bringing 'second life' to a tough undergraduate course
DESCRIPTION
This presentation discusses the novel use of Second Life to produce machine-based cinemas, 'machinimas' to support critical elements of situated learning in the classroom.TRANSCRIPT
Bringing ‘second life’ to a tough undergraduate courseBringing ‘second life’ to a tough undergraduate course
Cognitive apprenticeship through Machinimas
Nona Muldoon, Jennifer KofoedColin Beer & David Jones
@ CDDU
http://flickr.com/photos/squeakymarmot/2293398178/
http://flickr.com/photos/squeakymarmot/2293398178/
What type are you?
Archaeologist?
Fortune teller?
Builder?
Day dreamer?
http://flickr.com/photos/wessexarchaeology/51568417/
http://flickr.com/photos/beija-flor/2453493576/
To lose one's self in reverie,one must be either very happy,or very unhappy.
Reverie is the child of extremes.
~ Antoine Rivarol
http://flickr.com/photos/kaptainkobold/2091141121/
Build to learnLearn to build
Generate and test theories of different types
http://flickr.com/photos/calavera/65098350/
http://flickr.com/photos/dalbera/927945632/
Learning design
Organisational support of learning
Application of technology- Web 2.0/social software
http://flickr.com/photos/mulloy/2613784981/
Partnerships
Today’s presentation
• Focus on outcomes not process– Process presented in July at FBI, available at
http://cddu.cqu.edu.au/index.php/CDDU_Presentations
• Today is about… – the idea of ‘practice fields’ in the classroom– how Second Life Machinima helped make this happen– impacts on students’ active engagement
• Further research
Perspectives on learning
Perspectives on learning
L&T approaches in accounting educationLearners are taught in abstract and decontextualised form little or no opportunity to develop graduate skills and attributes ignores the interdependence of knowledge and cognition
L&T approaches in accounting educationLearners are taught in abstract and decontextualised form little or no opportunity to develop graduate skills and attributes ignores the interdependence of knowledge and cognition
Perspectives on learning
Accounting educators’ challengeProvide learning experiences that demonstrate
the authethic practices and values of the profession.
Accounting educators’ challengeProvide learning experiences that demonstrate
the authethic practices and values of the profession.
Perspectives on learning
Situated cognitionLearners are empowered to “learn knowledge and skills in context with the way knowledge will be used in real life” (Collins, 1988, p.2)
Situated cognitionLearners are empowered to “learn knowledge and skills in context with the way knowledge will be used in real life” (Collins, 1988, p.2)
Workplace environment
Complex problems
Dilemmas are ill-structured
Collaborative
Self-directed
Complex problems
Dilemmas are ill-structured
Collaborative
Self-directed
Workplace environment
“Cognitive apprenticeship methods try to
enculturate students into authentic practices through activity and social interaction similar to that evident in craft apprenticeship” (Brown, Collins & Duguid, 1989, p. 39)
“Cognitive apprenticeship methods try to
enculturate students into authentic practices through activity and social interaction similar to that evident in craft apprenticeship” (Brown, Collins & Duguid, 1989, p. 39)
Learning environment as practice fields
Practice fieldsContexts in which learners can perform and practice the kinds of activities they will encounter outside of formal learning environment (Barab & Duffy, 2000)
Practice fieldsContexts in which learners can perform and practice the kinds of activities they will encounter outside of formal learning environment (Barab & Duffy, 2000)
Learning environment as practice fields
Cognitive apprenticeship & practice fields
Ownership of the enquiry
Support the learners rather than simplify the dilemmas
Work is collaborative and social
Learning context is motivating
Opportunity for reflection
Coaching and modelling of thinking skills
Dilemmas are ill-structured
Engagement in domain related practices
Technology & the design of practice fields
• Knowledge must be learned in context, but that context can be a virtual surrogate of the work environment (McLellan, 1996)
Second Life… what is it about?
• A type of multi-user virtual environment
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3167/2722059819_87f40e5a26.jpg?v=0
Affordances of Second Life
• SL makes it possible to create interactive learning experiences
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/468512050_d21d548edd.jpg?v=0
Affordances of Second Life
• It can leverage aspects of authentic learning conditions
Affordances of Second Life
• Learners can interact with digital artifacts and communicate with other learners, as well as computer-based agents
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2342/2231073099_d6dbee3d78.jpg?v=0
Second Life – ideal for authentic contexts
• But…. steep learning curve
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1149/1165465058_88414dc15b.jpg?v=0
Why Second Life Machinimas?
• Hardware issues
• Bandwidth issues
• Cognitive load issues
Extraneous cognitive loadloading learners with unnecessary information split attention effect diverts attention away from the direct object of learning
(Pollock , Chandler &Sweller, 2002)
Extraneous cognitive loadloading learners with unnecessary information split attention effect diverts attention away from the direct object of learning
(Pollock , Chandler &Sweller, 2002)
Second Life – ideal for authentic contexts
• Hardware issues• 3D graphics• CPU• Memory• Disk Space
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1376/840884888_68750e65ae.jpg?v=0
Second Life – ideal for authentic contexts
• Hardware issues
• Bandwidth issues• Fast Internet connection required• Organisational Issues
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2035/2241798204_4e5301f5b9.jpg?v=0
Second Life – ideal for authentic contexts
• Hardware issues
• Bandwidth issues
• Cognitive load issues– New Environment– A lot to learn
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2166/2294885420_ed91b173c5.jpg?v=0
Why Second Life Machinimas?
How we brought ‘second life’ to the course
Method
Summary of major findings
Results: Final grades T1 2008
Campus AF NS DE RO F SE P C D HD Grand Total
BDG 1 1 5 3 10BNE 1 2 4 7 2 16FLEX 3 2 1 9 15 12 5 47GDC 2 1 3 6MEL 4 4 2 2 35 28 3 78MKY 6 3 2 11NZDS 2 2ROK 8 3 2 13SYD 1 4 1 5 1 54 60 12 1 139
Grand Total 4 7 13 1 9 3 112 123 39 11 322
Results: Final grades T1 2008
Campus AF NS DE RO F SE P C D HD Grand Total
BDG 1 1 5 3 10BNE 1 2 4 7 2 16FLEX 3 2 1 9 15 12 5 47GDC 2 1 3 6MEL 4 4 2 2 35 28 3 78MKY 6 3 2 11NZDS 2 2ROK 8 3 2 13SYD 1 4 1 5 1 54 60 12 1 139
Grand Total 4 7 13 1 9 3 112 123 39 11 322
The greatest part of the experience for me was feeling like we were a real audit team, learning together and conducting the audit together.
The greatest part of the experience for me was feeling like we were a real audit team, learning together and conducting the audit together.
Active engagement, e.g.discussion board interaction
Discussion Board
Posts Team 1
Team 2
Team 3
Team 4
Team 5
Team 6
Team 7
Team 9
Team 10
Teaching team 56
Audit Partner 166
Audit Manager 2
Flex students
1,315 127 98 111 110 173 392 138 159 7
Overall I have been very pleased, even impressed, with the work and commitment students are putting in during class time… AIC Lecturer/Tutor
Overall I have been very pleased, even impressed, with the work and commitment students are putting in during class time… AIC Lecturer/Tutor
Audit Team 6 Audit Team 10
N = 5 N = 6Posts = 392 Posts = 7Weeks = 1-13 Used tools outside Bb, e.g. MSN
Audit Team 6 Audit Team 10
N = 5 N = 6Posts = 392 Posts = 7Weeks = 1-13 Used tools outside Bb, e.g. MSN
Curriculum alignment = active learning
Curriculum alignment = active learning
• “I could appreciate how the weekly group tasks were building towards the assessment…”
• “I have enjoyed the learning process while working within an audit team. Each weekly review tasks was relevant to the subject and was a stepping stone to the end goal.”
• “I have never learnt more in a subject and truly appreciate the structure of the course.”
Entire course site accessT1 2007 – 187,689 – 630 studentsT1 2008 – 232,106 – 322 students
Entire course site accessT1 2007 – 187,689 – 630 studentsT1 2008 – 232,106 – 322 students
Machinima accessCrebel Machinima = 2.011Sealant Machinima 2.1 = 954Sealant Machinima 2.2 = 1,098Sealant Machinima 2.3 = 1,068
Machinima accessCrebel Machinima = 2.011Sealant Machinima 2.1 = 954Sealant Machinima 2.2 = 1,098Sealant Machinima 2.3 = 1,068
Study Guide accessModule-based = 1,398Entire Study Guide = 215
Study Guide accessModule-based = 1,398Entire Study Guide = 215
Real world problems transformative learning
Future research – ‘perspective transformation’
• “I am the first one to admit that the thought of working in an audit team…was a little daunting and I thought at first totally unreasonable and there is no way this will work but I have to admit that it did and it’s given us the experience or the feeling of what it would be like to work in an audit team.”
• “I am the first one to admit that the thought of working in an audit team…was a little daunting and I thought at first totally unreasonable and there is no way this will work but I have to admit that it did and it’s given us the experience or the feeling of what it would be like to work in an audit team.”
• “The group work. I don’t like being dependent upon someone’s performance for my grade. I don’t like having to do more work to cover for lazy students.”
• “The group work. I don’t like being dependent upon someone’s performance for my grade. I don’t like having to do more work to cover for lazy students.”
Next presentation - L&T Seminar
• 15 September – Results of survey data based on the 7 Principles questionnaire
Thanks for listening… questions please Thanks for listening… questions please