RUNNING HEAD: VIRTUAL REALITY TOOLS

Implementation of Virtual Reality Tools

Brandy Milson

INST 6037 Advanced Applications of Technology

Dr. Rice

University of Houston- Clear Lake

October 7, 2010
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Alexi Riverstone when she first entered The new and improved Alexi Riverstone

(The virtual student)

There are many methods an avatar can choose to use to interact with the Virtual Learning

Environment (VLE) called Second Life. You can explore Second Life by running, walking,

flying, or teleporting (using SLurls, the map, or objects such as the phone booth). You can also

get around by objects unique to the virtual environment such as a pirate ship, race car, space

ship, flying carpet or almost anything you can imagine (if you can figure out how to build it).

There are many ways that you can interact with others using a virtual program such as Second

Life. You can interact with others through virtual chats, lectures, taking tours, joining groups

such as the ISTE educators group, participating in group discussions, participating in scavenger

hunts, going to rock concerts, attending poetry slams, or joining historic re-enactments. You can

interact with other avatars through text chat or the preferred method of voice chat. What is

unique about Second Life is the ability to create shared experiences.

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You can also interact with objects such as text boards by selecting them as you explore the

environment. Some of the boards are informational and contains schedules such as what you

will find on ISTE island, and some are artwork that can teleport you or give you objects for your

inventory. As you progress through each environment it is important to look at and touch

everything so that you do not miss out on important information or resources.

There are an abundance of resources available to educators wishing to learn Second Life and

use it as a teaching tool. There are many professional development resources such as private

learning communities, workshops, ongoing educational cohorts, list servs, and blogs that

describe educational virtual sources. You can use the destination guide contained within Second

Life to find educational resources through the search box or you can use a web browser search

engine to find educational Second Life blogs.

ISTE island has a lot of educator resources that help develop a community of technology

educators. There are many people assigned as greeters or docents that are there to help those

new to the world learn basic concepts and help members and non-members become accustomed

to the virtual environment. The docents operate on a volunteer basis and often serve in rotating

shifts. If you choose you can become a member of the community such as I did, which will

allow you to receive insider information and gain access to schedules of upcoming events. ISTE

also holds many social events such as beach parties which are a great networking opportunity.

ISTE island is a centralized location for technology educators to gather and share knowledge

with each other. Many people know each other and communicate on a regular basis. When I

began telling my group about what my interests were, there were several suggestions of people I

should meet that shared similar interests.

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While exploring Second Life, I met many people that helped me along my journey. I first met

Cyndyl Enyo a faculty development specialist for 20 years who works with all level students and

faculty at integrating technology for her school in Virginia. We spoke for about an hour and a

half and I learned a lot of useful information from her. She took me on a tour of ISTE Island and

she told me about her organization VSTE based on the Virginia division of ISTE. I explored

their site which allowed me to obtain some free clothes and helpful tips. Then, my classmate

Kim and I decided to explore together.

Kim and I found a virtual conference being held by SLEEC which stands for Second Life

Educators Escambia County. We saw several workshops that were designed for Escambia

County School District’s (Florida) virtual campus. The workshop was entitled Virtual

Innovative Teaching and Technology Summit.  Throughout the day there were many sessions

including iPods & iPads, Google Apps and Google Earth, Teaching in Virtual Environments, No

Avatar Left Behind and Project Based Learning. Kim and I really had a good time although it

took all day Saturday. We met twenty to twenty five people that were welcoming although we

were not from their school district. The presenters were outstanding and we were grateful they

were welcoming although we were not their district colleagues. We met so many people that it is

hard to give a detailed description since we were trying to take it all in but some of the more

notable guests that we spoke with included Chris O’Neil who presented iPods and iPads, Peggy

Sheehy who presented an outstanding presentation on virtual environments called no Avatar Left

Behind, and Sue Stevens who had an excellent presentation on Project based learning. Kim and I

learned so much that we would have never had the opportunity to experience if we had not been

talking to people on ISTE island and got involved right away.

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Second Life can be used to expand knowledge through participation in conferences like

Kim and I had the opportunity to participate in today. It also allows you to see what other

educators with similar content areas are creating for their classroom. It also allows expansion of

knowledge through the creation of private learning communities and visual interactions. The

educators I encountered during my journey where very knowledgeable about educational

technology and issues and concerns in the field. Many participants were instructional designers

and educators that are currently using Second Life with their students. They always seemed

excited to direct new people towards content resources that can help serve their needs.

Participation in Second Life communities is the best way to expand content and best practice

knowledge.

Second Life allows you to engage with other educators through a variety of methods.

Educators can participate in private learning communities or join educational groups, they can

also have informal discussions with other educators or join formal lectures being offered through

organizations such as ISTE or the many educational institutions represented in Second Life.

Besides the academic reasons to explore, you can network in ways like never before, even if it is

participation in a beach party or a Halloween scavenger hunt.

This unusual world called Second Life helps your students with their educational

development by providing a free simulation environment where skilled teachers can create

almost any learning scenario. Second Life also encourages students to work together on

collaborative synchronous projects through the ability to participate in text based or interactive

voice discussions. There are some real world authentic problems solving activities that can be

set up to enhance understanding of material. For example, if I were doing a unit on space with
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my students, we can actually visit space. We can also explore the setting of a novel that we are

reading in English or participate in a mock election for Social Studies.

There are some important strengths of being a part of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

like Second Life such as practice with real world communication and presentation skills. A VLE

can enable normally shy students to step up and often take charge of projects or interact in ways

that they do not feel comfortable to do in face to face scenarios. Even if they are working with

classmates in a classroom setting, some students may feel more comfortable with the mediated

technology. Second Life can also be helpful for students that face learning challenges. Lessons

developed for VLE’s often include a combination of text, images, and voice which can aid in

retention. For distance education students, Second Life can help create the community

environment which so many current web enhanced or internet only students may be missing out

on. Students can meet in a synchronous environment while still being able to meet the needs of

flexibility and overcome obstacles like physical distance. The final strength that I see is the pure

visual impact of Second Life. Some of the worlds are stunning and creative which can help

encourage student innovation and increase creativity as well as motivation.

Just as there are strengths there are some important weaknesses. Second Life is not

appropriate for some educational environments. Without strict monitoring secondary students

should not be allowed to participate in Second Life as a requirement. Parental and district

concerns will prevent much use in public school environments. Next, your hardware must be

fairly new and all Flash and QuickTime applications up to date. Educators must keep in mind

that not everyone’s home computer will run the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and there

should be some basic trouble shooting FAQ’s included in classroom assignment instructions.

Also, the educational designer (usually the teacher) must know a lot about Second Life. They
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must be more than familiar with the environment in order to design effective activities and

manipulate the interface, which can take a good deal of time to learn.

Overall, I think if used appropriately Second Life can be an effective educational tool. There

are so many benefits to using the program that teachers should take time to explore and consider

the possibilities that it offers. While you may not be able to use it all the time, it does not hurt to

add it to a teacher’s bag of tricks. Keep in mind that you may have to educate your

administrators and school boards if you are employed with a public education institution,
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Title of Using Virtual Learning Date: 10/7/2010

Lesson: Environments for Collaboration

Subject Technology Professional Required Materials SL Account

Area: Development Headset
Computer
Internet

Learner Spring Branch Independent School Instructional Focus: Andragogy

Population District Teachers K-12

Lesson Human Resources Director, Duration 1 week

Approval Technology Director

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity. Teachers use their
Knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate
experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-
to-face and virtual environments. Teachers: (a) promote, support, and model
Technology Standards Addressed (NETS for Teachers)

creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness. (b) Engage students in

exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and
resources. (c) promote student reflection using collaborative
tools to reveal and clarify students' conceptual understanding and thinking,
planning, and creative processes. (d) model collaborative knowledge construction
by engaging in learning with students, colleagues, and others in face-to-face and
virtual environments.
2. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning. Teachers exhibit knowledge,
skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a
global and digital society. Teachers: (b) collaborate with students, peers, parents,
and community members using digital tools and resources to support student
success and innovation. (c)communicate relevant information and ideas
effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media
and formats
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership. Teachers continuously
improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit
leadership in their school and professional community by promoting and
demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and resources. Teachers:
(a) participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative
applications of technology to improve student learning. (b) exhibit leaders
hip by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion, participating in
shared decision making and community building, and developing the
leadership and technology skills of others.
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Learning
Learners will be able to explore and interact using the Virtual Learning
Goal
Environment (VLE) Second Life and explain the benefits and concerns
surrounding the use in education.
Strategies
Learning

Stories, demonstrations, video clips, discussion, information searches, self-

reflective journaling, synchronous discussions, and asynchronous discussions.
Learnin

Theory

Constructivism and Connectivism

g

Component Detail
Orientation to Learning

Teachers will be shown a short introduction video

Second Life and Professional Development : Classrooms without

borders

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqR3fSGGKoQ

This is an excellent introduction to Second Life for educators.

Anticipatory Discusses ISTE, avatar creation, collaboration, team building,
Set types of classrooms, educational tools, professional development
opportunities, ePals, expanding global leadership, discovery
education network, digizen citizenship, teacher network center, and
professional networking

This is an excellent way to begin because it opens up teachers

minds to the possibilities. Engage teachers in a short discussion
about the video.

In this workshop we are going to cover

1. The possibilities of a digital classroom

Provide 2. Second Life educational communities
overview 3. Benefits and harms of Virtual Learning
Environments(VLE’s)
4. Group collaboration in Second Life
5. Capturing the Second Life experience using snapshots

Instructional Given the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Second Life,

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learners will be able to complete the following tasks with 100%

accuracy

1. Download and register for an account

2. Create an avatar and customize it
3. Learn to navigate Second Life using the Welcome Island
tutorial.
4. Locate at least four educational sites within Second Life
5. Participate in a voice chat discussion of at least one hour
Objective(s) with a group of six.
6. Take snapshots of the group collaboration experience using
the Second Life built in tool
7. Complete a detailed journal discussion which explores
strengths and weaknesses of Virtual Learning
Environments, things that inspired you about Second Life,
ways in which you can use Second Life with your students
and a personal conclusion about using Virtual Learning
Environments with students.
8. Participate in an online threaded discussion about Second
Life in education.

Teachers will be shown how they can use Second Life for
Relevance of educational purposes and how they can use it to build private
Instruction learning communities that allow them to interact with other
professionals in their field.

Tell a story about how long conferences take time from family and
Assist learner
learners. Ask them to recall a memory of when they were sitting in
recall of prior
a workshop that could have been done online at their convenience.
knowledge,
Remind them of the first time they used a computer. Discuss
skills, and
student disinterest and changing teaching strategies for digital
experiences
natives.

Provide 1. Learners will watch the videos provided and explore the
directions for additional resources.
how to start, 2. Learners will locate at least 2 articles about the use of
Second Life in education.
navigate, and
3. Learners will download and register for a Second Life
proceed account.
through the 4. Learners will create an avatar (Spend some time
unit of customizing your avatar since this will set you apart from
instruction your classmates)
5. Learners will explore Welcome Island.
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6. Learners will find a partner to explore Second Life

educational sites with using the destination guide. Learners
will need two to three days to explore. Learners should take
snapshots along the way detailing their experience.
7. Learners will be assigned to groups of six.
8. Learners will prepare a short outline of their experience for
discussion with groups
9. Learners will coordinate a time and place within Second
Life to meet with their groups of six to discuss their
findings. All group members must participate.
10. Learners will take a minimum of two screen captures of the
group discussion.
11. Learners will prepare a short reflective journal detailing
their Second Life experience which will include their
favorite snapshots of the experience.
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1. Teachers will watch the following videos

Education in Second Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R1SrZua5ww&NR=1
Second Life learning activity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vewhhIN4Lj0&feature=fvw
These environments can be used in cooperation with a history
lesson or areas where students can collaborate, there are many
ways you can use the environments displayed in the video. You
are only limited by your creativity.
Education in Second Life: Explore the Possibilities
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMGR9q43dag&feature=related
This video shows some of the ways that you can incorporate
second life into your lesson plans.
Virtual Social Worlds and the Future of Learning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2jY4UkPbAc&feature=related
Sr. Tony O’Driscoll describes the 7 sensibilities that differentiate
the Virtual self.
Student Second Life Projects
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFzFqqBHEY&feature=related
These are examples of student projects that have been created to
give you some more ideas of the possibilities available to you.
Politics in Second Life
Instruction on the Content

Here are two videos that demonstrate the political life in Second
Life. This could be used in conjunction with a civics discussion or
when studying elections history or the impact of virtual world on
Present political communication.
Instructional http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKnzxBFpoY8&feature=related
Content http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NES-dTcqnRk&feature=related

2. Teachers will explore these additional resources

Discovery Educator Network Second life
http://blog.discoveryeducation.com/secondlife/
This blog describes all of the upcoming Discovery events in
Second Life

The Second Life Education Wiki

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Education
Tells you all you need to know about educational content in
Second Life.

3D Virtual Worlds for Education

http://www.slideshare.net/iconolith/second-life-for-education

Educator

E
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Students will be provided with a list of possible questions that are

designed to stimulate their thinking while exploring Second Life.
Learners are asked to reflect on the following questions as they
explore each area they visit.
Provide 1. What do you like most/least about this area?
learning cues 2. What do you wish you could do here?
3. What did you learn most about this area?
4. Did you meet an interesting people in this area?
5. Did you see anything unique in this area?
6. Could you use this area with students?
7. Did you get any ideas for your students in this area?

Learners are required to explore the Virtual Learning Environment

Second Life with a partner and alone if they chose. Learners are
Present required to take snapshots of their experience. Learners are
opportunities required to participate in a group discussion within Second Life.
for practice After which learners are given the opportunity to journal about
their experiences.

Provide After reading individual journals, the instructor will provide

feedback on comments about each learner’s experience in Second Life.
practice
performance

Learners will be asked to go back over the lesson objectives and

Provide review learning goal and participate in a brief discussion of what they
of and close the did/did not learn from this activity, and if they felt that it met the
unit goals of the unit.

Learners will be assigned a journal assignment and they will also

Assess be evaluated using a project checklist to make sure that they meet
Measurement of

Performance each of the project requirements.

learning

Learners will be given a grade or Continuing Education Credits

Advise learner
of performance based on the journal assignment with snapshots (50%) and the
scores checklist (50%)
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The journal assignment will offer the opportunity for self-

Provide
reflection which improves retention. Students will be given a
Opportunities
handout of additional Second Life educational resources that they
for retention
may explore on their own.
Summary and Close

Provide Students will be given a handout of additional Second Life

remediation for educational resources that they may explore on their own.
unmet
objectives

Enhance and Students will be given a handout of additional Second Life

Enrich educational resources that they may explore on their own.
Learning
Project Checklist
Task Objective Point Instructor Comments

s
Locate at least 2 articles about the use of Second 5 pts

Life in education.
Download and register for a Second Life 5 pts
Create an avatar (Spend some time customizing 5 pts

your avatar since this will set you apart from your

classmates)
Explore Welcome Island (include snapshots) 5 pts
Explore Educational Sites with a partner (include 20 pts

snapshots)
Second Life group discussion (include snapshots) 10 pts

Second Life Journal Assignment

Learners will prepare a short reflective journal detailing their Second Life experience which will
include their favorite snapshots of the experience.
What do you like most/least about this area?
Questions to consider for EACH What do you wish you could do here?
What did you learn most about this area?
area you visit
Did you meet an interesting people in this area?
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Did you see anything unique in this area?

Could you use this area with students?
Did you get any ideas for your students in this area?

References

Second Life. (2010). Linden research. Retrieved from: http://secondlife.com/