMulti-User Virtual Environments are here to stay, thatmuch is certain. Their role in education is rapidlyevolving. Second Life has attracted the attention of K-20educators who are using it for professional development(e.g., Kathy Schrock’s Lighthouse Learning Island: http://nausetschools.org/lighthouselearning) as well as day-to-dayclasses (e.g., Beth Ritter-Guth’s work: http://collegeenglish.wikispaces.com/SecondLife), not tomention social networking (http://www.iste.org/secondlife).Other educators have taken on leadership roles by teachingskills to colleagues, helping them build and createlearning, and volunteering to share their expertise in otherways.Lounge area at headquarters20Educators who learn about this environment continue tobuild their credentials as technology leaders and can helpchampion its use, or at the very least, become a school ordistrict expert on its strengths and limitations.HAVE FUN!Second Life provides new ways for educators to have funby learning new things. Activities include developing skillsto create virtual objects (“building”) and writing programsto make objectsinteractive(“scripting”). There aremany educational sitesto see and interact with,as well as culturalevents such as concertsand museums.Moreover, the prospectof sharing these newexperiences with peersand students andcapitalizing on them tocreate learning activitiesthat are both fun andeducational adds anextra dimension to theenjoyment. For example,every other Sunday oneof ISTE’s docents, EsmeQuanha, guideseducators on tours tointeresting places allover Second Life.Educators can take advantage of scheduled activities, butit’s also fun to explore on one’s own: hang glide, surf,skate, fly around, play games, and explore.  On GenomeIsland, visitors can interact with a 3D cell.  Travel tovarious parts of the globe - visit a virtual reality room(VRR) and click to the top of the Eiffel Tower and try outyour French. Visit Tokyo, ancient Rome, explore oceansand the cosmos.  Create something special - become abetter teacher by revisiting the role of learner! Second Lifeis the perfect place to do just that.CONCLUSIONSecond Life has tremendous potential for educators.  Thereis a learning curve to be sure, particularly for those whoare new to virtual environments.  A number of onlinetutorials and other resources are available to help newbiesget started and learn more about how Second Life canenhance education.  Once inworld, educators can findcolleagues who are willing to help provide more of anorientation.  ISTE in Second Life is a great place to start:http://slurl.com/secondlife/ISTE%20Island/93/83/30. Enter a 3D environment and suddenly colleagues are faceto face with visual representations of the people withwhom they are communicating and interacting in a spacethat allows for shared experiences.  It seems far moreKittyGloom Cassidy (Jennifer Ragan-Fore, Director, ISTEGeneral Membership Program) having fun in the virtual snowISTE sponsors “movie night” showing Machinima created by members at a drive-in movie setting21engaging to talk with a colleague “avatar to avatar”instead of just reading text, viewing video stream, orhearing their voices.  Interacting in a common environmentcan feel more engaging and draw participants deeper intothe experience.There is something enticing about interacting with othersin environments that appear to be both familiar and, at thesame time, extraordinary.LEARN MOREListed below are additional resources for learning aboutSecond Life and education (These are available online atNJAET as links):Educational Uses of Second Life Video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HAEducational Uses of Second Life Wiki:http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/educationalusesGlobal Kids Online Leadership Program:www.globalkids.orgLighthouse Learning Island:http://nausetschools.org/lighthouselearning/index.htmLiterature Alive! In Second Life:http://literaturealive.blogspot.comLiterature, Pedagogy and Second Life:http://nicosiapedagogy.blogspot.comScott’s Second Life:http://scottsecondlife.blogspot.comSecond Life educators list:https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educatorsSecond Life Education Wiki:http://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life_Education_WikiSecond Life Education Wiki - Working with Teens:www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life:_Educators_Working_with_TeensSLED Picayune:http://sledpicayune.blogspot.comSloan-C SL Net:http://sloancslnet.ning.comStory of My “Second Life”:www.storyofmysecondlife.comSuffern Middle School in Second Life:http://ramapoislands.edublogs.orgContinued on page 22...Taking Your First Stepsin Second LifeBy Kevin JarrettOk! So you’re ready to take the plunge and trySecond Life out for yourself. Terrific! It’s easy to getstarted.BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Check the systemrequirements (http://secondlife.com/corporate/sysreqs.php) to determine if your machine is up tosnuff. Second Life needs a fairly modern computerand reasonably powerful graphics card to runsmoothly. If you’re unfamiliar with these technicalterms, find someone who is and get their help. SecondLife will work on older, less capable machines but theexperience will be much less enjoyable. Don’t worry,if you have a machine less than two years old that hasa dedicated graphics card (in other words, the systemdoesn’t have “integrated graphics” or “motherboardgraphics”) or if there’s any reference to ATI or NVidiachipsets in your system specs, chances are you’reokay. If you or your kids play ANY fairly recentgames on the computer (especially 3D games) you’llbe fine.WHAT’S IN A NAME? Ok, you’ve found your way towww.secondlife.com and pressed ‘Sign Up.’ You nowhave to choose a name for your avatar. You can haveany first name you want but your last name must beamong the choices provided. IMPORTANT: this can’tbe changed, and although you may create more thanone account (called ‘alts’ for ‘alternate’ avatars),you’ll want to choose your name wisely. Pick a firstname you are comfortable being addressed with. Casein point: my first avatar is named “DigitalMincemeat.” I quickly grew tired of being called“Digital” and created my second and current avatar,“KJ Hax.”CHOOSE A LOOK AND ENTER YOUR ACCOUNTDETAILS. You’ll be presented with a series of choicesfor your basic appearance. Don’t worry, you canchange everything - AND WE MEAN EVERYTHING- later. Just pick one and go. Fill out the rest of theform. Yes, your real life credentials are required!Don’t bother with choosing the ‘Premium’ (for pay)account option, you can always do that later.22Getting Started in Second Life:Second Life for Dummies by Sarah “Intellagirl Tully”Robbins and Mark “Typewriter Tackleberry” Bell (2008),Wiley Publishing: Hoboken, NJ.Torely Linden’s Video Tutorials: www.youtube.com/user/TorleyFuture of 3-D Worlds: http://metaverseroadmap.orgBackpack Safety Awareness EventTaking your first steps continued....YOU’VE GOT MAIL! Check your email for anactivation message, click the link, then download thesoftware. Install it, log in with your avatar name (first& last) and the password you chose. When prompted,try to choose an orientation location OTHER THANa regular Linden Lab “Orientation Island.” Mypersonal favorite: Ben & Jerry’s! You’ll find fewerpeople at these custom-branded orientations and willbe less likely to encounter people who, sadly, think itis fun to tease “newbies” as they show up for the firsttime in Second Life. It happens - just ask KathySchrock!GET THEE TO ISTE! As soon as you complete theorientation, use the SEARCH feature (be sure you’reon the ‘Places’ tab) to locate ISTE Island. Teleportover! (You can also click this link: http://tinyurl.com/yud38g.) You may find some avatars there toconverse about the eDocent schedule (on an easelboard near the front desk). You’ll be able to see whenyou can expect to come back and find an ISTEvolunteer who will be happy to assist you witheverything from the basics (sitting, walking, flying) tofinding free items, customizing your appearance andfinding cool educational places to visit. Feel free towander around the island and explore. Set a landmarkso you can return easily (click the ‘World’ menu atthe top, then, ‘Create Landmark Here.’).You’re on your way! All you need to do now is joinISTE in Second Life (it’s free, just search using the‘Groups’ tab and press Join for $0). Then you’ll getnotices of upcoming events and more.See you in Second Life!A building class in Second Life

http://jdc.jefferson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=otfp

Making the MUVE to virtual education

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Name not available

Jefferson Digital Commons