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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!

We’re on top of contributions, so we’ve extended the deadline for contributions – but this is really it. If you want to get something in, then you have by the end of this Wednesday, 8th December 2011. All that is required is one paragraph minimum for most or all of the seven questions. As a guide, the first (and one of the best) contributions to the snapshot came in within 15 minutes of the first call for contributions going out.

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

The University of Portsmouth has been using Second Life since 2006. We currently have 3 Islands (UoP Island, Chmi Island and Enterprise Centre).

UoP Island is predominantly used for School of Computing student work; the majority contains a mix of materials to introduce students to Second Life and student coursework and dissertation work. Within the Island there is also a small area with the outputs from a project undertaken for the then HEA ICS Subject Centre on teaching tools for Second Life, and an area in which we are prototyping (with students) tools for teaching Forensic IT – this includes a Crown Court.

Chmi Island is used by the Centre for Healthcare Modelling and Informatics as a workplace telecare showcase, showing ways in which IT can be integrated into the workplace to provide healthcare support for employees and their families.

Enterprise Centre is awaiting development by the Portsmouth Business School to support their student placement activities.

Kevin Curtis in the School of Creative Technologies has been using Open Wonderland as part of a European Interreg project looking at developing problem-based learning to students.

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

We are using Second Life for both historical reasons (it was there when we started looking at Virtual Worlds) and for practical reasons (it is readily and freely available, it provides a rich environment for students to explore and learn from, there is a wealth of material available to support the work we do in Second Life, plus we have invested time and money in it).

We use Open Wonderland as part of a cross European research project. With Opensim – we are investigating this as an alternative, cheaper environment to Second Life.

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

We are given provision of server space for Open Wonderland work. Also, payment of the costs of two Second Life islands (the cost of the 3rd is covered by external funding).

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

Second Life provides an easy entry to using virtual worlds as there is a range of materials (books and on the web) to support new users, it is easy to find (direct students to) materials in world on how to build, texture etc, there is a wide range of freebies available which helps both students and staff starting out, and there are lots and lots of examples to look at and investigate. Anything is possible in terms.

The difficulties are that for newbies it takes time to get the hang of moving around and their inventories; the costs of owning an island have increased substantially; running it over a university network can be challenging (but on the other hand it can be run from a stick).

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

We don’t do formal teaching so our experiences have been around introducing students to Second Life and letting them explore and build. We have found with this type of usage that students split into 2 groups – love it or hate it. Those who hate it tend to have a strong gaming background and feel the graphics quality is too low and the interface not game-like enough. Those who love it tend to do so because they can see the potential.

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

Only that the more they can the better – but first we need better “integration” with academic networks e.g. multiple users of one computer for short periods of time with all the attendant problems of storage space and protection of the network from ‘odd’ software. Being able to easily run fully functional virtual worlds in browsers such as IE and firefox would help with this.

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

It is regrettable that changes in educational costs for Second Life have increased substantially over the last year as this may mean we have to withdraw from Second Life.

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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?)

As we have been doing since 2008, we are still providing a complete design and development service for virtual worlds including creating learning activities, bespoke items, scripted systems and entire islands/worlds.

Most recently this has included Second Life projects for the Universities of Edinburgh and Leicester.

For the University of Leicester and their Second Life SWIFT project, we developed a custom holodeck system. This involved creating an in-world system that allowed different gardens to be rezzed and derezzed at the touch of a button, as well as intelligent teleporting and interactive boards.

We developed a series of detailed, intricate, custom-made objects for the Virtual Easter Bush Farm Second Life stables for the Royal School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh. This included a tack room and feed room and a set of informational posters and video screens.

As far as in-house developments go we are creating all sorts of content for our Second Life marketplace store, which so far features an Albert Einstein avatar!

In the New Year we are hoping to run a small self-initiated project within Second Life around the issue of phobias and desensitization. We will be building a set of realistic spaces and scenarios (dentist, clowns, flying and heights to name a few) that address certain common phobias. We will then run a small study to investigate whether visiting these spaces in the virtual world, help desensitize people in the real world and in turn help with the phobia. Anyone who would like to get involved please contact me at gemma@gemixin.co.uk.

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

We are still firmly based in Second Life as despite some of the negative reports it has been receiving recently and issues with costs, it is still proving to be a worthwhile platform for many.

We have also been experimenting with OpenSim, so that as and when clients do require us to develop for that platform, we will be fully experienced. I feel at the moment, a lot of people are tempted with OpenSim (especially since the SL price changes) but are put off with the complexity, and the lack of readily available content and large user base that Second Life offers.

We have also been playing around with Open Wonderland and creating custom virtual worlds using tools such as Flash and Unity so that we can offer clients a range of virtual world options.

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

I think the main advantage of Second Life is the ease of use (comparatively), massive user base and the in-world content that has been amassed over the years.

Of course if you are looking to create a ‘closed’ virtual space for learning and teaching for example, then OpenSim and OWL can have huge advantages.

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

I’ve always had a personal interest in augmented reality and how it could be used with virtual worlds, but as yet haven’t really had chance to work on such a project. I also think it would be cool to work on a project that mixed things like Lego Mindstorm robots or NeuroSky sensors with virtual spaces.

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The International Academy is a department in the University of Essex. The 65,000 squared meters’ International Academy campus, situated on Wivenhoe Island in Second Life, is a re-creation of part of the University of Essex’s campus in Colchester. It has four towers, 8 classrooms, an auditorium, a self-access centre and several recreational areas. We’re at http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wivenhoe%20Island/243/35/22

View from the anchor house

At Wivenhoe you will find information on free classes for a trial we are running on our other virtual platform (Wonderland). You’ll receive a guest user name and password and be able to use that to log into a SLOODLE course. You’ll be able to get day passes to visit the campus and listen to a maths and an MA Tesol lecture in Anchor House. You may meet current students and staff. You’ll find useful landmarks and objects in the welcome area that may help you if you are new to Second Life.

Simulating the real campus

At the moment, we’re working on a new self-access centre. We got permission from the publisher of a course book to reproduce their work but the publisher wanted to ensure that only International Academy students access it. Since only members of the International Academy group can enter our campus we thought the material might be more secure in Second Life. We’ve converted Word documents into notecards and streamed audio recordings. We’re also putting exclusive revision material for students here. This is material that hasn’t been released in class like exam questions and lecture notes.

Games area

We’ve just finished an Academic Writing course and plan to open a Conversation Club in April.

This time, there’s just one main question, and a few side points. The main question can be interpreted as broadly, or as narrowly, as you wish. As before, the scope is limited to UK Higher and Further Education.

The question

How are you using virtual worlds (e.g. Second Life, OpenSim, Metaplace, OLIVE, Active Worlds, Playstation Home, Blue Mars, Twinity, Wonderland) in teaching, learning or research?

Things you may want to include:

• Why you are using a virtual world.
• If teaching using a virtual world, how it fits into your curriculum.
• Any evaluation of the experience of using the virtual world.
• Will you do it again next year? Why (or why not)?

A few side points

• Do you know of any other individual, group or project at your institution using virtual worlds for teaching, learning or research? If so, a contact detail would be appreciated.
• Do you have any interesting screenshots of what you’ve been doing in virtual worlds? If so, then please consider submitting them to the Virtual World use in UK Education Flickr group – thanks.

Deadline

Please send your contributions, in whatever format (e.g. email, Word, text) to john (@) virtualworldwatch.net by the end of Friday 20th November. Relevant content submitted by then is guaranteed to go into the report; content received afterwards is unlikely to make it in.

Thank you for your contribution,
Virtual World Watch

The report can be downloaded in PDF format. Feel free to pass it on to anyone who may be interested; cheers.

Summary
This is the first snapshot survey where a significant number of respondents were supported by external, often research-based funding. The spread of funding sources is diverse, including national sources (JISC are mentioned by several respondents), European funding and non-academic sources. Of the other respondents, the majority had institutional support, e.g. from central funds, the department, or a Pro-Vice Chancellor’s fund; such funding is sometimes multi-departmental in nature.

Many respondents had either carried out some kind of teaching and learning activity, or were planning such events for the new academic year. These included collaborative learning and design, seminars, workshops, tutorials and induction courses. Several lecturers and supervisors were using Second Life to hold tutorials, or communicate with remote undergraduate or PhD students. A significant number of universities are carrying out research as to the effectiveness of using Second Life especially in teaching and learning.

Some, but not all, teaching and learning activities were assessed, with no particular method of assessment being predominant. Positive benefits were mentioned by the majority, such as student skill acquisition, ease of communication and the ability to meet peers one would otherwise not meet. Problems such as the amount of work required to run in-world sessions were also reported.

As with previous snapshots, the two issues of obtaining funding for virtual world development, teaching and learning, and technical problems, predominated. Several respondents indicated a need for guides and tutorials, as well as a ready-to-use ‘kit’ of high quality, education-specific resources.

The general reaction of peers and academics to virtual worlds seems to have improved over time. More respondents reported largely positive, or a mixed, attitude locally and in the wider university sector. Some academics who were previously cautious or negative about the use of virtual worlds in education become more positive after using the technology, or seeing the benefits. Funding for research and virtual world projects has also had a positive effect on academic attitudes.

Looking ahead, most respondents who chose to answer thought that virtual worlds were more likely to be a ‘mainstream’ feature of UK education, rather than a ‘niche’ or ‘novelty’. However, several of these respondents felt this would be a gradual long-term development over several years.

Many respondents had used, or were considering examining, virtual worlds and online environments other than Second Life. A dozen such applications were cited. Of these three were mentioned by far the most: Google Lively, Wonderland and OpenSim. Lively was found to be disappointing in terms of education-relevant functionality, Wonderland had considerable communication potential, and OpenSim had attractive options for creating a closed virtual environment.

This theme, that Second Life is not the only option for teaching, learning and other educational activities in virtual environments, will be explored in future snapshots and activities of Virtual World Watch.