Dr Palitha EdirisinghaPal Eilde& Professor Gilly Salmon: Genevieve Simons

University of Leicester

3-D Multi-User Virtual Environments for3-D Multi-User Virtual Environments forsocialisation for learning at a distancesocialisation for learning at a distance

MOOSE team:Gilly Salmon, Palitha Edirisingha, Ming Nie, Matt Wheeler, Mark Pluciennik, Ruth Young, Jaideep Mukherjee

MOdelling Of Second life Environments (MOOSE)

Design, develop and pilot SL-tivities in undergraduate distance learning course (Archaeological Theory)

Develop & deliver SL guides and training

Research students’ andtutors’ use of SL-tivities

Designing for SL events

Role of facilitation in SL

In-worldsocialization & learning in

groups

Theory: socialization for learning at a distance

Socialization for online collaboration, link between social presence & socialisation, affordances of 3D MUVEs for effective socialisation

5-stage model and e-tivitiesSalmon 2004; Motteram 2004;

Gunewardene and Zittle 1997, Short et al 1976 Online socialisation

Access & Motivation

Information exchange

Knowledgeconstruction

Development

Second Life learning preparations– Students

• training guide• In-world training (1 hour)

– Tutors• training guide• F2F session: technical and SL-moderation (2 hours)

Training guides available at:http://tinyurl.com/mooseSLguides

Over to Pal

UoL Archaeology module

Read description of rituals & social structures

Written description and diagrams of a Saami tent

Visioning and thought experiment about the term ’landscape’ and verbal exploration of cultural contextIndividual reflection on module experience

Current approach Second Life approachImmersion in simulatedritual experience

Artefact of Saami tent in world for exploration and interaction

Interpretations of a vision and created landscape in-world and exploration of history, ideals and aspirations

Group discussion in world

Saami tent

Kalasha village

Initial findings1. Provides environment for meeting2. In world socialisation3. Remote network building4. Enabling the first 2 stages of the ‘5 stage model’

faster…5. Perspectives on:

- 1st stage of the model: access and motivation- 2nd stage of the model: socialisation

6. The shape / details of the 5-stage model7. Role for the SL moderator / SL moderation8. Complex presence through avatars

These are the substantive issues and they need presentingVery well

SocialisationDM: How are you?EA: Good, thanks. How are you?DM: Have you changed your outfit DM: Have you changed your outfit

again? great!again? great!

EA: The rugs look so real.YU: I knitted them the weekend that’s why!EA: Ha ha!EA: You're very talented.DM: :)

EA: Do you have to knit in the middle of the tent or in the Do you have to knit in the middle of the tent or in the men's section?men's section?YU: No Comment!EA: :)

Avatar students help the avatar tutor

YU: Well, I feel like a prune standing up hereAC: It's less anonymousEA: ha haAC: Sit down!DM: :)YU: I'm not sure I know how to yet! It might be embarrassing!EA: We won't laugh. :)AC: Right-click on ‘Sit’YU: Thanks - that's helpful. But I might fly instead ...AC: That would give you a different impression of space ...YU: Meanwhile, back in space ... [back to the session]

Course and personal matters

DM: EA, which essay question have you chosen?EA: I haven't yet as I defered my course 'til the summer

session...DM: Oh, sorry, you were ill, weren´s you?EA: Yes, :)EA: Which did you choose?DM: Neo-Darwinian approaches...EA: Sounds like a good one. :)

Over to Gilly

Further work

• Learning sessions with:• 2 UoL modules (Geography, Media and

Communications)- London South Bank University (Photography)

• Modeling of SL moderationand SL activities for formalHE learning

Online resources

Project website:http://www.le.ac.uk/beyonddistance/moose/

Project blog:http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/beyond-distance-research-alliance/projects/moose

Saami Tent and the Kalasha village:http://slurl.com/secondlife/Media%20Zoo/170/150/17

Training guides:http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/beyond-distance-research-alliance/projects/moose/mooseblog/training-guides

MOdelling Of SecondLife EnvironmentsMOdelling Of SecondLife Environments www.le.ac.uk/moose

MOOSE team:Gilly Salmon, Palitha Edirisingha, Ming Nie, Matt Wheeler, Mark Pluciennik, Ruth Young, Jaideep Mukherjee

Thanks for listening