TKT 8743 Media Presentation: Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality in EducationScott Baine

What is virtual reality?

computer-generated environmentgives a sense of being therecompels user interactioneach user interacts using an avatar

What is virtual reality?

Schroeder (1996) defined virtual reality (VR) as a computer-generated display that allows or compels the user (or users) to have a sense of being present in an environment other than the one they are actually in, and to interact with that environment.

These virtual representations of oneself are called avatars. 2What is Second Life?

most popular VR in education sectordeveloped by Linden Labsecondlife.comvideo

In the education sector, Second Life (SL) is currently the most popular virtual reality environment, engaging residents from all walks of life, cultures, and backgrounds. SL is a threedimensional immersive virtual reality environment developed by Linden Lab.3What Second Life Offersself-paced tutorialshistorical reenactmentssecond language acquisitionimmersive archaeologycultural immersion

SL offers the self-paced tutorials, historical reenactments, second language acquisition, immersive archaeology, and cultural immersion. As students virtually interact in SL they are challenged as they are exposed to unfamiliar cultures, languages and social norms. These invaluable experiences change their outlook and foster a greater sense of globalization. Indeed, Jeremy Bailenson, Director of Stanford Universitys Virtual Human Interaction Lab, maintains, that if you learn about a culture and your behavior changes in Second Life while youre interacting with another culture, when you leave the virtual world these processes stay with you (Peter, 2008).4Potential Uses of Virtual Realities in education

Have acknowledged potentialMore and more useStudent experience positive even with avatar issues

Researchers are examining the potential pedagogical use of virtual realities (VR) in education. In fact, many universities have already acknowledged the viability of using VR to engage students and are incorporating various emerging technologies, including Second Life (SL), into their pedagogy.

However, since avatar projection and identity creation is complex this could have an effect on learning. The students experience of socialization in an immersive environment proved to be positive (Feldon, D. F., & Kafai, Y. B., 2008; Wang, Y., & Braman, J., 2009). 5Study Abroad in Second LifeSL does have limitationsDoes not replace visitMore effective preparation than on traditional American campusMost risk are eliminated

The current global economic conditions, reductions in federal student aid, the threat of disease, terrorism, and unstable governments have made international travel more difficult and even dangerous. Study abroad in virtual reality could possible be an alternative.

Thanks to today's virtual reality environments, students can now travel anywhere in the world they want to -- without a passport, without luggage, without the expense of airfare. Although VR does have limitations and does not replace the actual visit, VR is capable of preparing students with many of the positive aspects of foreign travel. Processing real and/or virtual situations from a global perspective significantly challenges students in ways that are not readily achievable via traditional classroom venues: (1) Teamwork is learned by planning travel together and reaping the results of either poor or good preparation. (2) Problem solving in study abroad situations encourages both interpersonal and intercultural development, thus preparing students for future career hurdles. (3) Language acquisition while immersed in a foreign culture with native speakers, even virtual, research says that is more effective than on an American campus. Plus, most all the risks are eliminated. The rewarding challenges that students face abroad are still within the virtual equation, while the risks are not.6Getting Started in Second LifeSecond Life:http://static-secondlife-com.s3.amazonaws.com/downloads/Second_Life_Quickstart.pdf

SL Knowledge Base: http://community.secondlife.com/t5/English-Knowledge-Base/tkb-p/English_KB%40tkb

Graham Stanley: http://www.ict4lt.org/en/Euro08PCWSL.doc

VR and Games in Education Wikihttp://wiki.jokaydia.com/?title=Main_Page

Real World Map of Places in SLhttp://www.nbhorizons.com/world.htm

There is a significant learning curve to use Second Life. You need a really good internet connection and a fairly new computer. Getting started in SL will be easier if you visit these URLs.

The first one is the Second Life Quick Start Guide. It will show you how to get set up, explain every control, and what all the buttons do.The second URL is the SL Knowledge Base. So, if you have got a question, you can go and research it there.The third is by a researcher by the name of Graham Stanley. He has done much professional development within Second Life, so I thought it would be interesting to share with you.The fourth is a wiki called Jokaypedia and it shows how you can use VR and games in education.The last one is a real world map of places in Second Life. So if you are interested of going to a place in the real world but you cannot go to ityou can take your students there virtually.7ReferencesBaker, S.C., Wentz, R.K., & Woods, M.M. (2009). Using virtual worlds in education: Second Life as an educational tool. Teaching of Psychology, 36(1), 59-64.Feldon, D. F., & Kafai, Y. B. (2008). Mixed methods for mixed reality: Understanding users avatar activities in virtual worlds. Education Technology Research and Development (56), 575-593.Mathews, S. S., Andrews, L. L., & Luck, E. E. (2012). Developing a Second Life virtual field trip for university students: An action research approach. Educational Research, 54(1), 17-38. doi:10.1080/00131881.2012.658197Murley, D. (2008). What Second Life taught me about learning. Law Library Journal, 100(4), 787-792.Peter, T. (2008, August 9). Dialing in to a new world. The Courier Mail (Brisbane).

ReferencesSchroeder, R. (1996). Possible worlds: The social dynamic of virtual reality technologies. Boulder: Westview Press.Shen, J. & Eder, L.B. (2009). Intentions to use virtual worlds in education. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2), 225-233.Sutcliffe, A., & Alrayes, A. (2012). Investigating user experience in Second Life for collaborative learning. International Journal Of Human-Computer Studies, 70(7), 508-525. doi:10.1016/j.ijhcs.2012.01.005Wang, Y., & Braman, J. (2009). Extending the Classroom through Second Life. Journal of Information Systems Education, 20(2), 235-247.Warburton, S. (2009). Second Life in higher education: Assessing the potential for and the barriers to deploying virtual worlds in learning and teaching. British Journal of Educational Technology, 40(3), 414-426.