vacademia – educational virtual world with 3d recording
DESCRIPTION
We present a new approach to educational activities in 3D virtual worlds. This approach is based on a new vision of content and learning process in virtual worlds and related to a new platform called vAcademia. This virtual world is designed and developed specially for educational purposes, and it has an integrated set of tools for a number of learning activities. The main original feature of vAcademia is 3D recording, which allows capturing dynamically everything in a given location in the virtual world. A 3D recording looks like a live virtual class providing students with a collaboration space and giving a sense of presence. In such a manner, vAcademia supports a new type of digital content – 3D recording or virtcast, which is created based on synchronous activities and opens new possibilities to explore. We present the functionality, scenarios of use and challenges of the educational virtual world vAcademia.TRANSCRIPT
vAcademia – Educational Virtual World with 3D Recording
Mikhail Fominykh
IBM
Learning in virtual worlds
Harvard
Princeton University
Sheffield University
Stanford University
Toyota
Massachusetts Institute
Advantages of virtual worldsas learning environments
• Low cost and high safety• Three-dimensional representation of learners and
objects• Interaction in simulated contexts • Sense of presence • Variety of tools
Synchronous - Asynchronous
Synchronous(online)
Asynchronous(offline)
Traditionallearning
Face-to-face classes Text booksVideo recorded classes
2D e-Learning Webinars Recorded webinars
3D e-Learning Classes in virtual worlds ?
Types of learning
2D e-Learning
Synchronous class
Asynchronous class
Face to face class
Webinar
CMS/LMS
live/online
content
3D e-Learning
Face to face class
Synchronous class
Asynchronous class
live/online
content
Synchronous - Asynchronous
Synchronous(online)
Asynchronous(offline)
Traditionallearning
Face-to-face classes Text booksVideo recorded classes
2D e-Learning Webinars Recorded webinars
3D e-Learning
Types of learning
vAcademia
vAcademia
vAcademia
Teaching tools
Virtual world for education
Pioneer of 3D recording
1. Starting a class in vAcademia
2. Press Recording button
3. Conducting a class in vAcademia
4. Press Stop button
5. New content – 3D recording of the class
6. 3D recordings – course content
vAcademia
Web-site
• Integrated CMS/LMS• Moodle interface• Content repository
3D virtual world
• Learning environment• Teaching tools• 3D recording of classes
Moodle integration
1. Course management and planning
3. Conducting classes
4. Content is ready
6. Integrating 3D recordings
5. Browsing 3D recordings
7. Using 3D recordings
2. Binding accounts and managing groups
Moodle integration
Teaching tools
Desktop & application sharing
Interactive whiteboards
Picture sharing
Power Point presentations
Web-cameras
Pointer
Teaching toolsTeaching tools
Drawing
Screen and applications sharing
Pointers
Teaching toolsTeaching tools
Web-Camera
Power Point presentation
Picture sharing
Teaching toolsTeaching tools
Backchannel
Clicker tools
Коммуникации
Text and voice communicationText and voice communication
Convenient voice and text communication tools enrich the collaborative learning activity.
Every person can show up in the virtual world in the appearance he/she likes best.
Avatar customizationAvatar customization
Text, graphic, and voice notesText, graphic, and voice notes
Users may share their comments and impressions in the form of text, graphic, and voice notes.
NavigationNavigation
vAcademia maps make the navigation around the virtual world really simple.
CollectionCollection
Educational resources for both teachers and students may be uploaded into Collection.
Environment designEnvironment design
Users can organize learning space at any location of vAcademia by arranging the furniture in the way they like.
User’s 3D objectsUser’s 3D objects
Users can upload their own 3D objects in Collada format, which extends the possibilities for creating learning environments
Web-site support
New course
New course
New course
3D recordings
3D recording info
Scenarios of use
• Visiting a 3D recording• at any time• by a group of learners• actively working inside• with almost the same presence effect
• Creating a new 3D recording, while conducting activities being inside one
• enhancing a class with additional discussions, questions and comments
• guiding learners only through some parts of the original class and get specified recordings
• using text, graphic, and sound notes
Current usage
• Several IT courses at the Mari State Technical University, Russia
Current usage
• English for beginners at the Mukogawa Women's University in Japan
Current usage
• High school advanced chemistry course in Yoshkar-Ola, Russia
Future directions
• Development of additional functionality • extending possibilities for creating custom learning
environments• improving the working environment and teaching
tools to make them more convenient• Improving accessibility
• clients for different operating systems and a light version for mobile devices
• developing a browser-based client• Designing new learning scenarios
• combining synchronous and asynchronous activities• 3D recorded classes as a new type of user-generated
content• educational simulations and serious games
Thank you!
presented by Mikhail [email protected]
http://www.idi.ntnu.no/~fominykh/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/fominykh
https://my.secondlife.com/mihail.palace
http://vacademia.com/userprofile/show/id/808
http://vacademia.com
http://www.facebook.com/vAcademia
@vacademia_info
http://www.slideshare.net/vacademia
Educational virtual world [email protected]