Establishing 3D Virtual World Presences for the International Baccalaureate's Teachers,...

1.Establishing 3D Virtual World Presences for the International Baccalaureates Teachers, Administrators and Students
David W. Deeds, IT Manager/Teacher
Changchun American International School (CAIS)
AACE Global Learn Asia Pacific: March 30, 2011

2. Establishing VWs for the IB
Cant possibly make it through all these slides and do live demos and/or machinima too!
Get the slides for later reference from me or via: www.indeeds.com or www.slideshare.net.
Not a technical presentation. Get the OpenSim 101 slides. Or Getting Your Cyberturf subset.
CAIS is an IB World school but I do not represent the IB and this is not an official IB presentation.
International Baccalaureate (Organization):
Non-profit educational foundation
3,000+ schools; 900,000+ students; 140 countries
3 major centers: Asia-Pacific; Americas; Africa, Europe, Middle East
3 programs: Primary Years Program (PYP); Middle Years Program (MYP);Diploma Program (DP)
International Baccalaureate:
DP: Java Course plus Information Technology in a Global Society (ITGS)
MYP has 8 subject areas: Technology and the less important ones (known as those others)
MYP: Separate Information Technology and Design Technology tracks
PYP: Technology classes not mandatory; at CAIS 2-3 classes per cycle
IB Virtual Community:
Launched in 2010 with partner ePals
Each school has IBVC rep (yes, Im it for CAIS)
IB Ning: groups; forums; wikis; etc.
Users empowered with creating: groups; forums; wikis; etc.
3 languages: English; Spanish; French
Open alternative to the Online Curriculum Center (OCC)
3 Cs: Connect, Communicate, Collaborate!
(The IBVC is a great first 2D step. The next step is 3Dvirtual worlds3 Cs + Classes!)
ASMeB = Anti Social Media Behavior
2D tools (wikis, blogs, etc.) enable the 3 Cspeople just wont/dont do it
Facebook Phobia: people lose jobs for posting: photographs; opinions; etc.
Privacy concerns; awareness of permanence; hesitation to write in general
Exchanges are generally asynchronous
Innovative? Interesting? FUN?
Generic IB Problems:
Schools are geographically separated, isolated
Information/Design Technology split
Teaching 21st century tech: teachers, budgets
Specific 3 Cs Problems:
Students arent necessarily fluent in LOI
2D tools are limited: subjects especially!
Privacy; permanence; ASMeB; FUN?
The answer:
3D Virtual Worlds!
Second Life and OpenSim:
Built-in computer-aided design (3D modeling) tools: students build their own worlds
Built-in Linden Scripting Language: students easily learn programming with instant payoff
Project management: students must work together in teams with defined roles and responsibilities
Language exchange programs: virtual field trips!
Second Life: Teachers/Administrators & Students 16+:
Teachers/administrators can attend meetings and otherwise network with professional peers
Students can produce products and run their own businesses, making actual profits if successful
Teachers/administrators can recruit and otherwise advertise their organizations
Students can visit the cybercampuses of universities or colleges they want to attend
OpenSim: Teachers/Administrators & Students 3-19:
With grid, teachers/administrators can do everything possible in Second Life, except perhaps economics
Students can enjoy completely private regions/grids while intermittently going on virtual field trips
Technology classes can feature true continuity: students starting as of PYP could be professional builders/programmers by DP
Younger students learn all computer basics plus advanced aspects such as project management
Problems? What problems?
Geographic location/isolation no longer a factor (except for time zones). Virtual China or Italy next door!
Information and Design Technology tracks combined!
21st century educational technology at $100 a month, with teachers and students training simultaneously!
3D enables struggling students to succeed, while native speakers excel: ultimate differentiated classroom!
Avatars are anonymous; people talk, not write; no such thing as ASMeB; and yes, its FUN!
Imagine 3,000 schools united via a common IB Grid. Teachers, administrators and students connecting, communicating and collaborating!
Our Goal(s):
Create an IB Grid (or International School Grid) via OpenSim
Create an IB Island or Islands in Second Life (International School Islands already inworld)!
#1 is most important!
After this conference, CAIS along with business partners and organizations willing to assist us will submit a formal proposal to the IB re: creating the IB Grid. Who wants to help? Grants? Research?
We can proceed with any/all international schools interested in joining and then the IB schools can establish a special grid later.
As co-founder of Flat Classroom(tm) Projects I see huge potential in the use of virtual worlds for students and teachers to meet both together and separately. This is the next frontier in the classroom, it is a medium to teach digital citizenship skills while connecting, communicating and collaborating with others. In addition, the ability to create new structures and interactive items has enormous possibility for embedding into our IB curriculum. Once again this is action-based, student-centred learning, not passive. I look forward to potentially piloting my ITGS class immersed in a virtual world next year!
Julie Lindsay, E-Learning Coordinator, Beijing International School
Western Academy of Beijing would support this idea [of creating an IB or International School Grid]. It is my feeling that students understanding and participating in virtual world activities can, if done well, promote student learning and allow them to understand how to successfully communicate and collaborate in ways that will become a normal part of their lives.
Jeffrey Holte, Educational Technology Director, Western Academy of Beijing
Pedagogically, virtual worlds provide an opportunity for students and teachers to interact in a way that is not affected by appearance, location or culture.People are known for their ideas not their status.
Practically, virtual worlds allow individuals from around the world to meet and discuss ideas in a common environment.This provides a forum for better understanding others, which in turn leads to a better understanding of mankind in general.
Dr. Leigh Zeitz, Instructional Technology Professor, University of Northern Iowa
"...3D realities [are] collaborative learning environments...inherently...and no matter what learning goal is intended, students instantly respond to the world building aspect of virtual realities by framing their learning around group information seeking.
Beth Sachtjen, Virtual World Developer, New Media Consortium
"Because Second Life gives me a feeling of presence, it has become a significant part of my professional learning community. I have teacher friends from all over the world, most of whom Ill never see, and I share with them inworld activities...[which] have had direct impact on my students. It has opened me to knowledge of tools and applications for education that I wouldnt have discovered on my own. This resource would knock down walls for so many other teachers!
Kim Harrison, Computer Resource Specialist, Indian Lakes Elementary School, Virginia
[With 3D virtual worlds] I can connect with people all over the world without leaving the classroom! And Im really communicating talking with themwhile we are working together toward a common goal. Wikis and blogs are just texting. You cant design and create a building with a wiki or a blog!
Yvette Yuan, CAIS MYP5 Student
I didnt understand why we have a Design Cycle until we started working in Caisland. Now I can use what I know about project management in my other subjects.
Ling Hua (Oscar) Gao, CAIS MYP5 Student
[3D virtual worlds] are AWESOME! You get to do so many interesting things. I always thought learning programming would be boring, but now I cant wait to try new scripts to make my creations do different stuff! Building is fun, too. I want to be a professional 3D designer after I finish school so I can make virtual world fashions! And I never liked working together with the whole class until we started doing this. Now I want to work together with everybody around the world!
Jorgette Rojas, CAIS MYP5 Student
More information:
2011 Horizon Report: http://www.nmc.org/publications/2011-horizon-report
The Second Life Grid: The Official Guide to Communication, Collaboration and Community Engagement by Kimberly Rufer-Bach, Wiley Publishing, ISBN: 978-0-470-41291-6
Learning and Teaching in the Virtual World of Second Life (edited) by Judith Molka-Danielsen, Tapir Academic Press,ISBN: 978-82-519-2353-8
More information:
Learning Online with Games, Simulations and Virtual Worlds by Clark Aldrich,Jossey-Bass, ISBN: 978-0-470-43834-3
Learning in 3D by Karl Kapp, Pfeiffer Publishing, ISBN: 978-0470504734
The World Is Open: How Web Technology Is Revolutionizing Education by Curtis J. Bonk,Jossey-Bass, ISBN: 978-0470461303
More information:
The Entrepreneur's Guide to Second Life: Making Money in the Metaverse by Daniel Terdiman, Wiley Press, ISBN: 978-0470179147
A Practical Guide to Using Second Life in Higher Education by MaggiSavin-Baden, ISBN: 978-0335242146
Cutting-Edge Social Media Approaches to Business Education by Charles Wankel, Information Age, ISBN: 978-1617351167
More information:
Higher Education in Virtual Worlds by Charles Wankel, Emerald Group Publishing, ISBN: 978-1849506090
Empowering Students with Technology by Alan November, Corwin Press, ISBN: 978-1412974257
Training and Collaboration with Virtual Worlds by Alex Heiphetz, McGraw-Hill, ISBN:978-0071628020
Connect/Communicate/Collaborate?
Research project with university/organization?
Other IB/international schools interested?
IBVC: ibo.epals.com
Groups: 3D Virtual Worlds: Second Life and 3D Virtual Worlds: OpenSim
RezEd:www.rezedhub.ning.com
Classroom 2.0: www.classroom20.com
Other ning/wiki/blog? Or use Teaching in Second Life, Caisland in ReactionGrid?
29. Thank you
Establishing VWs for the IB
Thank you for your attention!
Questions/Comments?
David W. Deeds, Ph.D.
Work: +86-431-8458-1234, [email protected]
Home: +86-186-8668-4534, [email protected]
Facebook & LinkedIn: David W. Deeds
Skype: davidwdeeds, Twitter: dwdeeds
Second Life: Deed Davids (visit Teaching!)
ReactionGrid: Deed Davids (visit Caisland!)

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