Virtual worlds for education – don’t just imagine the possibilities, experience them

Title: Virtual worlds for education – don’t just imagine the possibilities, experience them
Presented by: KerryJ (aka Pandora Kurrajong), Senior Education Officer, Education Services Australia, e kjohnson@educationau.edu.au, p +61 8 8334 3218 ah +61 8 8270 4991 sk kerryjskype tw kerryank

Key words: action learning, affordances, opensim, professional development, adult learning, role playing, reflective learning, critical thinking, self-directed learning

Objectives and outcomes: The purpose of this presentation and discussion is to share the progress of ImmersED Estate, an OpenSim build that aims to provide a space for educators to engage in activities designed to make use of the affordances of the OpenSim environment.

Abstract:
Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.
Chinese Proverb

In striving to help educators to “get” the use of virtual worlds for education, I’ve gone from presenting about the metaverse to creating videos to demonstrate case studies to taking educators on guided tours of educational sims. But tours of buildings and even the chance to play with some tools aren't in themselves immersive learning experiences.

The purpose of ImmersED estate (built on the OpenSim platform and hosted on Reaction Grid) is to create small team immersive learning experiences for educators across the sectors to learn about the immersive learning experiences virtual worlds have to offer.

Following a short initial presentation, we'll attempt to log in and explore ImmersED Estate, our OpenSim island.

Newcomers to virtual worlds will come away from this presentation having seen theory put into practice as well as ideas of how to do so.

They'll also have information and links that will allow them to explore ImmersED and experience learning in a virtual world for themselves.

KerryJ (aka Pandora Kurrajong)

Links:
http://immersed.net.au
http://blogs.educationau.edu.au/kjohnson
http://twitter.com/immersED

This is how you cite this paper:

All delegates attending this session must bring and ensure:

Participants will need:

- A late model laptop with reasonable graphics card (view system requirements here: http://secondlife.com/support/sysreqs.php)
- An OpenSim acccount on Reaction Grid http://reactiongrid.com
- The Hippo OpenSim viewer installed
- Some initial practice in walking and interacting in the Second Life environment.

I am amassing support materials on the ImmersED web site - http://immersed.net.au and will advise when all are up and running

Should technology let us down,we'll go in