It’s all fun and games until someone loses an avatar.

1. It’s all fun and games until someone loses an avatar. Library instruction in a 3D virtual world Denyse Rodrigues May 2007

2. What is Second Life?

3. The buzz . . . • Everyone’s in SL • Business large and small • Non profits • Universities and colleges • Government interest

4. The beginning • Could a small academic library with no budget and little experience in SL effectively use this platform? • Is there any research on the use of SL for academic purposes? • Do any of our faculty members have an interest?

5. Research: Second Life for Academic purposes • being used as a service point for both business and universities • differentiated from other online gaming environments and redefined as a community space • systematic research to define Second Life as a platform for course delivery has not yet been published

6. Research: MMOs in education(Massively Multiplayer Online environments/games/worlds) • Helps develop “the motivation for an extended engagement” thatis crucial to mastering a complex body of knowledge (Gee, 2004). • “Students learn ina flow state where they are not just passive recipients of knowledge, but active learners who are in control of thelearning activity and are challenged to reach a certain goal” (Peng, 2004)

7. The course • Employee relations/internal communications taught by Dr. DeNel Rehberg Sedo • Objectives • evaluate this new teaching and learning environment; and • help students better understand how to critically evaluate the various communication tools and social environments available to them in the workplace.

8. The classes • 4th year cohort • 2 sections with 25 students each • 6 class meetings in Second Life • Reasons for use of Second Life clearly outlined in syllabus • Recording and posting of SL class logs to course site clearly stated • Evaluation included working on group wikis and a final research paper

9. SL Class 1“Introduction to CULTURE in Second Life” • Location: everyone in a computer lab • This class started with a presentation on how SL is being used by business and educational organizations. • Avatar behaviour and classroom codes of conduct discussed • Students signed up for avatar and completed the SL orientation

10. SL Class 2Scavenger hunt • Location: everyone in a computer lab • SL environment: Outdoor auditorium on Info Island. • Continued to orient students to SL via a scavenger hunt which took them to business and educational sites • Formation of groups using SL groups

11. Scavenger hunt: Crayon public relations firm in SL

12. Scavenger hunt: Aspects of Learning

13. SL Class 3Small group work • Location: most in a computer lab, a few students signing in from home • SL environment: Talis Library, Cybrary City • Students met in small groups to generate and discuss questions for a guest speaker • Questions later posted to group wiki

14. SL Class 4Meeting with CC Chapman • Location: most in a computer lab, a few students signing in from home • SL environment: U-Turn Café by invitation of CC Chapman • Guest speaker: CC Chapman, VP New Marketing, Crayon (Public Relations firm) • Issues of how to evaluate information sources emerged as a theme in student questions and discussions

15. SL Class 5Library research presentation • Location: most in a computer lab, a few students including myself signing in from home • SL environment: Parvenau Tower, Info Isand • Lack of in-world browser resulted in a more traditional lecture/question period style approach

16. SL Class 6Class discussion • Location: most in a computer lab, a few students including myself signing in from home • SL environment: Canada Nexus, Cybrary City • Class discussion on ethics based on class reading list

17. Expectations and realities . . .

18. Expectations and realities Web savvy students • Most well versed in chat, email, and social networking • Unfamiliar with second life • Several students at first uncomfortable with gaming nature of the environment

19. Expectations and realities ‘Griefing’ and intrusions • No instances of harassment • A couple of avatars politely asked to be included in our conversation

20. Expectations and realities Technical learning curve & limitations • Steep learning curve • Controlling your avatar • Creating groups • Recording logs • Working with scripts and objects • Troubleshooting with students • Not always a stable platform • time lags, teleporting problems

21. Expectations and realities On-campus option would mitigate some technical difficulties • Lab required SL software to be installed every class • Assistance essential for the first 2 classes • Allowed for troubleshooting and face-to-face assistance during orientation session • Some students found communicating online while being in a shared physical space disconcerting • After first 2 classes some students logged in from home or other labs

22. Expectations and realities Course content was integrated with use of SL • Took a couple of sessions for a comfort level with the environment to develop • Some students were concerned by time spent in SL • More focused on grades • Some students saw the connections, enjoyed the element of play and the opportunities to experience the new environment

23. Expectations and realities Meeting in virtual environment would mitigate some in-class inequities • Some students reported group conversations were too fast paced for them to participate • Some students reading the other groups transcripts reported that they were not able to identify the true identity of the participants • Opinions were sometimes stated a bit more strongly in SL then in regular class discussions

24. Expectations and realities High levels of engagement • A high level of engagement among students and instructors • Reactions were both pro and con

25. Things to consider . . .

26. Considerations: Risk taking • Both very stressful and exciting • Increased need for facilitation and support • Takes time • Newness of the environment seem to invite a questioning and critical climate • the “newness” of SL will fade so important to continue to expose students to new technologies

27. Considerations:Avatars • How does real life affect online identities? • How do you decide what/who is legitimate? • What are the implications for the classroom?

28. Worked together previously Trust Roles well defined Good communication Debriefed after each SL class Considerations:Collaboration with faculty

29. Considerations:Resources and support • Second Life Library on Info Island I & II • Librarians were tremendously generous with time and resources • Tours and orientation sessions • Free educational scripts and tools available • Space can be booked (Lori Bell/Lorelei Junot) • Administrative & collegial support • supportive workplace and University Librarian (Donna Bourne-Tyson/Laken Burns) • MacMaster SL librarian (Krista Godfrey/Danu Dhalstrom)

30. Considerations:Costs • Less than $1 Can. • $250 Linden = $1 U.S. • Avatars – free • Space – free courtesy of the kind generousity of the Info Island Library • Groups – $90 Linden • (9 groups @ $10 Linden each) • PowerPoint presentation - $110 Linden • (11 slides @ $10 Linden each)

31. Next time? • Have students do a bit more research before entering the space • Leave class related learning objects in SL for students or try Sloodle • Focus more on small group activities and discussions • Reinforce learning objectives in each class

32. What’s next? • MSVU storefront • Services by request of faculty and/or students