This workshop is designed for distance learning teachers who would like to try new technology methods to increase better student retention and engagement in their online class environments. In online classes, choosing to use virtual environments such as OS Grid can create dynamic learning environments.
Innovation Lab Proposal
For the OLC conference, I am proposing an innovation lab that would show online educators how they could use the virtual space, OS Grid, in order to create a greater sense of belonging and community leading to greater class retention. The main goal of this innovation lab would be to give participants a foundation and demonstration as to how to use the virtual worlds known as Open Sim and OS Grid.
Introduction Discussion
My rationale for using Virtual Worlds in distance learning classes
As an online instructor, I have tried many different techniques to engage students in online classes. Over the years, I have also experienced the flip side of the online experience, as an online student. Student engagement happens using online groups, tools such as collaborate, discussions, blogs and videos. Most of these techniques have been shown to be highly successful. The one thing lacking is seeing your teacher and fellow colleagues and being able to communicate with them in real time using voice or chat mechanisms. Virtual environments allow for the teacher to be "around "students or fellow colleagues in an environment much like a classroom.
Bell and Trueman (2008) describe virtual worlds as environments in which "participants are represented by avatars, or digital personas, who interact with one another in a persistent world" (pg. xv). In an online environment, avatars can gather around a table, fireplace or sit on a deck in an ocean villa. All things are possible.
My first introduction to virtual worlds was through Second Life ©. After exploring Second Life© and even taking a graduate class specifically about it, I knew that the use of virtual worlds was something I wanted to implement in my online classes. Second life © is one of the biggest and most known virtual worlds, but it can be overwhelming due to its size and complexity.
Although there are many benefits to using Second Life, one being that it is free to join, it poses many concerns. One is that it has its own monetary system called Linden dollars, which cost real dollars to purchase. Many objects, including the purchasing of land, avatar characteristics and clothes cost Linden dollars. Most teachers would agree that we don't want students to have to pay to learn. Implementing the use of Second Life in higher education can also be challenging since many administrators and schools do not want to pay these added costs.
Another concern is that Second Life © is just "too much" of everything. It is possible to do everything in Second Life© that you can do in real life except eat, but you can even use animations to look as if your avatar is eating or drinking. It could pose real class challenges for virtual students with heavy distractions in the virtual sphere you are trying to teach inside of.
What's the alternative?
The open simulator project is an open-source version of Second Life ©. Meaning that you can still use it for free, most objects are free to use and most avatars and avatar accessories are free. OS Grid is just one open sim of thousands. OS Grid along with other open sim regions are part of a larger metaverse, which is the name of all of these regions combined.
Once you are on one open sim it is possible to use "hypergrid" technologies to access them or teleport directly to them. Many folks are building their own open source open sim regions right on their own standalone computers, but you don't have to do this to use OS Grid. Building your own open sim region is beyond the focus of these modules and assignments, but there is a multitude of literature out on the Web of how to do this.
A little history about the OpenSimulator Project
" The OpenSimulator project was founded in January 2007 by Darren Guard (also known as MW), who, like so many other people, saw the potential for an open source 3d Virtual Environments server that could be used for many different applications.
….Then in January 2007, the Second Life(tm) client was released as open source, and libsl (a BSD open source library for creating custom clients that could connect to Second Life(tm)), was reaching the point of being stable. So the idea of OpenSimulator was born, with the initial goal of creating a proof of concept server that the SL client could connect to and allow some basic functions." Project History. (n.d.). Open Simulator. Retrieved from http://opensimulator.org/wiki/History
Demonstration
How to get started with Open Simulator and the OS Grid open source metaverse
Just like with Second Life, you need to first register an avatar username and password. Next, you need to download an Open Simulator viewer. Second Life has its own viewer, but with Open Simulator you have a choice of using many different viewer flavors. The one that I will be using is the Firestorm viewer due to its ease of use with the OS Grid open source metaverse.
Since the Firestorm viewer is difficult to load on smartphones, laptops or tablets due to its intensive use of memory, I will do a 20-minute demonstration on four module topics. After attendance at the innovation lab, I will provide a virtual demonstration to attendees that could easily be completed as a self-paced training. By following the self-paced training, participants will have a virtual takeaway to come back to after the conference has ended.
Demonstration Module Breakdown
Module One
- How to register and log into OS Grid
- How to teleport to various locations
Module Two
- How to change aspects of the OS Grid world
- How to change your avatar attributes
Module Three
- Communicating with other avatars
- A brief explanation of how to build objects in OS Grid
Module Four
- Dancing and attending OS Grid events
- Using the Hyper grid to teleport to other worlds
- Additional OS Grid resources
Innovation:
After the demonstration, I will ask questions of the participants and break them up into four groups.
Group One:
- As an instructor, how would you approach teaching your students about Open Sim and OS Grid?
- How would you introduce students to OS Grid, using a virtual world viewer, creating an avatar and learning how to maneuver around a virtual world?
Group Two:
- What type of landmarks or environments would you want your students to explore?
- How could you use avatar profiles in your online classes?
Group Three:
- How could you use OS Grid notecards in your classes?
- How could you effectively use global and IM chat sessions?
Group Four:
- Would you want students to attend events or dance parties that aren't specifically about your class?
- Would you want your students to friend OS Grid visitors that are not currently part of your class?
Needed Materials for proposed learning lab:
I will need a projector, a way to use a mouse with the projector and Wi-Fi-access for this presentation. I will bring my own personal laptop.