1. INTEGRATING REAL AND VIRTUAL WORLDS FOR NEXT
GENERATION LEARNING
Predicting how technology is likely to affect learning over the coming decade is an
almost impossible task when emerging technologies can change the learning
landscape in increasingly unpredictable ways and timescales. However, one of the
most important developments is likely to revolve around virtual world, 3D immersive
environment applications such as Second Life, a virtual world in which educators are
already exploring the potential of these new virtual learning spaces.
Emerging technologies like these, sophisticated media rich computer games consoles
and mobile phones have already had an impact on the attitudes, abilities and
expectations of the so-called generation Y. People of all ages not only have access to
learning content in unprecedented ways but are also involved in producing and
sharing content as never before. It is the youth of today with their willingness to
embrace new technologies who will not only shape the future of learning, but will
also be intolerant of traditional classroom based “Chalk and talk” methods.
This chart shows the changing attitudes and styles being shaped by new media
technologies and internet services.
This changing landscape represents a shift away from a traditional hierarchical
learning model in which knowledge and skills are transferred downwards from a
knowledge professional and are absorbed by the learner in formal classroom / lecture
theatre settings to a more learner centric environment based on learner-directed
discovery of knowledge and collaborative peer to peer learning. In this environment,
knowledge professionals in many disciplines will be challenged by highly motivated
learners who, for a variety of reasons will “know” more than those mandated to
educate them.

2. Examples of this phenomenon include patients with rare conditions who visit their GP
armed with in-depth knowledge of the medical condition, symptoms and treatment
options, and students of digital media who can easily be more skilled and capable than
their tutors.
The so-called Web 2.0 trends towards information publishing rather than
consumption, the ready accessibility of rich media information, new tools for
discovering and sharing information such as Google Earth, the emergence of social
networking spaces such as Facebook, the ever increasing functionality of mobile
devices and the phenomenon of 3D immersive worlds such as Second Life and World
of Warcraft are all creating new ways to collaborate and discover new knowledge
anytime, anywhere.
Coventry University Second Life Virtual Auditorium

3. These technologies are changing the face of virtual classrooms which, with tools such
as Webex, Live Meeting and Adobe Connect Professional, are themselves still
maturing as bandwidth increases and compression technologies develop.
So, even before the virtual classroom or meeting place in 2 dimensional space has
been universally accepted, there is a new kid on the block, still immature in its
functionality compared to the application sharing toolsets currently available in 2D,
but with great promise of a richer learning experience because of the third dimension.
Serious Games Institute Steering Group in Second Life
Looking beyond what is currently in active use, the Serious Games Institute (SGI) at
Coventry University is engaged in a public/private partnership between industry and
education to explore these new frontiers of learning and, in particular how “serious
games” and the integration of real and virtual worlds is likely to impact the future of
learning. The SGI is a £7M project jointly funded by Advantage West Midlands and
Coventry University Enterprises Ltd.
The SGI’s building is being equipped with an infrastructure that will integrate
physical and virtual worlds and support location aware learning applications through a
new approach to smart buildings. This new approach is one in which buildings are
equipped to “learn” about visitors and stakeholders through sensor technology, social
networking and relationship management techniques. In this way, the building should
be able to recognise visitors and respond to them in a highly personalised and
proactive way.

4. The author’s alter ego Hobson Hoggard outside the virtual SGI
The analogy to this approach is the “Exclusive Golf Club” model where collaborative
learning takes place between members sharing a common interest. In the same way
that a Golf Club acts as a facilitator of relationships between members, buildings
(educational and/or non-educational and physical and/or virtual) will use technology
to facilitate learning relationships that are a blend of synchronous and asynchronous
learning, on-line lectures, self-directed learning and collaborative knowledge sharing
and discovery.
CONTACT DETAILS
David Wortley
Director
The Serious Games Institute
Coventry University Enterprises Ltd
Unit 6
Coventry Innovation Village
Coventry University Technology Park
Cheetah Road
Coventry
CV1 2TL
Tel: +442476158202
Mob: +447974984351
EMail: dwortley@cad.coventry.ac.uk
Web site: http://www.seriousgamesinstitute.co.uk/
Second Life SGI Reception: http://slurl.com/secondlife/SGI%20THR33/128/128/0
Second Life SGI Virtual Auditorium :-
http://slurl.com/secondlife/SGI%20THR33/96/107/27
Second Life SGI at Eolus Partnership :-
http://slurl.com/secondlife/SGIatEolus/203/188/31