Trend Analysis

Trend Analysis

Learning in Second Life Exploring the Educational Potential of an Immersive Virtual World Weaam Almuzain, Kay Miller, Theresa Trejo, Alyssa Yackee

Trend Analysis IT 6750 12/10/2009

Overview Second Life (SL) was developed by Linden Lab as a 3-D virtual world in which users, called Residents, interact with each other in real time via personalized avatars. Residents can explore, socialize, create and trade objects with one another and have the ability to build any kind of structure they can imagine. In this paper, we'll examine some of the potential Second Life has for the present and future of online education. Several colleges and universities currently offer courses in Second Life, and also have a “public” presence on Second Life as a way for prospective students and others to learn what the schools have to offer. Second Life is also gaining popularity among many international companies, such as IBM, as a way to hold meetings and conferences, reach the public and to train employees. Virtual learning spaces, such as Second Life, are seen to have tremendous potential for learning, for building communities of practice and for improving communication and creativity. Educational and business use of Second Life is expected to grow rapidly over the next three to five years (Boulos, 2007). The uses of Second Life for university and adult education (including corporate training) are diverse, and as with most areas of Second Life, limited only by the creator’s imagination. One of the reasons Second Life is appealing as a setting for online education is that it is highly customizable. The user can shape the virtual world in any way he or she wishes and is only limited by her or his creativity. Classrooms, buildings, campuses, furniture and other features can be designed and developed at a relatively low cost compared to real life (White, 2007). The potential exists for Second Life to be not only a novel outlet for online or distance learning, but to provide learners with unique experiences that cannot be attained by other means, including in a traditional classroom. The social aspect of virtual learning environments is another part of what makes them such an attractive venue for online learning. According to Yehuda Kalay, from the Department of Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, the ability of an individual to “inhabit” a virtual space via their avatar – in other words, to have what Kalay calls “presence” - could change the game for online education. “Virtual places afford group learning, of the kind enjoyed by students gathered in a (physical) classroom, lab or library. Where they 'know' they are in a communal space, are aware of the social process of learning, and affected by the presence and behavior of their fellow students” (Kalay, 2004). Second Life's Immersive Environment Provides Unique Learning Experiences One of the educational advantages conferred by the 3-D, real-time interactive environment of Second Life (abbreviated SL from here on) is the fact that it is “immersive,” meaning that learners engage realistically with avatars and objects in the game-like environment. Examples of immersive learning opportunities in SL include an historical reenactment of

The sims above and many others are available to any SL user. Individuals and institutions often see SL for its potential to engage and educate the public as well as matriculating students. One such example of a public outreach sim in SL is the Second Health Hospital set up by Imperial College in London. Second Health is a detailed virtual hospital that is intended as a way to envision a possible future for health care in the United Kingdom. The hospital is unique in that it uses SL to create a narrative; Imperial College has produced three videos that demonstrate ways in which SL might be used for training simulations and show how an idealized health care system might work. Figure 1. Inside the Sistine Chapel at Vassar College. (Second Health, 2007). University and Adult Education Uses of Second Life A number of universities have virtual campuses in SL. In some cases, the virtual campus is intended to simulate the appearance of the real life campus. Others, such as the Science School (the online campus of the University of Denver) are mostly or even entirely original – an imaginative ideal. Frequently these virtual campuses include a “welcome center” of sorts with basic information for interested visitors. There may be some virtual examples of real campus architecture, as well. There are already many existing means of teaching online courses: eCollege or Blackboard, for example. Such tools enable the instructor to post course content in a variety of media. They also allow students and instructors to communicate with each other through chat rooms or threaded discussions. SL allows instructors to post text, video, audio or other multimedia content, as well, often through course management systems such as SLoodle, which integrates SL with the already widely used Moodle management system (Boulos, 2007). However, unlike traditional online courseware, SL media can be used in the immersive context of a realtime virtual lecture, and SL enables students to interact with each other and with the instructor visibly and in real time. Figure 2. Chemistry Classroom at DU’s Science School According to Bernard, et al, distance education is comparable to classroom instruction in terms of learning outcomes and student participation (Bernard, et al. 2004). Although we have not been able to find credible research to suggest that SL has any specific benefits or drawbacks for distance education, it is likely that no matter which method of delivery the

instructor chooses for online learning, the quality of the instruction itself is of greater value than the choice of medium of instruction. Further, because SL, as an immersive learning environment, offers so many possibilities for the creative instructor, simply recreating the experience of being in a traditional classroom might seem to be a bit of a waste of SL's potential as an educational tool. An ideal educational use of SL might be to engage learners in new experiences altogether. In the section on Unique Learning Experiences, we described a few examples of interactive experiences available to students and the public. An example of another more intricate sim intended for higher education is called ground, which at the time of writing is still under development. ground is inspired by an innovative arts program called Groundcourse created by Roy Ascott in the early 1960's. (Roy Ascott was also a pioneer in blending art with computer technology.) The original Groundcourse was designed to encourage “the rethinking of preconceptions, prejudices and fixations with regards to self, society, personal/social limitations, art and all the ensuing relationships through a carefully thought-out, coordinated and orchestrated range of assignments and exercises that entailed behavioral modification and indeed change” (Ayiter, 2008). Groundcourse used transformative learning experiences and behavioral change to encourage creativity among participants. ground is not meant to simulate the original Groundcourse, but is inspired by it and attempts to challenge learners with situational problems that are intended to enhance creativity in a similar way. Where Groundcourse used problems, role play and other “irritants” to encourage creativity, ground will look at the role of environment to achieve similar results. Because of the flexibility of space in SL, space itself will become an “irritant” through distortions of gravity and size that disorient the user and are beyond his or her control (Ayiter, 2008). Transformative learning in SL does not necessarily need to be as “mind altering” as ground. As we'll show in the next section, innovative use of SL can be down-to-earth as well, while still resulting in behavioral change and new ways of thinking. Teen Second Life Second Life has a separate grid called Teen Second Life (TSL) designed specifically for children between twelve and seventeen years old. TSL is a place where teens can interact in a safe environment. TSL may be used as a resource for educators, but because of concerns about predatory behavior by adults, TSL has high standards for safety in place. Mature content including strong language, strong graphic violence, and nudity are prohibited in TSL. Educators over the age of 18 may become part of TSL, but contact with other Residents on the grid is limited to specific interactions. Adults who become part of TSL must pass a criminal background check, and then must stay within certain adult owned private islands. Ramapo Central School District in Suffern, New York is pioneering the use of TSL as a tool for educating teens. Peggy Sheehy led the integration of TSL in September of 2006. Sheehy’s students explore TSL on the private estate containing six islands designed only for

students in the school district. Students ranging from grades 7-11 are assigned projects in several different academic subjects. Foreign language teachers have especially found the program useful for fully immersing students in a new language. One subject Sheehy is very passionate about is teens' self image. She has designed an entire curriculum to teach teens to accept themselves and gain a positive self image. At the beginning of the course students create avatars that resemble their real life appearances as closely as possible. The students are assigned to take portraits of their avatar. After doing this, students get into groups to talk about how they felt making a real life representation of themselves. Over the course of the year students discuss how the media portrays beauty and how society affects their self image. Sheehy hopes that by the end of the course, students will change their avatars to reflect a new, positive outlook on their self image (Sheehy, 2008). Sheehy has learned a lot about students through TSL from the perspective of a teacher and of an administrator. She has found that teaching students in TSL has some major advantages. One advantage Sheehy observed was that students are significantly more engaged in TSL. Sheehy states that students enjoy being able to explore and experiment in a virtual world without consequences. There are limitless possibilities for educators to set up simulations in TSL. One math teacher asked Sheehy to develop situations in which students would have to budget their money for shopping, eating at restaurants, or participating in social activities (Sheehy, 2009). In TSL students can be who they want to be without the pressures of being labeled by physical or economic status. In TSL, students have a greater sense of equality with each other. Students who have low confidence in math can be excellent math students in TSL. Students feel that TSL has “work hidden within the games” (Suffern Intermediate School, 2009). TSL has potential to be a useful tool for middle and high school educators. Through TSL, a K-12 educator may be able to conduct parent-teacher conferences, student conferences, have improved communication with parents and students, increase student accountability for completing assignments, monitor student chats and discussions about class material, and foster a safe academic environment for teens online and in the classroom. Teachers can also use standard SL as a workspace for professional development and collaboration with other teachers, instructional coaches, and administrators. Perhaps in the future, teacher duty days or professional development days can be held from home through SL, as well. Corporate Training and Other Forms of Adult Education in Second Life As with K-12 and higher education, corporate training involves creativity in the design of instruction and immersive capabilities. Simulations, virtual offices, hospitals or other training facilities can be built for much less than the cost of building in the real world. Trainees can interact with other people via their avatars in real time, or they can interact with “robot” avatars that are programmed to behave in a certain way for training purposes.

These simulations are used in a variety of fields, from sales and customer service to medical training (secondlife25). Another way that SL can be used for corporate training is for exercises that are not specific to a particular job. Teamwork exercises, for example, can be set up so that the behavior of each team member can be monitored for qualities such as cooperation, participation and so on. One advantage for employers is that these simulations allow them to see how individuals interact with teammates and can make adjustments to team organization accordingly (secondlife25). IBM and Intel use SL to bring dispersed employees together in order to enhance communication and to facilitate what they refer to as the “water-cooler effect” whereby employees network and build relationships through chance encounters that would not happen without the virtual space in which to meet. Conferences and meetings are also held in SL to reduce the costs incurred by travel, conference location rental, and so on. The reduced need for travel has the added benefit of improving the companies' “green” standing (Collins, 2008). Alternative Virtual Environments to Second Life Other virtual learning environments are also available. For example, the Darkstar University virtual learning environment created by Sun Microsystems has many of the same content integration features of SL and can be customized to serve the needs of the institution or instructor. Another, called Edusim, is manipulated by touching a whiteboard or other interactive surface. Both of these systems are designed specifically for education and circumvent some of the problems of a minimally regulated multi-purpose community such as SL.

Figure 3. ISTE Island decorated for the holidays.

Getting Started in Second Life Education There are a number of organizations, businesses and educators that can help a school or company looking to develop an educational presence in SL. Among the better known of these are NMC – the New Media Consortium and ISTE – the International Society for Technology in Education. The NMC helps schools to develop the technical skills and the creativity to develop learning environments according to their vision. NMC offers various resources, including virtual classroom rentals, to help new SL instructors get started. ISTE also offers resources for newcomers, and there are regular weekly meetings and conferences held in SL for

networking and idea sharing among professional SL educators (or those interested in becoming SL educators). Discussion – Benefits and Drawbacks of Using SL for Education. The future points to the development of easier-to-use adaptations for SL as technology improves and demand for higher quality of learning technology increases. For example, there are rumors of a merger between SL and the Nintendo Wii in the near future, which would enable one to use the unique Wii controls to move about in the virtual space. This could make navigation in SL more intuitive and increase the user's sense of “presence” in the space. It could also make the use of SL more accessible to people with physical or cognitive limitations (Boulos, 2007). Work is also being done to increase the sense of presence through improvements in appearance of avatars, spaces, gestures and animations (Collins, 2008). SL as a learning environment is not perfect. Using Second Life for educational or other purposes involves learning how to function and create new content in the environment. In addition to basic skills, building educational spaces and bringing learners into SL requires creativity, time, patience, and innovation. In the end, there is no guarantee that the content created by residents will be educationally valuable. Further, there are concerns, as with any new technology, that SL will be used to recreate traditional teaching methods instead of developing new, effective ways of teaching. Additionally, some instructors that are eager to try using virtual worlds for instruction, whether traditional or innovative, will encounter obstacles from lack of funding or from unsupportive administrators, or even in the form of legal concerns. Finally, without access to the technology, students cannot benefit from SL. Some of the populations that could benefit most from education in SL, such as poor or disabled students, may be the ones least likely to have access to the technology (Collins, 2008). The likelihood of this digital divide may increase further as SL merges with more advanced and costly technology such as the Nintendo Wii (Boulos, 2007). Student engagement in online classrooms has shown to be similar to engagement in traditional classrooms – some students participate fully in class discussions, some are irregular contributors and still others may not participate at all. It is not yet known whether the personalization and the sense of presence afforded by the interactions among avatars will result in an improvement in student engagement (Boulos, 2007). The synchronous and visible interactions among avatars does seem to provide users “with a sense of immediacy and engagement,” however, that leads to better reflection and enhances the building of communities of practice (Boulos, 2007). Still, no studies at this time show conclusively that the use of SL or other virtual worlds for education has a significant impact on learning, particularly if the goal of such instruction is to copy traditional learning experiences. It may be, however, that used creatively, virtual worlds could introduce new ways of thinking, of interacting and of using knowledge. Figure 4. Group photo of authors. Clockwise from top left: Alyssa Yackee (Alyssa Vyceratops), Kay Miller (Kami Blauvelt), Theresa Trejo (TKnockers Wirefly) and Weaam Almuzain (weaam Faith)

References Ayiter, E. (2008). Integrative art education in a metaverse: ground. Technoetic Arts: A Journal of Speculative Research 6(1), 41-53. doi: 10.1386/tear.6.1.41/1 Bernard, R.M., et al. (2004). How Does Distance Education Compare with Classroom Instruction? A Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Literature. Review of Educational Research, 74(3), 379-439. Retrieved from http://cu.ecollege.com/re/DotNextLaunch.asp?courseid=3580502 Boulos, Maged N. Kamel, et al. (2007). Second Life: an overview of the potential of 3-D virtual worlds in medical and health education. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 24(4), 233-245. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-1842.2007.00733.x Collins, Chris. (2008). Looking to the Future: Higher Education in the Metaverse. EDUCAUSE Review, 43(5). Retrieved from http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Review/EDUCAUSEReviewMagazineVolum e43/LookingtotheFutureHigherEducat/163164 Kalay, Yehuda E. (2004). Virtual Learning Environments. Journal of Information Technology in Construction. Retrieved from http://www.itcon.org/data/works/att/2004_13.content.04009.pdf Second Health. (2007). Second Health: The future of healthcare communication. Retrieved November 26, 2009 from Second Health website: http://secondhealth.wordpress.com/expect/ Sheehy, Peggy. (2008, June 23) Exploring Body Image in Second Life. Retrieved December 1, 2009 from RezEd website: http://www.rezed.org/forum/topics/2047896:Topic:7172 Sheehy, Peggy. (2008, November 21 ). Peggy Sheehy on TSL in Education Part 1 [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYJTPhw_d7Q Suffern Intermediate School. (2008, November 22). Student Perspectives on Teen Second Life. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh76eObsS4Q&NR=1 secondlife25. (2007, November 01). Training Simulations in Second Life [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJTzNSV8pb0& White, B.A. (2007). Second Life: A Guide to Your Virtual World. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Que Publishing.