Category Archives: Teaching Strategies

Oct 4 2011

Real Barriers to Virtual World Use in Education

Each time that I attend a professional meeting in a virtual world the question of general adoption of virtual worlds in education always comes up.  Attendees at these events are the early adopters and they struggle with what is so obvious to them.  The barriers are inter-related and will require time, money and effort to overcome.

Barrier Possible Solution
Cost is often cited as a barrier. Linden Lab eliminated educational discounts on Second Life.  Grids on OpenSim are significantly cheaper but do not contain the assets of SL and other more developed worlds, developing these would take time and money.  Cost is a factor in multiple barriers listed. Organizations may host their own virtual worlds, reducing some cost.  OpenSim and self-hosted grids are typically limited in content but advocates contend that much of the learning lies in the development of this content. There is a growing availability of free and shared content for use in virtual worlds.
Access ( Firewall issues) are more commonly an issue with K-12 than in higher education.  This barrier relates to acceptance and perception of virtual Worlds in general.  Districts have concern about both student safety and the potential financial liability associated with legal action. Control systems are necessary to protect students and prevent inappropriate access, teacher supervision coupled with policies and procedures are effective in keeping children and employees on task in an appropriate manner.  Literature is mounting in favor of adjusting firewalls and access to support student learning in the 21st century.
Technology requirements of Virtual worlds, both infrastructure of Internet access (bandwidth) and device capabilities aren’t up to the requirements needed to run virtual worlds effectively. IT and support personnel may need training to adequately support staff needs. Funding for innovation is essential to effectively prepare our students for their future.  Grants may be the best solution, at this time, to fund the necessary equipment, infrastructure and training.
The Learning Curve in using the interface and acquiring the comfort to be able to manipulate an avatar and eventually more complex tasks inherent in virtual world participation can be a challenge. A model of mentoring colleagues, prior to the expectation of working with students, can provide the confidence and skills.  The use of a virtual world for professional development is a possible evolutionary step to use with students.
Change is difficult. Educators need convincing that a virtual world delivery model will be better than what currently exists. Research demonstrating effectiveness could be the most useful in changing minds.  Those who are effectively using virtual worlds for instruction should publish/share their work.
Attitudes towards gaming and virtual worlds can be negative based on some unsavory stories and misconceptions. Marketing of research and positive examples are needed to overcome the impact of negative attitudes.   There is mounting research in the area of games, student engagement and their positive influence on learning.

Related articles

Sep 27 2011

Collegiality and Collaboration in the Virtual Environment

Teaching is something of an isolating profession.  Teachers close their doors and instruct, at all grade levels and every subject.  Teachers work alone, receiving an “observation” compliance visit by the supervising administrator as part of the annual evaluation. The structure of school in the United States makes shared planning time difficult if not impossible, students need supervision at all times so teachers cannot have the same planning time and of course the one hour, or less, of “planning” time is the only time a teacher can use the rest room, take a breather, contact parents, check the mailbox and prepare materials for the rest of the day or the next day.  Lunch is typically a half hour, which often includes escorting students to the cafeteria and back to class.  Collegiality and collaboration are not easily achieved when you don’t see or have time with your colleagues.  A school calendar  typically provides a planning day once a quarter or grading period, that’s when grades are due.  So when can teachers share, discuss, plan and collaborate?  After hours.

I have personally found virtual environments to be a space and time for synchronous collegiality and collaboration.  On Tuesday nights I visit ISTE Island on Second Life, sometimes for a planned event and sometimes just to talk to teachers about challenges I’m having and get suggestions.  I have met teachers from various states and countries with whom I share struggles and ideas.  Periodically I logon to Reaction Grid or Opensim and sometimes find a teacher I have met online to exchange strategies and developments.  I visit classes in session and interact with students, the collegiality and trust required of a Professional Learning Community (PLC)  exist despite never having actually met my virtual colleagues.   PLNs and social/professional networking sites offer a sort of sharing and collegiality, it is not the same as on-the-spot, in world “in-person” communication.  I think of it as a cross between face-to-face and online.  Much is available about the connections made in virtual settings. The authenticity of virtual friendships becomes evident to anyone who spends any time in this type of environment .

My virtual friends include people who are not teachers, people I may never have met as someone who moves primarily in an  educator world.  Interactions with these people enrich me both personally and professionally.  I have a better idea of trends and realities to discuss with students and peers;  jobs in the STEM area, business planning, software and data visualization tools, the music business. A real plus was car buying advice  received from a virtual friend, the mechanical engineer and part-time SL space explorer.  I have met people from other countries and have conversed with the assistance of an instant translator, picked up a little Italian and improved my Spanish.

Virtual worlds are not the answer to life, but they do offer a relatively easy and inexpensive opportunity to interact with colleagues and professionals that can help you grow.

Related Article:

5 Reasons Collaboration Matters

Sep 19 2011

Animations Make it Real…sort of

A virtual world avatar wielding a sword and dropping unconscious is not unusual,  more subtle movements sometimes are.  Standing at a podium and moving hands during a speech, nibbling on an apple or just sitting in a natural pose bring an avatar to life and make for a more engaging experience for participants.  Virtual worlds supply your avatar with standard poses, these can be adjusted or you can make your own using Poser (for purchase) or  Qavimator    (PC) or (Mac) , a free animation creation software application.  I highly recommend Danish Visions on Second Life classes at  http://slurl.com/secondlife/Danish%20Visions/126/119/24).   Tempest Jarman teaches the QAvimator class in voice in a patient, organized manner.  She is clearly an expertise in the use of the QAvimator software.

I conducted a webinar in Adobe Connect recently and a participant gave me feedback saying that I “neglected to use the video capabilities and that would have provided some connection,  audio is not enough”.  In a virtual environment there is potential for auditory, textual, and visual cues to impart a message.  Creating animations and then making them available provides natural movements for students and instructors on a virtual world.  Adding the animations to a HUD gives the participant the ability to change an animation for emphasis and realism at a specific time. Subtle animations like raising a hand, applauding, leaning back in boredom or nodding can help to convey a message to others participating in an event. I am considering filming my virtual world avatar for the next webinar I facilitate, I figure it may help get their attention and it could be fun.

You can download the free QAvimator software at

(PC) http://www.qavimator.org/

(Mac) http://referencethis.com/QAvimator-osx-universal-svn-2008-12-06.zip

Sep 12 2011

Skilled Teaching Works in All Worlds

I was curious about sculpting 3D objects and figured “I am capable, I can do this”.  I downloaded Blender, bought a book and made an attempt.  The multiple tools and buttons in the software were overwhelming and The first chapter of the book discussed how difficult Blender was to learn.  Time for Plan B.  I turned to a RL friend who is not a teacher but user of multiple 3D programs and talented artist in  multiple mediums.  I sat with him for about an hour and watched in amazement as he transformed ordinary spheres and cubes into something more interesting and asymmetrical, still I had no idea how to do it myself.  Fast-forward a few months when a friendly avatar invited me to come along to introductory sculpting class at the Danish Visions Class Group (http://slurl.com/secondlife/Danish%20Visions/126/119/24 ) in Second Life.   We had to hurry as “the room is locked after the lesson begins”, I was told, “and you can’t get in late”.

The Danish Visions Classroom space on SL

What a difference quality instruction makes.  Inge Qunhua, the Danish instructor provided the lesson in voice (in English), as well as in text for those who did not have audio capabilities.  She began the lesson with a quick reminder of classroom norms and  necessary materials with time to download Sculptypaint.  She then provided the objectives of the lesson and explained that at the end of the hour we would all have an individually designed comfy chair with rounded edges and a pedestal table. “A lofty goal – I’m a beginner”,  I was thinking, “how is this possible?”

With a minimized SL screen of Inge’s presentation and a working screen with Sculptypaint software I followed instructions, using a 15 inch laptop.  Inge monitored the students, corrected and provided feedback, and evaluated results.  At the end of the hour we had all met the objectives.

My newly constructed sculpty chair and table

Telling and  showing is not teaching, though it’s part of the process.  Good  teaching must include

• planning meaningful activities to meet objectives
• monitoring students as they practice until they reach a level of success
• explaining expectations and what success looks like
• evaluating results and providing feedback for improvement

The elements of this virtual world lesson included research-based effective teaching strategies and the results were evidence of capable instruction.

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Sep 7 2011

Value of Voice: Language Instruction in Virtual Environments 

Learning a language is facilitated in a virtual environment with opportunities to use audio in a non-threatening venue, quickly change settings to encourage use of diverse vocabulary, and practice with native speakers from different geographic locations and accents.




The particular English Language class I observed took advantage of a traditional lecture and presentation board, using both the native tongue of the learners as well as the target language, English.  Students responded to questions in local chat providing the instructor an easy way to ascertain grasp of the topic.  
One strategy that Alfonso Perfferle uses in his English for Spanish Speakers class on Second Life is to pair students and assign one member of the pair a note-card with questions associated with the topic or grammatical focus of the day.  Pairs of students then conduct a private voice call and practice speaking, using the note-card as a guide.  Text is available, as needed, for clarification.  The paired chat does not disturb other students and can be practiced and repeated in a trusting environment.  

Responses from students in local chat allows for quick formative evaluation.

In addition to the structured and more formal activity pictured here, this class of English Language learners logon from remote locations around the world to participate in "field trips" providing an opportunity to practice English in a variety of settings from shopping and restaurants to amusement parks and historic sites.  Time zones and physical locations are secondary factors in this particular classroom, the instructor is physically located in Miami, Florida while the majority of students are located in Spain.
A Virtual World presentation contains areas for presentation and interaction
Aug 28 2011

Anatomy of a Lecture: Webinar vs VW Presentation

Although telling is not teaching there are reasons to present,  times when an expert  must provide information regarding a particular topic.  We’ve all attended lectures/presentations  and have had varying degrees of  learning from our attendance.

A typical Webinar session contains areas for presentation and interaction

The basic lecture in the digital age takes advantage of  digital presentation tools coupled with webinar/online presentation software.  The online meeting/webinar is a way to save time and money by providing a format allowing participants to logon to a website, and participate in a synchronous session with colleagues from remote locations.  The presenter and participants use audio and text, allowing for different modalities including side text conversations with colleagues without disrupting the general session.  Video is often available via webcam, typically a ‘talking head’.   The presentation is generally a PowerPoint or slide show with links and relevant documents provided.  In addition to the cost and time savings benefits, sessions can be recorded for future reference.

A Virtual World presentation contains areas for presentation and interaction

In a virtual world educational setting the lecture contains similar elements with some unique distinctions.  Again, text and audio communication abilities, note-taking,  recorded sessions and  non-disruptive side communications are the norm.  The obvious difference is visible in the comparison of the two screenshots posted here.  A virtual world provides a visual setting that is very much like a real world setting, though it could be placed in some extraordinary setting for added fun.  A camera control allows the participant to look around the room and zoom into  a presentation slide much like happens in a face-to-face presentation.  Attending a Virtual World presentation provides a “game” look and feel, considered by some as silly and unnecessary and by others as more engaging and natural.

Having attended both types of presentations I find them similar in the screen controls and options.  The engagement  factor is difficult to describe, best to experience it.  The virtual world method is a closer connection to real life presentation because of the visual setting, it does however require some skill and knowledge in computer interfaces and in many cases a special viewer.  There are some web-based virtual world settings, none are yet at the mobile device stage.  I’m guessing the technology will advance, bandwidth will improve and the two formats for delivering online synchronous presentations will meld bringing us the best of both.

Techplex Engineer describes the work of one of the teachers in a Summer Institute Course
Aug 1 2011

Blurring the Lines Between Teacher and Learner

Techplex Engineer describes the work of one of the teachers in a Summer Institute Course

I was building on Reaction Grid and in need of a script so I looked at the map, located a couple of green dots and teleported over to request help. Techplex Engineer, an Anime-haired avatar greeted me cordially and immediately guided me to exactly what I was seeking.  Curious about the surroundings of the sim I had never seen, I inquired about the project and the blue haired Avi told me he was teaching teachers as part of a Summer Institute Outreach Program at the University of Maine’s School of Education.  The name of the Course was “Creating An Immersive Virtual Learning Environment“.

Part of the project from the Summer Academy was a World Religions Plaza for use with high school students.

My interest piqued, I continued to ask questions, finding my new virtual friend to be knowledgable and adept at explaining.  He provided pertinent web-sites, information about getting my mossy path to look seamless, and demonstrated layering of prims for particular effects.  Techplex explained that the teachers in the course were learning to build and use this environment to become “a new breed and begin to integrate this type of learning into their classrooms and to transform the classroom into a more stimulating and exciting way to learn”.  He was the co-instructor and “thankfully” not responsible for grading.

As is common in virtual environments, we exchanged ideas, discussed strategies and shared resources.  The chance encounter was worthwhile, helpful, and meaningful to me as a veteran teacher.  My new virtual colleague is a recent High School graduate on his way to the University this fall to major in electrical engineering.

Jul 15 2011
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Supporting Learning Styles in the Virtual World

A group of machinima learners sit in a night forest environment listening to a presentation, watching videos and chatting amongst themselves.

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Differentiating instruction includes supporting various student learning styles and is a challenge as teachers tend to teach in their own preferred style.  For the skilled instructor, using learning style models, personality indicators and/or intelligence inventories, Virtual Worlds can remove some limitations … Continue reading →

Jun 1 2011
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Living Literature in Virtual Worlds

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The use of Virtual Worlds to explore and enhance the literary experience is a useful activity for pre-reading, ongoing as a specific piece is read, and/or  as reinforcement after the reading is complete.    The value of a virtual world in … Continue reading →

May 10 2011
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Genetic Study via Virtual Pets and Plants

A pair of Meeros on a farm in Second Life.

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Can the virtual world SL breedable pets such as  Meeroos and breedable plants such as Sibotanicals provide some opportunities to learn about biological and botanical genetics?  The breedables are an amusing addition to the virtual setting, as the scripting progresses, the concepts of DNA and … Continue reading →