immerse yourself – learn how esc is faring as virtual goes open source
DESCRIPTION
SUNY Empire State College has been one of the founding institutions in immersive, virtual education having islands on Second Life (www.secondlife.com) since 2004 and classes and meetings on the islands for almost as many years. As this fall academic year begins, a band of intrepid faculty and staff are continuing their own learning and peer support through the Virtual Affinity Group, which began as VirtualESC in spring 2011. As the education costs for Second Life rose, more open source venues emerged and extended expansive opportunities have arisen. As this virtual support community moves into yet another academic year, it will be hosting external speakers and events that will examine the borders and boundaries of emerging and open virtual experiences. The VFAC presenters invite individual interested in learning about our past, present, and future immersive experiences to join us in the Virtual Rotunda on the ESC island; we will share what lies ahead with the speaker and our own expectations. And, we will gather your ideas for ways we might grow ESC’s holding in the future. So please do come to meet-and-greet, experience an immersive environment, and learn about our upcoming affinity group events.TRANSCRIPT
Immerse Yourself – Learn how ESC is Faring as Virtual Goes Open Source
Virtual Fall Academic Conference
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Eileen O’ConnorAudeliz MatiasNicola AllainJase TeohMark Lewis
and the ESC Virtual Worlds Affinity Group
ESC in Virtual Worlds – A Planned Approach –
• 2003 – 2004 CDL Ad-Hoc Media and Learning Research Group recommended exploring virtual worlds for teaching and learning.
• 2004 Office of Educational Technology invited virtual worlds leaders to speak to college faculty and staff about teaching and learning in virtual worlds.
• 2005 Initial funding for virtual worlds initiatives though the Charitable Leadership Foundation (CLF) for: Improving Adult Learner Literacy in Mathematics and Science Through Online Learning. http://commons.esc.edu/smatresources/
We Began to Build
Alumni House, 28 Union AveSaratoga Springs, NY
CDL SL Campus Inspired by Congress Park
Courses Emerged
Center for Distance Learning
School of Graduate Studies
Centers
• Future of Being Human
• STEM courses
• MBA • Policy • Teacher Education
• Virtual building• Possible Human
Services
Masters of Arts in Learning & Emerging Technology
Courses on virtual learning & community
Student showcase (within a virtual environment)
Incubator on immersive virtual development
Leadership & experimentation
The Future of Being Human
http://commons.esc.edu/smatresources/the-future-of-being-human/
Immersive Learning Experiences for MBA Courses
Students develop original virtual environments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CXfWW34JaQ creating employee training
Student presentations
Meetings with the Dean
Uses many ways to meet, present, discuss & learn
Online Graduate Classes
Virtual experiences, such as weather
Class meetings on
ISTE
Teachers learn
rudimentary 3-d building
and design pods to share their science projects, through images & weblinks
RESEARCH W/ K
12
Eileen O’Connor’s MAT Student Poster Sessions
12
Attending a Second Life Conference
13
MALET Opening Reception
14
Virtual Worlds Affinity Group
Virtual Worlds at ESC – Moving Forward• Sharing Research, Skills, Resources• Scholarly Collaboration• Exploring open source materials & our own
server space • Creating new alliances • Challenging ourselves to grow
Hosting Virtual Speaker Sessions
17
Invited leaders in virtual worlds education
• John Lester (previously Pathfinder Linden), a pioneer in virtual worlds education.
• Maria Korolov, Editor and Publisher, Hypergrid Business (a leading open sim expert).
• More to come in 2013
Guest Speaker Maria Korolov
18
bit.ly/SUNY-hypergrid
Editor and Publisher, http://www.hypergridbusiness.com/
Presentation Slides:
Forthcoming at the Rotunda
• Ongoing Virtual Speaker Series on third Mondays of each month.
• Media Arts Festival in December by CDL Media Arts Students
• MALET Advanced Design Seminar in SL and Open Sim by graduate students finishing their first year.
For More Information
Contact Nicola Marae Allain, PhDChair, Virtual Worlds Affinity Group
Ragitake Takakura in Second [email protected]
Or Eileen O’Connor, PhDFounding Chair, Virtual Worlds Affinity Group
Eilock Clavenham in Second [email protected]