Virtual Worlds and The Role of Educators_Beall-Davis_Final

Welcome! : 

Welcome! Walden University Annual Conference. Walden Education Department (2010 Student Project) Dr. AmarAlmasude (Instructor) Principals of Distance Education (EDUC-8842) Sondra Beall-Davis (Presenter) Turn your cell phone off. Please save all question for the end of the presentation. Relax and Enjoy!

Benefits of Learning in Virtual Worlds and the Evolving Roles of Learners and Teachers (Second Life) : 

Benefits of Learning in Virtual Worlds and the Evolving Roles of Learners and Teachers (Second Life)

What is Second Life? : 

What is Second Life? “Second Life (SL) is a virtual world developed by Linden Lab that launched on June 23, 2003 and is accessible via the Internet. A free client program called the Second Life Viewer enables its users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life).

Why Consider Second Life for Education? : 

Why Consider Second Life for Education? Faculty and student collaboration Cooperative exchanges of privileges and favors. Active learning encouraged. Real-time feedback available. Emphasizes time on task. Performance expectations are high. Respect of diverse learning styles and talents.

Second Life –vs.- Brick and Mortar : 

Second Life –vs.- Brick and Mortar Virtual Formal and informal contact. Easy access to faculty or students in a F2F simulated setting. Global access 24X7. Limits constraints of email response times. Humiliation factor decreased and creativity increased in comparison to LMS environments. Not only faculty evaluations, but peer reviews.

Cone of Learning : 

Cone of Learning

Second Life and Active Learning : 

Second Life and Active Learning Role Plays Affords constructs of knowledge Real world applications Superior to simply downloading a document or text-only chat

High Performance Expectations : 

High Performance Expectations Peer feedback and evaluations. Public Awareness and visibility Sets the stage for feedback and increased expectation from faculty.

Respect and Diversity : 

Respect and Diversity Supports a diverse set of learning styles (e.g., visual, auditory, and experiential). Removes learning style barriers presented in LMS space (e.g., visual or kinesthetic). Promotes a deeper sense of class community. Avatars help to establish relationships.

Role of Teacher and Learner : 

Role of Teacher and Learner Teachers: Knowledge Facilitators Procedures Concepts Constructivism Self directed Activities Students: Create new understanding. Respect, and appreciation for different people and cultures. Master and Apprentice

Future of Education in Second Life? : 

Future of Education in Second Life? 700 educational institutions from all over the world are in Second Life today— the advantages of learning in immersive 3D environments are many. Learning in Second Life can cut costs, reach and retain more students. Dozens of highly successful projects are proving that Second Life can be as effective as traditional classrooms In a few words, Second Life as an educational platform is engaging and it works. And it's eco-friendly. Second Life Work: Education http://education.secondlife.com/whysl/advantages/

Get Thrilled About the Future of Learning in Second Life! : 

Get Thrilled About the Future of Learning in Second Life!

Slide 13: 

Thank You! Sondra Beall-Davis Walden University Student (PhD in Management) Sondra.bealldavis@yahoo.com