Post on 13-Jan-2016
description
Teaching Soft Skills in Second Life
A Work In Progress
Agenda Today’s Objective Project Objective Personal Journey Work in Progress – Where am I What I have learned Next steps
This Project Second Life
Growing number of Institutions
Employability Skills CurriculumPiloted on-ground
Action Research/LearningMethodology
Employability Skills1. Attitude2. Personality3. Etiquette4. Work Ethic5. Teamwork6. Leadership7. Conflict Resolution8. Stress9. Time Management10. Problem Solving11. Confidentiality
Personal Journey
Personal Journey
Personal Journey
“Virtual” Culture
Eight Net Generation Norms They want freedom in everything they do, from freedom of choice to
freedom of expression. They love to customize, personalize. They are the new scrutinizers. They look for corporate integrity and openness when deciding what to
buy and where to work. They are the collaboration and relationship generation. The Net Generation has a need for speed – and not just in video
games. They are innovators. The Net Generation wants entertainment and play in their work,
education, and social life.
Don Tapscott – Grown Up Digital
Work in Progress – Where am I
What I have learned
Video Game CharacteristicsSimpson (2005) Jenkins (2005) Jayakanthan (2002)
There is always an answer Games lower the threat of failure Reward
Nothing is impossibleGames support early steps into a new
domainChallenge
Trial and error Games sequence tasks to allow early success
Competition and collaborationGames create a social context that connects
learners to others who share their interestsAgency
Roles are clearGames link learning to goals and roles
Player effort influences the game outcomeGames foster a sense of engagement through
immersionImmersion
Video games offer various routes to successGames are multimodal
Multi-sensory stimulation
Video games are rule-based A dialect of repetition and variety
The player is attached to the outcome Physical and mental engagement
Video games simulate real-life consequences Immediacy
MUVES
Purposeful/Goal Oriented – WOWGeneral Purpose/Open Ended
Second LifeActive WorldsProject WonderlandRiver City Project
MUVES
Technology VariesHelmetsGogglesGlovesJoysticksMouse
MUVES
Examples of VE use in the literatureDrivingSimulationVirtual ClassroomsOther
Second Life Research Listservhttp://list.academ-x.com/listinfo.cgi/slrl-academ-x.com
Educators Listservhttps://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators
Second Life Wikihttp://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life_Education_Wiki
Second LifeFrom the moment you
enter the World you'll discover a vast digital continent, teeming with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunity.
(http://secondlife.com/whatis/)
Second Life“In Second Life, the
user or learner drives their experience. Second Life is principally a social environment that encourages community and creativity”
(Hinton, 2006)
Ethics
With Second Life come the same issues of predators, identity theft, etc., found on the Internet and in REAL life
Griefing
‘behavior in a virtual world intended to disrupt the experience of others’VandalismGraffitiNuisanceBlight
Limitations
You have to build everything or find/buy the resource
Technology Time Learning Curve Etc
Self-disclosure and bonding
Avatars allow for self-expression in “safe” ways
Spending casual time in a persistent spaces encourages students to get to know each other
Sharing Enjoyable Experiences
ExperimentationCollaborationFun!
Sharing Public Spaces
Persistent social spaces that avoid the “privileged space” view of learning
All of Second Life is a learning spaceStudent created spaces
Mutual Respect of Differences
Avatars allow us to express our differences in new ways
Flexible identity facilitates
“difference experimentation”
Educational Uses
Self-paced tutorials Displays and exhibits Immersive exhibits Role plays and
simulations Data visualisations and
simulations Historical recreations
and re-enactments
Living and immersive archaeology
Machinima construction Treasure hunts and
quests Language and cultural
immersion Creative writing
Heid & Kretschmer (2009)
Selected Uses in the Lit
Role plays – Pick a Role Model
Community Engagement
HR – Face-to-Face feedback
Virtual Organizations Info Tech – Impact of
SL on the Industry Programming –
Compare LSL to others
Instructional DesignSeeing research where an ID process
or Pedagogical model is documentedADDIER2D2
Recursive, Reflexive, Design & Development
IdeationIterativeEncompasses, Home, Classroom, and VE
Instructional Design Concepts
Do not want to automate/replicate the classroom
Demand Side Pedagogy3D learning & 2D assessment
Constructivism
“Progressivists maintained that it was time to subordinate subject matter to the learner.”
(Oliva, 2009)
“In Second Life, the user or learner drives their experience. Second Life is principally a social environment that encourages community and creativity”
(Hinton, 2006)
Constructivism
“Learning must be present in meaningful ways meaningful to the students, basic skills will be learned in authentic situations not by separate concentration on the skills themselves”
(Oliva, 2009)
You'll also be surrounded by the Creations of your fellow Residents. Because Residents retain intellectual property rights in their digital creations, they can buy, sell and trade with other Residents.
(http://secondlife.com/whatis/)
Fink’s Taxonomy of Significant Learning
CARINGDeveloping new
FeelingsInterestsValues
LEARNING HOW TO LEARNBecoming a better studentInquiring about a subjectSelf-directing learners
HUMAN DIMENSION Learning about:
OneselfOthers
INTEGRATIONConnecting:
IdeasPeopleRealms of life
FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGEUnderstanding and remembering:
InformationIdeas
APPLICATIONSkillsThinking:
Critical, creative, & practical thinking
Managing projects
Soft-Skills
Expressed need for developmentExamples of online deliveryCharacteristics seem to lend itself to
this approach
Employability Skills1. Attitude2. Personality3. Etiquette4. Work Ethic5. Teamwork6. Leadership7. Conflict Resolution8. Stress9. Time Management10. Problem Solving11. Confidentiality
Action ResearchThrough an action
research study the issues and results of designing and delivering a selected module in Second Life can provide valuable data for future instructional design for similar applications
Planning Action Evaluating Action
Diagnosing Taking Action
Action Learning
Reverses traditional processLearn FirstThen Apply
Action is the starting point
Next steps
Action LEARNING approachGet the team togetherMultiple campuses- different majorsWorkshop – Interview PreparationChallenges – Try to use what is
available for freeThe learning curve
Cycle 1 – Instructors/Staff
Preliminary Concepts
Use the givenYou are unemployed, homeless, and
have no money. Role Play job interview
Taxonomy
L. Dee Fink
Cycle 1 – Orientation
AvatarsControlsNavigatingParameters
OrientationDevelop the Scenario based on the
parameters
Cycle 2 – Student Group 1, Instructors/Staff
Synchronous WorkshopEvaluate
Cycle 3 – Student Group 2, Instructors/Staff
Evaluation – 3D/2D
FormativeRubric for each
objective
SummativeJournalSelf AssessmentPeer Review
AssumptionsCourse Version 1
SynchronousAvatar to AvatarAvatar in Group/Social settings
Course Version 2Asynchronous
Our own space/islandSims and/or ObjectsAdd media & links
Assumptions
More workshops Use in other
courses
Considerations
ComparisonOn-ground2D Virtual 3D Virtual
Conclusion
Questions
Teaching Soft Skills in Second Life
A Work In Progress