NMC Virtual Worlds is a program of the New Media Consortium. Our mission is to help learning-focused organizations explore the potential of virtual spaces in a manner that builds on community knowledge, is cost-effective, and ensures high quality. NMC Virtual Worlds provides a palette of premium custom services for education and training, and conducts an ongoing series of events, conferences, and programs. A suite of pro bono services and fellowships are a central aspect of the organization, and reflect our deep commitment to learning and access.
University of Maryland Dental School Virtual Dental School Provides Patient Relationship Role-Playing
The University of Maryland Dental School’s Virtual dental school contains a suite of tools aimed at dental role-playing scenarios, a conference hall, and a historical dentistry museum.
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published 17.Jan.12 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
Global Kids held their second talk show in the virtual world of Second Life on Friday January 13th, where students produced and presented a live show to audience members. The show delved into the important issues of electronic waste and climate change.
Student hosts Jackie and Javon are in the 11th grade. They presented material, introduced guest speakers (Delia Lake-SL and Makayla-SL), asked questions of the audience members and included fun, interactive games where audience members were encouraged to move about and participate.
Using various props such as a globe, a plant with scripted “gasses” to demonstrate how more carbon dioxide is escaping into the atmosphere rather than being absorbed by trees, videos, ppt presentations, ice melting in water, notecard givers, and game/quiz stations inside Second Life, they discussed and demonstrated the difference between the terms Global Warming & Climate Change and the harmful effect that e-waste has on our environment.
Over 20 people were in the audience and participated in the talk show presentation. Kudos to the student producers, hosts, and all involved in these wonderful, informative shows! We will post a video of the presentation in the near future so stay tuned!
Check us out and learn more about the NMC campus and what we have to offer as far as land availability. We also offer our conference center for lectures, shows, presentations & conferences to NMC members. Contact carol@nmc.org if interested.
published 10.Jan.12 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
Global Kids will once again gather in Second Life to produce and take part in a live virtual world talk show called “Let’s Talk Sustainability.”
We would love for you to take part in Let’s Talk Sustainability as audience members, this Friday, January 13th from 5pm-6pm EST.
There will be two separate shows/topics occurring back-to-back:
Climate Change – What is the science of climate change? Are there solutions to climate change that we can take action on now, or is it too late?
Electronic Waste – What is e-waste and why is it the United States’ biggest export? What are the global consequences of e-waste, particularly for developing countries?
published 14.Dec.11 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
The full sim exhibit celebrates ART with MUSIC, MOTION, LIGHT & COLOR. Join us in Second Life on Sunday, December 18th at 12pm slt.
STAR DANCE-Created by Gwen Carillon
In the above 3d light sculpture, the pieces glide gracefully to mimic a beautiful dance. You cannot see the motion and movement, or hear the music and sound of the pieces in this exhibit …unless you drop by and see them!
The exhibit can be found on the NMC Campus sim of Ars Simulacra in Second Life. We invite you to explore the question that is so often asked these days: Is art created in a virtual world, really art?
GEOMETRICS #1 & 3-Created by Maryva Mayo
Here you see the Geometrics wall art, created to display smooth motion of shapes and color. These pieces will keep you mesmerized.
According to Wikipedia, art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items (often with symbolic significance) in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression.
KINETIC SPIRALIUM-Created by Lea Supermarine
The Kinetic Spiralium, one of the pieces in this exhibit is truly an amazing work art. The overall geometric shape is formed of cubes and lines forming intricate shapes of their own. The piece gently turns within a transparent black casing while soft subtle colors strategically placed lend yet another interesting element to the piece.
While you may not be able to physically feel the art in a Virtual World you can take it in visually & emotionally, as well as experience the music, motion, and interactivity.
NEW ART #1-Created By Spiral Walcher
The New Art #1 piece in the above photo is a beautiful kaleidoscope-like sculpture. The vibrant colors and light variations change constantly.
I welcome you to come see for yourself. There are over 30 artists that have work on display in the sim, and some have more than one piece. Walk up to each piece in avatar. Dare not stand in one place and try to view the exhibit with your camera, as you will miss much of the motion, sounds and the interactive properties of some of the pieces. Listen, observe, interact and enjoy!
published 01.Dec.11 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
Recently a group called Global Kids met up in Second Life to produce and take part in a virtual world talk show called “Let’s Talk Sustainability.”
In the first episode, Global Kids teen leaders gathered in Second Life to share a video clip from The Meatrix, as well as a slideshow describing the production of a fast food product. They discussed the video and slideshow and shared a game where audience members were able to participate and express their opinions on different food issues.
The avatar Cicero Kit, a.k.a Jennifer Dolan, an adjunct instructor for communications at Rasmussen College, was the featured guest in Second Life. She shared with the audience how to eat healthily, how to locate organic and sustainable foods within their local communities, and how to stretch the grocery dollar during tough economic times. Some other topics Cicero spoke of were tap water vs.bottled water, and eating organically and healthily as a vegan.
It was a fun and informative first production in this talk show series. For more information about Global Kids and this innovative virtual world talk show visit the Global Kids Website.
Check out the video of the first episode!
Follow us on Facebook and we will keep you informed of the dates of upcoming shows so you can participate as an audience member! The next show is slated to take place in early December on the NMC Campus.
published 17.Nov.11 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
The University of Technology, Sydney Australia (UTS) conducted a case study in 2011 with undergraduate students in the French and Japanese intermediate language and culture subjects offered in the International Studies Program.
Each class participated in a series of Second Life activities over one semester during tutorials to complement traditional weekly lessons based on a textbooks and other materials. A virtual representation of a two story furnished house was built in Second Life to simulate private space.
In front of this building, four smaller single-level rooms were built for activities covering themes such as retail and administration. The focus of students interaction was synchronous (text chat) and asynchronous (through digital objects such as note cards and video screens). The aim of these activities was not only two allow students to communicate and to understand various themes (directions, household chores, leisure activities, giving an opinion), but to also reinforce grammatical concepts that were part of the semester’s curriculum (hypothetical, direct and indirect speech, conditional).
The photo above was taken during a language activity asking the students to move around the house and identify what household chores needed to be completed. This activity was followed by an Inworld instant message session between students who discussed the household chores they liked and disliked doing.
Understanding how to use Japanese text script was a particular focus for the Japanese class. During the semester, results obtained through student surveys and teacher observation indicated that virtual world activities support rather then substitute existing practices; survey responses highlighted that students welcome the idea of both face-to-face contact and future activities designed using the virtual world. Virtual activities, therefore, can complement existing traditional activities and go further in introducing virtual spaces that can stimulate classroom themes, with communication as the prime motivator.
This snapshot was taken during a session where students had to listen to short video clips on movie trailers shown inside Second Life via youtube and then respond through instant message chat by expressing their opinion of the trailers they had watched.
Interested in a virtual space of your own? Check out the properties the NMC Virtual World Campus has to offer.
Global Kids has just launched a virtual talk show that we are so excited about!
Let’s Talk Sustainability is an intensive youth development program that supports high school youth to develop expertise regarding sustainability, online broadcasting, and virtual world construction. Global Kids youth in New York City combine this expertise to produce a talk show, featuring live interviews with scientists and other STEM-related professionals, pre-produced videos, and game show-like activities.
This talk show is a virtual talk show, filmed before a live studio audience with TreetTV in Second Life, and is archived with downloadable materials that reach a broader audience and classrooms around the world. Each talk show is designed to introduce their audience to what professionals are doing in these fields and showcase what youth can do today to live in a more sustainable world.
Global Kids is looking for audience members for the talk shows, which will be aired through December 2011. They would like all educators in Second Life to consider bringing their students to be a part of the audience. Sign up here to be in the audience!
published 11.Oct.11 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
Thomas Molck, of the University of Applied Sciences shares how he uses Second Life to engage students. The information below was obtained from a paper which can be found on the university website.
Since 2007, the Department of Social Sciences & Cultural Studies at the University of Applied Sciences Düsseldorf has been offering courses in Second Life in the area of “culture, aesthetics, and media”.
The Virtual world is used as a field of work for aspiring social workers, as well as being an artistic design space. The first two examples would also be conceivable as an application scenario in continuing education programs :
1. Exploring the possibilities for creative design and communication in “Second Life”
2. 3D Design in Second Life.
The first example includes about 40 students form learning groups after a general introduction to the SL environment. Some topics of study for the groups include possibilities of avatar design, opportunities for social work or economic activity, hazards, stimuli, target groups, and gender in Second Life.
Secondly, students studied 3D Design. Courses in practical artistic design, which are a core part of teaching in the area of culture, aesthetics and media, were not an appropriate field of study for aspiring social workers due to programs such as Maya & Cinema 4D having a steep learning curve. Second Life was utilized to teach 3D Design as the tools provided with this platform opened the doors to an easier method of study.
A third example of the students utilizing SL was their attendance at an inworld virtual conference and education fair, where they worked on the possibilities of continuing education in Second Life.
Interested in a virtual space of your own? Check out the properties the NMC Virtual World Campus has to offer.
published 21.Sep.11 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
Dr. Mary Stokrocki, Professor of Art Education at Arizona State, is another NMC educator using Second Life as a platform for education.
Dr. Stokrocki shares, “I use my Art Ark site on the NMC Campus in Second Life for teaching and research in several ways:”
A. I bring my undergrads here for a 3-hour class, like an introduction teaser in the educational possibilities of Second Life. My site shows sculptural forms of architecture.
B. I formulate my teaching as a series of art quests. I start at my Ark with its Turkish oriental rug where students describe, analyze, interpret, and judge the rug while searching for its treasures. My Art Ark Sign is linked to a blog so the students can click it and open the blog in their browser.
C. My graduate class is called Digital Ethnography and students meet in teams in a series of quests, one of which is to interview 2 avatars. They also record behaviors and analyze their chat. Their final project is a Powerpoint of their findings in stages.
D. I recently finished my Art Ark Mission that I will be putting on my whiteboard as a slide show in Second Life.
E. This all points to my research in Digital Ethnography and I completed 4 major related studies.
published 06.Sep.11 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
Wm. H.’Bill’ Burkett, Ph.D. of Capella University explains how they are creatively using Second Life as an educational platform.
Capella University
Capella University’s School of Undergraduate Studies Information Technology Department is proud to be an innovator in using Second Life. One use we have for Second Life is in conducting our IT2240 Introduction to Programming. We use the Linden (Second Life) Scripting Language, which is an event driven language, as our beginning vehicle to learning the theory of programming. On our parcel or land on the sim of Teaching 10 in Second Life, we have several large sandboxes for our learners to use. We have areas to gather for informal talks, a wall of distinction for past learner projects, and other areas as needed or requested.
Student learning at Capella in Second Life
We have upwards of 75 Learners at any one time in the course. Typically, we have two or three sections of the course running with approximately 20-25 in a section. We strive to maintain a faculty presence on the parcel each day. All faculty make their contact information available as well. The course runs 5 weeks with two 5 week sessions each quarter for an approximate total learner yearly enrollment of between 3-400 Learners a year.
In the course, we emphasize the theory of programming (pseudo code and flowcharts included) as well as the planning and actual coding and debugging of their scripts. We provide many script examples for them to learn from as well as objects to place the scripts in. They can choose to build their own object or use a ready-made one.
In addition to someone being available during the day, instructors also conduct webinars three nights a week in Second Life using the parcel, an Adobe Connect room, a conference call system and Skype.
published 17.Aug.11 by Carol Pfeifer/Tayzia Abattoir
Our educators were asked to share how they are using Second Life as an educational tool, and in the coming months we will report on their exciting projects.
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE, VERMONT
Professor Maria Wololson & Joe Antoniole the Manager of Web and Interactive Media of Middlebury College did a presentation on our Middleverse project at a conference in Madison.
The project consisted of constructing a virtual social space for language acquisition. One of the questions answered in their presentation was why use virtual worlds? View the slideshow to find out the answer, and check out more presentations from Joseph Antonioli.
Middlebury not only utilizes Second Life for Language Acquisition, but they are also teaching students government.
The Terra Project is a virtual state simulation run by Professor Quinn Mecham of Middlebury College. The citizens — or students — of the Terra Project log in to Second Life in order to run for office, vote, make and enforce policy, and perform other functions of government, all within the virtual environment.
Middlebury is located on the sim of Teaching 6 on the NMC Campus.
Interested in a Virtual Worlds space of your own? Check out the available properties that the NMC Virtual World Campus has to offer.
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