Living On The Edge:The Nexus Between Developers and Academics Working in Virtual Worlds

Anna PeacheyChris CarterSteph Broadribb

11.15am - Thursday June 10th 2010Columbia University, New York

Who are we?

Second Life and the Open University

OU HRD + SL (= acronym heaven…)

Saw opportunity to use SL for role playing as part of blended design (in on-site workshop)

Previous learners reported some discomfort with traditional role playing activity

‘Developing Feedback Skills’ course identified as an appropriate vehicle for a pilot intervention

SL proposed as an activity for learners to practice giving and receiving feedback to/from online actors

Initial plan to use existing OU-owned space in SL

What we wanted

Contacted Anna about designing own space on one of the OU’s islands

Discussion around needs:

Relatively high fidelity representation of office space

Integration of various interactive objects

An area large enough to accommodate around 12 avatars at any one time…

… but small enough to fit in the department’s budget!

A mix of informal and formal areas within the virtual office

Ongoing help for us, being SL ‘noobs’ at the time!

Starting the narrative

Mix of real and virtual world meetings:

For the initial discussions and ongoing design ‘show and tell’ meetings we met in SL

Supplementary meetings conducted via Skype or on campus in the real world

We only met in the real world around 6 months after having initial discussions within SL!

what we wantwhat they need

Living On The Edge:

what they need

learner specification

Learner SpecificationThis section helps you think about the individual learners and learner

groups that are being targeted by the proposed activity/activities. Who is the learner? What is their background and learning history? What are their learning styles/preferences? What are the advantages to the learner in participating in the

proposed activity/activities in Second Life? What are the risks to the learner in participating in the proposed

activity/activities in Second Life? Are there any accessibility or diversity issues relevant to this learner

group, above and beyond regular considerations? How can the activity contribute to widening participation (where

appropriate)? How can the activity contribute to globalisation (where appropriate)? How can links be made/reinforced between the course and employer

engagement where relevant?

what they need

pedagogic considerationslearner specification

Pedagogic ConsiderationsThis section helps you think about the pedagogic means of achieving

learning outcomes through the proposed activity/activities. What are the learning outcomes this activity intends to address? How can the learning activities and outcomes be achieved using

Second Life? Which pedagogic approaches and models might be most effective? In what ways are the learners working independently or together

(e.g. singly, partially in groups), and what collaborative approaches could support that?

How can the learning activities and outcomes be integrated with existing course provision?

How can briefing/debriefing be used to reinforce learning outcomes?

what they need

pedagogic considerationslearner specification

modes of representation

Modes of RepresentationThis section helps you think about how to integrate different modes of

representation as appropriate for the proposed activity/activities. Why is Second Life the best medium for this activity? What level of immersion is needed to support learning outcomes? How can links be made between activity in the virtual world and

reflection on learning? How can the Second Life activity be integrated with existing

facilities, for example using Sloodle? How can participation be tracked/captured/assessed?

what they need

pedagogic considerationslearner specification

modes of representation

costs

CostsThis section helps you prepare a specification that can be discussed

with the virtual worlds team, in order to produce an accurate estimate of the costs for the proposed activity/activities.

What area of virtual land is required for the activity and for what duration?

Can the activity take place using existing provision? Does the activity require permanent presence, or can it be placed

for a restricted period? How many people will be accessing the activity concurrently? What resources will be needed for the activity? How much of these

resources are static and how much will need to be interactive? Will external expertise be needed to set up design/deliver/evaluate

the learning activity (as distinct from resources)? Will this expertise be needed for support on an ongoing basis?

What provision should be made for training Associate Lecturers/other delivery staff?

Are there opportunities for cost sharing/collaboration with like-minded others?

Broadribb S.C. and Carter C.J.P (2009) Using Second Life in Human Resource Development British Journal of Educational Technology 40(3), pp. 547-550

de Freitas, S. & Oliver, M. (2006). How Can Exploratory Learning With Games And Simulations Within The Curriculum Be Most Effectively Evaluated? Computers in Education 46 249-263

Peachey A., Broadribb S., Carter C. and Westrap F. (2009) Second Life in The Open University: How The Virtual World Can Facilitate Learning For Staff and Students in Wankel, C. and Kingsley, J. (eds) Higher Education: Teaching and Learning in Virtual Worlds UK: Emerald

Peachey A., Livingstone D. and Walshe S. (2010) Blueprint for a Mashup: Corporate Education in Moodle, Sloodle and Second Life in Ritke-Jones, W. (Ed.) Handbook of Research on Virtual Environments for Corporate Education USA: IGI Global

[see www.open.ac.uk/virtualworlds for more publications]

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References