Dr. John Jamison - Why use Second Life for education - Dublin Virtually Live DIT Campus

Transcript
c = Cher Harrington
v = Virtual Bacon
a = Audience

c - this is the Dublin Institute of Technology "stage set" from the SL7B exhibit, used for today's talk
c - a full scale DIT is being built underneath us on the sim for September classes to start teaching "Is One Life Enough"
c - today's talk is part of a "Technology as a Second Language" conference
c - STP is the Director of Technology for Midwestern Unit IV
c - he's talking to them now (60 school districts)
c - he will be showing US here as part of his talk , shortly
c - viewing us will be educators and school board members and administrators
c - from Grove City PA near Pittsburgh
c - please make sure that you have voice on

c - ok we're on in FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONEEEEE
c - LIVE !

c - gives background - SEG Measurement, Midwestern Unit IV, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin Virtually Live
c - introduces "Why Use SL for Education"
c - Virtual Bacon
c - Dr. John Jamieson
c - ImagiLearning Inc

v - welcome
v - spouse is second grade teacher
v - in education for 30 years
v - also a gamer computers and before computers
v - intrigued with ability that games have to pull people in
v - the HOURS kids spend playing games
v - the POSitives and NEGatives about games
v - but interest is in WHAT IS IT about games
v - that make them so engaging
v - and how can we use those elements to enhance learning?
v - have been researching that for years, using Second Life for PhD research
v - wouldn't it be cool to have students spend 20 hours a week on class OUTside class
v - like they do in games
v - my first exposure to Second Life was, like you, being shown it on a screen at a presentation
v - involved ever since
v - focuses especially on the learning side
v - these are my answers based on experience
v - Is Second Life worth all the effort it takes to get going here?
v - short answer YES - it's not that hard
v - it takes us 5 minutes intro max
v - 6 basic things to go and that's it for our learners to get it and come back
v - so DON'T OVERWORK the basic orientation
v - Is Second Life Worth It?
v - will show you examples of what we use with educators and corporate clients
v - *pulls out virtual world visual aid*
v - this demonstration shows multimodal education using not only TALK but VISUALS and 3D WEB etc.
v - AUDIO
v - TACTILE
v - tactile involves using the mouse
v - multimodal is effective but can be expensive in RL - costs less in virtual world
v - second life sound is spatial (stereophonic) which the brain recognizes as immersive
v - virtual reality experiences impact the brain as do as real world experiences
v - is going to move the VIRTUAL AUDIENCE to a demo area
v - it might get.... *ominous chords* NOISY
v - rezzing a TP device
c - Don't click until Virtual gives the go ahead

v - CLICKING TELEPORT NOW !
a - ARRIVE AT GIANT WHIRLPOOL WITH CRASHING WAVES

a - wow
a - can't find my rain gear in my inventory
a - typical that its raining in Ireland...
c - I am shaking lol
a - cool

v - THIS platform is also virtual and ALSO making our brains react
v - calling this "transformational learning" in virtual and real environments
v - goal to connect as many brain sub modalities as possible
v - which is more effective for learning
v - TAKES QUESTIONS
a - how do you leverage that visceral learning approach to actual content; can we have some tangible examples explaining how specific content can be taughta - do you think sl has a role to play in teaching entire courses or should be used as a component
a - how do u measure the impact of the learning
v - performance based measurement rather than self report, that's great
v - my email is john@imagilearning.com
v - thanks you all
a - thanks virtual
a - Thank you!

DISCUSSION CONTINUES

c - so we are OFF CAMERA now
a - I did NOT want to jump from here lol
a - it's fabulous, really great
a - impressive
a - how much further have you taken this research, other than brain stimulations? Do you have live examples such as a successful student?
a - how do you deal with getting those students properly immersed? it took me a long time to feel fully immersed in here
v - results showing increased time on task, retention
v - over last 3 years of research
v - quicker picking up on performances
a - do you promote social or collaborative learning? the math example is a person versus environment concept....
a - what grade levels?
a - do u analyse their conversations?
v - I see research but not independent 3rd party research, validated
v - mostly adult and higher education learning so far
v - also Utah nursing program using transformational learning
v - in gerontology
v - 3 people doing dissertation research on transformational learning
a - do you have publications from that that I can look up virtual?
a - I'd love to read more about it
a - same here
a - one question.. the under 18 crowd isn't allowed on here.. so how can you bring this to the students... as we aren't allowed on the teen grid either
v - 3 publications in the works
v - we also have people on the teen grid
v - also people using our theory on Open Sim
v - also in the traditional classroom

FULL AUDIO AVAILABLE ON PODCAST LINK ABOVE

Announcement

Please join us for Pennsylvania Midwestern Intermediate Unit #4's Professional Development Workshop Series, "Technology as a Second Language", where Second Life will be viewed by teachers for the first time as different types of emerging technology tools are introduced to them during the workshop’s keynote speech. Cher Harrington, Virtual Worlds Education Networker for Dublin Virtually Live will speak briefly about SEG Measurement, efficacy research studies, and the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). Virtual Bacon, CEO and Creative Director of ImagiLearning.com, will answer the question, "Is the virtual environment really worth all of the trouble involved to use it for education? And how do we really know it improves learning?" The presentation will provide a brief overview of a unique approach to creating learning that is more appropriate for the emerging digital culture. Elwe Eldrich, Dublin Virtually Live’s Community Relations Manager, will answer questions from the in-world and real world audience about DIT, Dublin Virtually Live and offer a brief tour. Everyone is welcome to attend, visit the Dublin Institute of Technology, and discover the answer to “Why SL for Education?” The workshop will be held in voice. Please IM Cher Harrington or Elwe Eldrich for more information in-world or email Cher at cherharrington@gmail.com.

Speaker Introduction

Thank you so much, Scott, and a warm welcome to Midwestern Intermediate Unit #4 educators as well as everyone in Second Life, to the Dublin Institute of Technology in Dublin Virtually Live.

I am Cher Harrington, Program Manager for SEG Measurement: http://www.segmeasurement.com
I have been engaged in the management of educational projects for more than 25 years and have managed a range of effectiveness studies with SEG including work for Wiley Publishing, National Geographic and Cengage-Heinle Publishing.
Our current projects include measuring the impact of using Online Professional Development on teacher understanding of technology and on student achievement. Also whether using test preparation software helps increase student scores on the SAT.
SEG has helped many educational publishers design and implement sound effectiveness research studies, as well as helped design, develop and improve assessments. If you would like to know more about our effectiveness research and improving assessment testing, you may contact us using the form on our website, or please IM me after the meeting.

I am also the Virtual Worlds Education Networker for Dublin Virtually Live. We are here in the virtual recreation of the Dublin Institute of Technology, which will be hosting online classes right here at the end of the summer. DIT is an urban campus, one of Ireland’s 12 official universities, and is the largest business school in Ireland. DIT provides teaching, research, development, and consultancy in technology, commerce and community development.

So now we ask, why use Second Life for education? Here to answer that question is Virtual Bacon, or Dr. John Jamison as he is known in the real world. Virtual is CEO and Creative Director of ImagiLearning, Inc., and has 39 years of experience in working with individuals and groups facing change. John has developed, directed and taught in national and international distance learning programs, directed a national Game and Simulation academic degree program, and designed and conducted trainings for small and large corporations; in face-to-face, online, and CD/DVD-based formats. Through his role with ImagiLearning, Inc., John works with educators, trainers, universities and corporations, as they attempt to adapt their practices to meet the changes of the emerging digital culture.

Please welcome our speaker, Virtual Bacon, Dr. John Jamison....