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1. What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

We have been active in virtual worlds since mid 2006…

As curator, I have been running the Arts Council England funded 2ND LIVE programme in Second Life, to complement my real life role as performance curator at Exeter Phoenix.

As an artist, I have been exploring walking and site-based practices in Second Life and real life (e.g. commission for ANTI Festival, Kuopio, Finland). As an educator, I’ve been teaching in Second Life as part of ‘Interdisciplinary Spatial Practices’ (level 2 UG module). And as a Knowledge Transfer possibility, I’ve been running workshops for other artists (e.g. 3-day workshop for Live Art Development Agency as part of DIY programme).

2. Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

Second Life – it was the easy (and intriguing) option when I started.

3. What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

None to date. There has been one other active member of the University (in European Law). There has been a little more activity very recently, through an interdisciplinary ‘Bridging the Gaps’ initiative (the impact of this is not clear yet).

4. What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

Plus:

• Creative possibilities (in terms of space and event) not available (for reasons of cost or practicality) in real life (‘not possible in real life’ attitude).
• Offers a side-step to examine real life methods afresh.

Minus:

• Cost – I jettisoned my island after 2.5 years and significant personal expense.
• Steep learning curve for new participants.

5. If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

There’s a mixed reactions from students – some fly, some don’t. Students are also often surprised by the ‘ghost town’ nature of Second Life. Experiencing the virtual world really needs more time than really able to give it.

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What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

My involvement with virtual worlds grew fairly slowly. About two years ago I started a part-time PhD loosely based around games-based learning. As my research has progressed I’ve strayed from that start point into virtual worlds, but of course there can be significant overlap between the two.

Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

I’ve experimented with Second Life and Opensim, but currently I’m spending most time with Open Wonderland.

What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

The support from University of the West of Scotland has been really good. I’ve been given access to the technical infrastructure I need to progress my research, and my colleagues are very supportive. On my Christmas wish list would definitely be more time for research!

What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

I like the fact that Open Wonderland is java-based, which removes any problems around allowing network access or installing a special viewer. The downside is that java applications always look like java applications! I’m hoping that won’t be a limiting factor.

If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

It’s early days for me just yet – I’m currently planning a pilot study to assess feasibility for a large-scale implementation. Watch this space.

Any thoughts on the integration of virtual worlds with other learning technologies?

I’m not quite sure what you mean by this question. One of my colleagues, Dr Daniel Livingstone, has worked extensively with a mashup of Second Life and Moodle called SLOODLE. I think that’s an interesting direction to take. Open Wonderland supports a variety of technologies for in-world collaboration, and I see that as essential for enabling learning in virtual worlds.

The catch-all: anything else you’d like to say?

Wish me luck!

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1. What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

We use virtual worlds for teaching Project Management and performing research on identity and other aspects of virtual worlds.

These activities are well documented under http://sl.sanfoh.com/. I supervise currently one PhD and one Master by Research on virtual world aspects.

2. Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

We have used OpenSim this year for the first time. We were using two providers: http://www.3dmetaverse.com/ and http://reactiongrid.com/. They are both fine and I can recommend them. Details about these can be found on a paper I published at ReLive’11; see http://sl.perisic.com/relive11/ for details and presentation.

The reason we moved from Second Life was because of their poor customer support. The person who maintained the avatar that owned our island decided to give up this avatar and Linden Lab was not able to transfer the island to another avatar. This is well documented in various communication I had with them. Therefore we have to decide at very short notice to switch to a different provider.

3. What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

Virtual worlds are now an integrated part of our teaching and are therefore funded as part of the usual expenses, similar as this is the case e.g. for software licences. In particular, OpenSim based solutions are much cheaper in setup and maintenance fee.

4. What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

OpenSim is OK, but it is not Second Life i.e. the context and immersion Second Life offers does not seem to happen in the OpenSim; see the Relive’11 paper for a lot of reflection about this.

5. If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

The students are doing it, but I don’t think they are particularly excited about this.

6. Any thoughts on the integration of virtual worlds with other learning technologies?

Ask the Sloodle people; they know better than I do . It’s certainly bound to be happen somehow (providers of these Learning Environment are under pressure to ‘add value’ to their systems, and doing virtual worlds is an obvious extension). But I wouldn’t be able to predict how it will happen exactly.

7. The catch-all: anything else you’d like to say?

Yes, indeed.
First: John you are doing a tremendous job to put this all together. Excellent work.
Second: we are trying to explore the utilisation of Open Sim vs. Second Life a bit further as part of a research project. Anyone volunteering to be interviewed in that matter is very much welcome to contact me (marc.conrad@beds.ac.uk).

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1. What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

Maintaining a university-owned island since 2007, which has recently been completely redesigned to better fit our needs.
Developing and evaluating learning scenarios with various organisations for a multitude of disciplines such as project management, health and social care management, child nursing, adult nursing (Coventry University), medical simulations and medical training (North Western Medical Deanery).

Development and evaluation of a virtual medical simulation replicated from a paediatric scenario at the Smart Hospital based at University of Texas Arlington.

Teaching employability skills to students using the virtual world Second Life.

We are currently nearing completion of one four-year research project (CURLIEW), which looks at the socio-political impact of virtual world use in higher education. The three PhD students on the project will be finishing theses on pedagogical design in virtual worlds, student perspectives of virtual worlds and the impact of using virtual worlds on learner identity. A further output from the CURLIEW project will be a synthesis of data across all three projects.

2. Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

We are using Second Life, due to ease of access and the flexibility it offers in terms of developing our own learning scenarios. As a learning and teaching environment, it provides greater flexibility in terms of learning space design and islands/areas for students to explore.

3. What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

Our IT department has installed Second Life onto the university server so that it can be accessed from any computer on campus, and we receive funding to keep the university island maintained monthly. The department is currently exploring the possibility of updating Second Life to the newer viewer.

4. What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

There is a steep learning curve in terms of development. The learning curve is not quite so steep with general use of Second Life (especially since the new viewer) but still requires at least several hours of orientation for new students and staff to feel comfortable in-world.

One of its main advantages from a research perspective is also its popularity, meaning that there are several research seminars and conferences available in-world. Unless there is a mass move to another virtual world, Second Life provides an opportunity to engage in a research community in a way that few other virtual worlds do.

5. If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

Cathy: I haven’t done any teaching using virtual worlds, but several testing and orientation sessions. I’ve noticed there are some people that instantly connect with Second Life and find it fascinating, and are enthusiastic to explore and learn. Then there are others that find it very difficult to feel comfortable, and need heavy encouragement. It’s very difficult beforehand to establish who is going to adjust quickly to Second Life and who is going to struggle.

Gemma: The experience of teaching in Second Life, for me, has varied according to the technological capabilities of the campus-based computers. Since I teach on a voluntary module, most students are at least open to the potential of using Second Life as a learning environment. With a smaller class, it’s easier to manage differences in student Second Life abilities and encourage students to support one another. Students engage enthusiastically with the content of the module and clearly enjoy using Second Life as a learning environment, primarily because of the diversity of islands available, allowing them to explore areas related to their disciplines and personal interests, as well as engaging in multi-disciplinary work. However, students can very quickly become frustrated and discouraged by technological problems, such as computers crashing.

6. Any thoughts on the integration of virtual worlds with other learning technologies?

I think it is a very good idea to integrate virtual worlds with learning management systems such as MOODLE, both in terms of assessment for staff and as back-up if there are technical problems!

And, yes, you still have a few days (not weeks) to get any last submissions of what you are doing with virtual worlds in for inclusion in snapshot #10.

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1. What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

The SWIFT project, run by GENIE (based within the Department of Genetics at the University of Leicester) and funded by the Higher Education Academy, is a 3-year research project which is investigating the effectiveness of using Second Life for genetics education. We are running 3 different scenarios/experiments with first and second year biological science and medical students. In these we have progressed from a fairly simple health and safety lab with some interactive items, to a self-directed training area and individual working where students get to grips with performing a genetic screen for inherited conditions, to a scenario where students work in groups to develop a medically important protein. In two cases we have used the PIVOTE system along with Second Life to provide interactive exercises for the students.

We are 2 and a half years into the 3 year research project, which is due to end in August 2012.

2. Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

We are using Second Life, primarily because of our links with the Beyond Distance Research Alliance (BDRA) which is based at the University of Leicester. The BDRA under the former directorship of Gilly Salmon already had an island in Second Life which they were using for their Moose Project, and for this reason, we used the technology with which we were most familiar and in which we had already invested quite a lot of resources.

3. What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

It is getting better. We still don’t have free and unlimited access for students to Second Life across campus, but things are changing slowly. IT is very helpful when we need access, it is granted and they are very good at getting new viewers installed on the computer system and in upgrading computers in named areas where we are planning to use Second Life. Of course, the ideal solution would be for students to have free and unrestricted access, and I feel that this is a real possibility in the future.

With regard to support from teaching staff, this is variable. Some are very interested in it and are keen to see how they can use the technology for elements of their course, but there are others who think it is some kind of slippery slope into hell from which the students will return without having learned anything at all.

4. What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

I dislike the costs and the loss of the education discount in Second Life, but I do like the way it works, the flexibility it offers and the fact that there is a support system out there (somewhere) if you are in dire straits.

5. If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

I have taught using Second Life and for the most part, the experience has been a positive one for both myself and for the students. Naturally, some students dislike it – but for the most part, they not only enjoy it, but seem to like the fact that the university is trying out new things. I find teaching in smaller groups is much better. Recently I took a class of 35 students into Second Life, and although they were doing the work in smaller groups and on their own, it was very difficult to support them properly and to keep track of who was doing what and where.

Time is also an issue when using Second Life – everything takes much longer and that is a factor that we are only just beginning to realise the full implications of when trying to adapt some of the teaching materials for Second Life. It all takes so much more time – and perhaps because the students find it more fun, they don’t take it as seriously and also spend time “playing” with their avatars rather than performing the tasks. As the students I teach only get a very small amount of time in Second Life, this novelty factor does not wear off, and so has to be worked around.

6. Any thoughts on the integration of virtual worlds with other learning technologies?

It would be wonderful if work could be set for students to complete in Second Life, but that this could be monitored or marked somehow using some other learning technology – perhaps some sort of integration with BlackBoard would prove to be of use? I am not really sure about this one.

7. The catch-all: anything else you’d like to say?

I have heard people say that no-one is interested in Second Life as an educational tool any more – but I think that they are wrong. There is a lot still to learn about how these virtual environments can be used in education.

There is very little real research out there as to the effects, benefits, downsides and results of using virtual worlds in education. It seems like many are simply saying it doesn’t work because of lack of evidence. Where was the evidence that said that the internet would be a useful tool in education? Where was the evidence that says that interactive white boards are useful tools in education?

Like most things, virtual worlds are there, they can be used in wonderful ways by educators to enhance teaching and learning, and just because the evidence is not there yet, I don’t feel that they should be dismissed just yet.

Tomorrow, it’s the turn of Dr Suzanne Lavelle, from Leicester University.

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1. What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

The main focus of the Serious Games and Virtual Worlds team at the University of Ulster is on Engineering Education.

Our research looks at the integration of virtual worlds, virtual learning environments and external hardware (sensors, test instrumentation, circuit boards), and the use of gameplay mechanics in this context.

We are looking at creating engaging collaborative/competitive group/team based learning experiences to teach electronic and electrical circuit theory.

We have also started to look at the use of intelligent tutoring systems in the context of virtual worlds and the nuances/affordances this offers e.g. how can these sort of systems be used effectively in 3D virtual environments.

We’ve been working with virtual worlds for over four years.

2. Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

We are using Second Life, but moving to Opensim and Unity. OpenSim for the cost and flexibility. Unity as we are doing a lot of work in games.

3. What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

Our research is mainly externally funded.

4. What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

The usual. Installing clients, frequent updates, network/firewall problems, and support when using open source technologies.

5. If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

Positive. The students are generally highly engaged, very open to trying new technologies and interested in trying new approaches to learning.

6. Any thoughts on the integration of virtual worlds with other learning technologies?

This is the main focus of the team’s research. The bringing together/integrating of a range of different/diverse technologies, usually not designed for this purpose, into coherent teaching tools is challenging, interesting, frustrating and rewarding, all in equal measures.

7. The catch-all: anything else you’d like to say?

Yes. I’m still interested, and excited, about the potential of this area.

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1. What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

Virtual worlds have some use here in teaching; we are also developing and evaluating tools to integrate Virtual Worlds and VLEs (i.e. SLOODLE). I’ve been doing this stuff for around five years now.

Over the last year I was involved in a JISC LTIG project “Supporting Learning in Virtual Worlds with VLEs”. This was with partners at Imperial College London, The Open University and The University of Ulster. With pilot studies across four universities in engineering, computing science and medicine, and with pilot groups using virtual worlds to support learning through simulation, informal discussion groups and through clinical role-play, the project was able to explore a range of the different ways in which web-based learning environments can be used to support learning in virtual worlds.

More here: http://virtualworldsandvles.jiscinvolve.org/wp/

2. Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

Second Life and OpenSim. We have a much reduced presence in Second Life due to their increased costs and our reduced ability to get funding in current climate.

I started in Second Life; it’s very easy to get started (still is really), very flexible for a wide range of tasks. The ability for SL objects to communicate with internet at large is very useful for developing new features and tools.

OpenSim has developed fantastically well – but it’s still having issues with getting everything working with the complex multi-domain and very firewalled network setup at the University of the West of Scotland. For example, I can very easily run OpenSim on staff domain – but then it is only visible within that domain. To run on the public web, I am reliant on tech support. Tech support here is very constrained; they are willing to help, but limited in time available.

Student projects last year also included one project using Half-Life 2 with Garys Mod to develop a game. A bit tangential, but there is quite a bit more game based learning/serious games work at UWS that doesn’t quite fall into the ‘virtual worlds’ domain.

One member of staff is currently exploring Open Wonderland. ICT are providing some support and have made a server available. This is early days, however, and further work has yet to be done before it is available to additional staff and to students – but the plan is to explore how we can make use of the platform to provide additional support to students.

3. What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

Technical support have agreed to set up OpenSim & OpenWonderland. This is proceeding, but slowly.

4. What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

Overall, they are very time consuming – and I am finding I never have quite enough time! They all have a range of limitations, but lack of time is really my biggest problem.

5. If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

Computer science students are often underwhelmed. Games oriented students in particular are often disappointed by how clunky Second Life is in comparison to the latest version of Call of War: Shoot them In the Face IV, or whatever. Providing a good *reason* for using virtual worlds is something that really has to come at the start of a class, or there are real challenges engaging students. To an extent, this is true for doing anything outside the norm with students; for example, with other students we have to carefully explain why we are asking them to blog.

6. Any thoughts on the integration of virtual worlds with other learning technologies?

Yes. In brief, to get the full potential of virtual worlds, they have to stop being a ‘ghetto’ type activity. Barriers have to be broken down between virtual worlds and the wider web, and usability has to dramatically improve.

Rather than try to repeat them all here, can I direct people to http://www.sloodle.org/ and
http://virtualworldsandvles.jiscinvolve.org/wp/ The final report of the latter is also available online and has two conclusions:

General Conclusions

Across the range of pilots, students have generally responded enthusiastically to virtual world based learning activities – whether individual or group simulations, tutor groups or role-play. This provides some support to prior claims on the uses of virtual worlds for learning and teaching.

As specifically regards the integration of VW and VLE, integration with VLE does not require the use of specific software, but can be as simple as providing adequate scaffolding and guidance on VLE for VW activities – but students do not always read instructions. Thus it remains important to use signage or other guidance within the virtual world itself: design not just of the learning tasks but of the surroundings can be very important for self-guided use of simulations as it is easy to get lost in a 3D environment such as SL.

Conclusions for Wider Community

SLOODLE has now been tested on one of the very largest production Moodle environments in the world. From this, and the close code review by core Moodle developers that preceded this, we have greatly increased confidence in the reliability, security and performance of the SLOODLE software.

Yet the OU experience offers a conclusion that the institutional reviews necessary in order to implement anything on the VLE should not be underestimated – getting additional software added to an institutional VLE may take many months and require multiple approvals before it can proceed. Tighter integration between VW and VLE (such as by using SLOODLE) can support enhanced formative and summative assessment, and allow tutors to more easily track student progress. It can also benefit students by allowing them more rapid feedback than might be the cases if VW and VLE activities are separated.

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1. What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

I am developing training and teaching & learning materials and specialise in photo realistic replicas, including scripted functionality, of equipment in their actual environment since it is built with a specific purpose and training how to use it is not one of them. Virtual World replica’s allow students to familiarise themselves with the equipment so they need less time on it in the real world. Saving time increases availability of the equipment (to patients, for instance) and frees time for the tutor. If you save 30 minutes per student by using a Virtual Machine this amounts to 80 hours per semester in a cohort of 160. That is two weeks. I have been doing this since 2006.

I have also *used* virtual worlds to *teach about* virtual worlds. Two years, 4 semesters.

Glasgow Caledonian University has decided to stop the central development and support of Virtual Worlds. The PVC Teaching and Learning has decided that development in general is not a core business of the university. Schools are now individually responsible for (development or procurement of) Virtual Worlds for teaching and learning.

The Eye in the Sky project consisted of the creation of various ‘virtual eyes’ showing the progress and stages of several disorders like cause and effect of short and long sightedness etc and the corrective actions with sight lines, wet and dry ARMD and accommodation and age-related cataract, including a number of animated cross sections. This project is now dormant, and parts of it no longer available. Which is a pity since it was very promising, as research by students showed.

Two students who collaborated with me on this this project handed half the class a usb stick with the accommodation virtual world on it and checked differences with the other half of the class who didn’t have access to that material. I quote from their reports:

Virtual eyes highlighting structural changes in the eyes during accommodation and age-related cataract[..] There was a statistically significant difference in the overall test performance between the two groups (independent t-test, t27=4.043, p<0.05), with the Virtual World group demonstrating a significant higher score. 70% of the students found virtual learning motivating, 80% said they found it interesting and 80% recommended its use as a supplementary learning tool.

…and…

This pilot study demonstrates that virtual reality technology is a useful tool for teaching [..] The findings of the study show that Virtual Worlds helped the students perform better in describing the signs than the Lecture group. It also corresponds with the answers to the questionnaire whereby all the students found the Virtual Eye helpful to conceptualise the understanding. It shows that understanding of the orientation from the lecture on its own may not be fully grasped by some students. Kinaesthetic learning comes into play whereby the learner can self orient when using the Virtual Eye and grasp more information.

You can check out screenshots and videos of the Eye in the Sky project on http://www.gcu.ac.uk/cuthere/eyesky/ and also, since I’m not sure how long that resource will be maintained on http://www.wintermuve.nl/eyesky/. This website was intended to be the user guide for teaching staff, including FAQ and all that (I still hand code that [naughty word] myself, actually ) but development stopped.

Further answers are from the perspective of what I do [Me] or what the university does [GCU].

2. Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

[Me] I am using Open Simulator and Second Life. The first allows me complete control and total freedom, can be hosted on internal servers, within the firewall & doesn’t have (if not allowed) external users but can also be distributed (server, viewer and documentation) on a usb stick, made available for download and copied to the hard drive of individual computers. Content can also be exported to Second Life, which you use for external exposure or if hosting your own server (including web based user registration) is too complicated for the internal organisation.

[GCU] Was using Second Life and Open simulator for the reasons mentioned above.

3. What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

[GCU] Has stopped the central development and support for Virtual Worlds. Schools are now individually responsible for (development or procurement of) Virtual Worlds for teaching and learning.

[ME] I do not know in how far the individual Virtual World Projects are going to be supported.

4. What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

The fact that you can distribute a virtual world server and viewer on a USB stick, including documentation, that you can make it a downloadable package, allowing you to basically hand over a virtual world to every student is an incredible thing. It allows you to create an MRI scanner in its actual environment and distribute it at will. Or an airplane cockpit. Or a nuclear power plant. Completely independent, doesn’t even need internet access.

A world in the palm of your hand. That’s just amazing.

5. If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

It’s been a lot of fun. We had a complete sim and were going to build a moon base where every student was taking care of one component (a mess hall, a kitchen, a power plant, a control room), progressing from building to scripting to the more advanced elements like particle systems, flexible & sculpted prims. Students had a USB stick to host their Open Simulator Virtual World Server and create various things, some of which were subsequently exported to Second Life. Most students enjoyed the module and the approach and some of the result were absolutely amazing. Check out Glasgow Caledonian University West (if it still exists).

7. The catch-all: anything else you’d like to say?

I still believe a Virtual World can be an excellent (even if additional) teaching and learning or training asset but it requires an effort to combine the content creation skills with the teaching skills, to make sure the tutor is getting what they need and know how to work with it and implement it in their curriculum. This is even more true for Open Simulator for which you need additional technical back-end skills (including web based user registration if it is run from an internal server). Three (or even four) separate skill sets (I have them all, but most people don’t) requires more people, more departments, more communication, more organisation, more management so it gets organisationally complicated. If you know what you are doing the value will compensate for the effort but it’s not an easy thing.

That’s all right though, the World Wide Web wasn’t an easy thing either, back in 1997. And it’s still not easy. But it’s easier to convey the value.

In any case, if somebody needs a highly experienced Virtual World developer (SL, OpenSim, hosting, building, scripting, AV animation, landscape, web based user registration, i.e. the complete package) with both teaching as project management experience (& qualification) I appear to be available and can be reached at gwynn.gunawan@gmail.com

Today, we feature the contribution of Dr Shailey Minocha from the Open University. Tomorrow, it’ll be Ferdinand Francino, from Glasgow Caledonian University.

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1. What are you doing with virtual worlds? (And how long have you been doing it?)

I have been involved with learning, teaching and conducting research in virtual worlds since 2008.

2. Which virtual worlds are you using? Why those in particular?

I have been using Second Life, particularly because of its communities, networking opportunities, diverse user-groups and spaces (islands), and the immense scope it offers for learning and conducting research.

3. What support do you get in your institution in your use of virtual worlds?

Funding; support, understanding and encouragement to explore; and colleagues contribute as critical friends and reviewers. I have also received funding from JISC and was awarded a two-year Teaching Fellowship from the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at The Open University, UK.

4. What do you like/dislike about the virtual worlds you are using?

Second Life (Like): diversity of spaces and user groups; opportunities for attending events and networking; as a platform for demonstrating the affordances of virtual worlds in education and business domains; in-world currency which enables carrying out learning activities in the business and management domains.

Second Life (Dislike): the constant concern about its sustainability, stability and support to educators, and to education, in general.

5. If teaching using virtual worlds, what’s the experience been like, for you and/or the students?

We have had a very positive experience: A case study with our Computing Students is in this paper: http://oro.open.ac.uk/23512/

I regularly have meetings with my MSc and PhD part-time students in Second Life. I also arrange in-world rehearsals for them ahead of a conference presentation or viva examinations.

Since 2009, we have been conducting research on the design of learning spaces in virtual worlds. We have developed empirically-grounded guidelines for the design of learning spaces (e.g. http://oro.open.ac.uk/21538/) and most recently, we have developed guidelines for navigation and wayfinding in learning spaces (e.g. http://oro.open.ac.uk/29864/).

For a list of our publications on virtual worlds from 2008 onwards, please visit: http://oro.open.ac.uk/view/person/sm577.html

In our empirical research in virtual worlds, we have faced several challenges related to ethical considerations, real-world and virtual identities of the participants, privacy of the participants, communication modalities (voice, text and use of gestures), logistics of conducting user-based studies, choice of techniques for a particular research context, skills and training needs of researchers, and so on. In this paper http://oro.open.ac.uk/25134/, we have consolidated our experiences via two case studies from our research projects in Second Life. Although our experiences are based on conducting empirical research in Second Life, we hope that our experiences and discussions in this paper will also be useful for researchers who aim to conduct research in avatar-based virtual worlds other than Second Life.

I have recently set up a wiki http://conducting-research-in-virtual-worlds.wikispaces.com/ where I have started collating resources which would be useful for virtual world researchers and for those conducting research in gaming environments. I will soon be sending a request to the community to send me resources so that this wiki can become a useful site for virtual world researchers.

6. Any thoughts on the integration of virtual worlds with other learning technologies?

The affordances of 2D environments such as wikis, blogs and forums and 3D virtual worlds are different but not mutually exclusive or a substitute for one another, but rather very complementary and synergistic. The challenges for educators are in designing activities that are situated within the pedagogical context of the course, seamlessly integrate 2D environments and 3D worlds, deliver a positive student experience and, most importantly, meet the expected learning outcomes. In this paper http://oro.open.ac.uk/16142/, we have proposed the use of a knowledge construction model as a framework for guiding the design of collaborative activities in a 3D virtual world for blended learning environments. We believe that this framework will also be useful for integrating 2D environments such as blogs, wikis and forums with a 3D learning environment.

7. The catch-all: anything else you’d like to say?

The virtual world scene is changing very rapidly and there is a rapid growth in the numbers of virtual world platforms (OpenSim-based, Web browser-based, and so on) and virtual world users. However, as of now it seems that Second Life will continue to be a destination for students and educators alongside any other virtual world platform that they choose and adopt. The communities, and opportunities for networking and public engagement are immense in Second Life and it may not be possible to replicate them in other virtual worlds in the foreseeable future.

* * * * *

Poster presentation Friday 19th November.
04:00 SLT (12:00 GMT) – 05:30 SLT (13:30 GMT).

A number of staff from across Schools and Departments in Glasgow Caledonian University engaged in our accredited learning and teaching programmes, Transformational Change Projects, RealWorld employability projects, Caledonian Scholars and Associates and Caledonian Academy PhD students will be presenting a range of posters in the real world.

A number of these posters (and their presenters) will also be available in Second Life. Posters will highlight findings from action research projects, developmental projects and research projects that have been undertaken in a variety of topics impacting on learning, teaching and assessment here at GCU.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Glasgow%20Caledonian/120/141/23

The posters will become a permanent fixture so you don’t necessarily need to come at this time. However, the authors will not be there.