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Instructor |
3-D Multiuser Learning Environments
What could you teach in a virtual 3-D world where the surroundings and
learners can change their appearance at will? We'll look at simulations, role-plays,
cross-cultural exchanges, 3-D WebQuests and more while examining issues of identity
and etiquette. Participants will create a lesson plan, a reflection piece, and a
well-dressed avatar.
Schedule # 09494
Overview
This
course is designed to be practical, current, interesting, empowering and thought-provoking.
It is built around active learning and collaborative thinking. When we're done, you'll
have developed insights
that will enable you to design virtual world learning experiences appropriate to your
work.
Audience
This course is targeted at teachers at the K-12 and college levels as well as others involved in the training of adults. No prior experience with virtual life is needed.
Learning Outcomes
In this course you will learn how to
- create and maintain an identity in a virtual world;
- describe the range of educational possibilities opened up by such worlds;
- analyze the affordances inherent in Second Life that may be useful for teaching and learning
- design experiences in a virtual world that could be embedded in a larger teaching and learning effort.
Resources
A growing list of course-related links is available and will be maintained after the course is over.
Course Outline
Pre-course meeting time: TBD
A brief meeting will be held prior to the first session orienting students to Second Life and other course resources. The instructor will contact registered students to establish a convenient date and time.
Session 1: July 21, 2007
MORNING
- Logistics: Moodle
- Jumping to the EDTEC virtual campus
- Shaping your persona and dressing up
- Anthropological expedition in pairs
- Explore selected educational sites
AFTERNOON
- Building in SL
- Affordances of SL for learning
- A taxonomy of possibilities
Weeks-In-Between
- Spend at least three hours in SL simply exploring and refining your persona.
- Post a notice to the SL Persona forum describing your online self.
- Attend at least one educational event, take snapshots, and be prepared to describe it online during session 2.
- Contribute to the affordances and taxononmy wikis.
- Draft a proposal for at least one learning experience by August 4. In the week that follows, provide feedback to at least two of your classmates on their proposal.
Session 2: August 4, 2007
MORNING
- Meet in the EDTEC virtual campus lecture room & present your summary of an educational event or site you visited.
- Transcript of the presentations
AFTERNOON
- Debriefing and building of a taxonomy of Second Life educational applications and affordandaces
- Special guest speakers tailored to student interests - TBD
- Transcript of speaker presentations