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Second Life in the Social Studies Classroom

Second Life in the Social Studies Classroom. The Adventures of Three Crazy Guys. “MUVES” Multi User Virtual Environments. Origins. Discovered MUVES while attending the digital wave conference three years ago Tried out Second Life and recognized the potential of MUVES for Social Studies

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Second Life in the Social Studies Classroom

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  1. Second Life in the Social Studies Classroom The Adventures of Three Crazy Guys

  2. “MUVES”Multi User Virtual Environments

  3. Origins • Discovered MUVES while attending the digital wave conference three years ago • Tried out Second Life and recognized the potential of MUVES for Social Studies • Marc jumped right in and began navigating on the Main Grid at Second Life • He networked and met so many people with a common interest (ISTE, VISTE, Virtual Pioneers) • Still did not know how we would ever have students use the medium

  4. Virtual Pioneers • http://virtualpioneers.ning.com/ We began to network in real life with Andy Wheelock from BOCES • This networking worked its way back to Paul Benson with whom we had been working on other projects through the WSTCSS and TAH • The Virtual Pioneers met often and grew to span countries and continents • The members collaborate and share ideas on how to use the medium • Through them we met Peggy Sheehy who had been using the Teen Grid for Years

  5. Beginnings of Teen Grid • Started thinking of activities and simulations for students • Eye on harnessing power of “digital natives” • Student motivation! • Had to convince administrators and technology coordinators of the merit of such a project • Teacher avatar creation in Second Life

  6. “You can get there from here!” • Brainstorming ideas of what we could do with students in the virtual world: simulations, activities, goals, and working it all into curriculum • Work in a group to pool creativity • Find a “believer” in administration • Get your IS department on board • Write the use of MUVES directly into your curriculum (summer writing) • Purchase island on the Teen Grid • Creation of student avatars (Skoolaborate)

  7. Roadblocks to Island Creation Costs: • Teen Grid island = one time $700 island set up fee, then $147.50 per month, or $1770/yr

  8. Roadblocks to Island Creation Costs: • Avatar creation through Skoolaborate in Australia = $600 for 500 avatars the first year, then $100/yr maintenance fee. NOTE: working with Skoolaborate is easier if you use Skype to talk to them directly

  9. Roadblocks to Island Creation Costs: • Upgrading of computers (graphics cards in school computers, memory).

  10. Roadblocks to Island Creation • Attitudes toward this type of technology • Fear (“there are bad things out there”) • Dealing with multiple agencies • Time (we hope to save you that!)

  11. What we have done this year: • Teaching computer skills and virtual world etiquette • Assembly Line SIM • Ellis Island SIM • World War I “in the trenches” SIM • Atomic Bomb SIM and World War II in-world museum (April-May 2010) • Civil Rights SIM (May 2010)

  12. What Does the Future Hold? • More SIMs and activities for 8th grade social studies • Expansion to 7th grade (Reaction Grid) • Cross-curricular work with ELA and Foreign Language • Possibly collaboration with other middle schools

  13. Contact us: Marc Rinow mrinow@lancaster.wnyric.org Seamus McCarville smccarville@lancaster.wnyric.org Vince LoTempio vlotempio@lancaster.wnyric.org Lancaster Middle School (716) 686-3220

  14. Find us today! We would be glad to show you around our island!

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