Keynote at the Second Nordic Symposium on Technology-Enhanced Learning Oulu, Finland September, 26 2012

1. 3D Virtual Worlds and Collaborative
Learning
Mikhail Fominykh
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Second Nordic Symposium on Technology-Enhanced Learning
Oulu, Finland
September, 26 2012
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2. Outline
o Definition
o Trends
o Examples
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3. What are Virtual Worlds?
En environment
1.Multiuser
2.Synchronous
3.Persistent
4.Facilitated by networked computers
o Three-dimensional graphical interphase
o Social Worlds/Game Worlds
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4. Trends
o Second Life?
o Variety and integration
o Virtual World platforms/engines
o Virtual Worlds on demand and for specific
purposes
o Simulations
o Merging virtual and real
o NVWN
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5. Second Life 2006–2009
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6. Second Life 2006–2012
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7. Variety and integration
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8. Virtual World platforms/engines
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9. Virtual Worlds on demand and for
specific purposes
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10. Virtual Worlds on demand and for
specific purposes
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11. Simulations
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12. Merging virtual and real
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13. Nordic Virtual Worlds Network
http://nordicworlds.net
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14. Examples
o 3D Educational Visualizations as
Constructionist Learning
o Training Cultural Awareness in Military
Operations
o 3D Virtual Recording in vAcademia
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15. 3D Educational Visualizations as
Constructionist Learning
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16. 3D Educational Visualizations
Research Questions
o Why is it worth using?
o How to describe, analyze and evaluate?
o How to design facilitating environments
and tools?
o How to support learning communities?
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17. 3D Visualizations of research areas,
projects, and curriculum concepts
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18. 3D Educational Visualizations Formal
Outcomes
o Methodology for Teaching with 3D
Visualizations
o Frameworks for designing tools and
environments
o Observation of learning community
support
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19. 3D Educational Visualizations
Interesting Outcomes
o Activities in Virtual Worlds attract interest
as exciting and unusual
o Students intensify collaboration when
facing a challenging learning space
o Collaborative construction requires time
and effort, but provides learning
o Serious activities in Virtual Worlds need
additional support
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20. Training Cultural Awareness in Military
Operations (CAMO)
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21. CAMO Goals
o Create an inexpensive and flexible
simulation for training cultural awareness
among military personnel
o Explore the advantages and limitations
of 3D virtual worlds in this context
o Create methodological guidelines and
tools for developing 3D educational
simulations
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22. Training Cultural Awareness in Military
Operations (CAMO)
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23. CAMO Study Settings
o 14 cadets from Norwegian Army War
Academy
o Eight students and teachers from
Norwegian Defense Language and
Intelligence School
o Pre- and posttests, interviews,
observations
o Two walk-throughs, three debriefs
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24. CAMO Major Outcomes
o Cadets are positive to the use of 3D
virtual worlds for training cultural
awareness
o Learning outcomes related to the major
topics in the scenarios
o Learning from taking different
perspectives, facing dilemmas, and
observing squad leader actions
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25. vAcademia environment
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26. Teaching tools
Real world vAcademia
Interactive
Chalk and board
white boards
Pointer Pointer for each
user
Slide show Slide show
presentations presentations
Web camera Web camera
sharing
Desktop Desktop sharing
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27. Synchronous/Asynchronous Challenge
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28. Synchronous/Asynchronous Proposal
live/online
Synchronous class
Face to face class
content
Asynchronous class
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29. 3D Recordings
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30. Editing 3D Recordings
R1 – 3D recordings of the class
t
x x R1
R2
R2 – a new 3D recording based on R1
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31. Thank you!
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Akershus%20Fortress/
http://slurl.com/secondlife/NTNU/
http://vacademia.com
Mikhail Fominykh
mikhail.fominykh@ntnu.no
http://www.idi.ntnu.no/~fominykh/
http://www.linkedin.com/in/fominykh
http://slideshare.net/mfominykh/
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