1. VIRTUALLY HERE Information for Students and Parents This project is funded by Australian Flexible Learning Framework. June 2010

2. What is the Virtually Here Project? Virtually Here will provide the opportunity for Online Hospitality students to meet and learn with their teacher and classmates in a 3D virtual world. The Project will explore ways to make learning a more engaging, interactive experience with the potential for increased achievement and learning.

3. What are Virtual Worlds? Second Life and Reaction Grid are two of many “computer-generated, three-dimensional, multi-user spaces, where people interact with each other and the environment through their avatars” www.virtualworldsreview.com/onfo/whatis.shtml

4. AVATARS Avatars have movement and sensory features much as a human would. In the virtual world an avatar is an icon or representation of a user and can be customised.

5. Examples of Virtual Worlds Quest Atlantis Reaction Grid There Adventure Rock Alpha World Barbie Girls Blue Mars Club Fish Second Life Club Penguin Whyville

6. Educational Benefits of Virtual Worlds The potential for increased achievement and learning is evident in educational research: Virtual worlds have the “ capacity to facilitate engaging and immersive experiences.” http://www.rezed.orghttp://www.rezed.org “..... immersive activities draw students deeper into the content and processes as they learn.” http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon- Report-ANZ-Edition.pdfhttp://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon- Report-ANZ-Edition.pdf

7. Practical Example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARf8VMYRQy0 Immersive Learning: It’s Game On!

8. Aims of Virtually Here To improve learning and results Build relationships and a sense of belonging To empower students with 21st C skills

9. TYPES OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES structured and self directed discussions, dialogue student directed learning teacher directed learning activities reflection, sharing and collaboration team and individual problem solving experiential role play & action learning http://bit.ly/arAla - video by Steve Collis http://bit.ly/arAla

10. Safety for Students Student Safety Issues - Privacy – personal information protection covered in student safety induction. Written permission will be sought for the use of images of students related to this project. Access to inappropriate content – Reaction Grid is PG Copyright – part of safety induction

11. Second Life and Reaction Grid Practical Session

12. Questions and Answers

13. Discussion and Completion Acceptable Use Policy Acceptable Use Agreement Consent forms for groups or individuals appearing in any material for use on websites, in print or other media.

14. Virtually HERE Team Maree Swanson - 11/12 Teacher - Polytechnic St. Helens. VET Hospitality Online Delivery Teacher - Tasmanian Online Campus since 2002 and TCE Introduction to Sociology and Psychology since 2008 Philip Walker - Coordinator- Online Learning - Department of Education Tasmania, Online Campus. Angela Cooke - Senior Education Officer eLearning Delivery - Centre for Extended Learning Opportunities - Department of Education Tasmania. This includes management and delivery of e learning programs to gifted and talented students across Tasmania. BUOY for Quest Atlantis in Tasmania. Has worked with students in Quest Atlantis for several years. Roger Stack - Flexible Learning Facilitator - Tasmanian Polytechnic.

15. The Future “ Virtual worlds, especially as kind of campus centres, as community spaces for students, are going to be very powerful. They are going to provide a sense of co- presence that distance learners don’t always get...” ( Robbins, 2009 )

16. This project is funded by Australian Flexible Learning Framework. The Australian Flexible Learning Framework (Framework) is the vocational education and training (VET) sector’s national e-learning strategy. It provides the VET system with the essential e-learning infrastructure and expertise needed to respond to the challenges of a modern economy and the training needs of Australian businesses and workers.

17. References http://www.edna.edu.au/edna/go/news/podcast/eli/ELIEP9 https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2009/04/16/the-second-life- economy--first-quarter-2009-in-detail https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2009/04/16/the-second-life- economy--first-quarter-2009-in-detail http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2009/03/16/second-life-still-alive-and-kicking http://www.rezed.org www.virtualworldsreview.com/info/whatis.shtml http://www.associationofvirtualworlds.com/publication/the-blue-book/ http://virtualworlds.flexiblelearning.net.au/content/section%202(background).htm http://virtualworlds.flexiblelearning.net.au/ http://www.holymeatballs.org/pdfs/VirtualWorldsforLearningRoadmap_012008.pdf - http://www.holymeatballs.org/pdfs/VirtualWorldsforLearningRoadmap_012008.pdf http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2009-Horizon-Report-ANZ-Edition.pdf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARf8VMYRQy0 http://www.eden-online.org/contents/conferences/OCRCs/Porto/AM_LM.pdf http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/ http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/educationaluses http://secondlifegrid.net/slfe/education-use-virtual-world http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/gettingstarted#about http://secondlife.com/

18. http://secondlife.com/whatis/ http://sl.nmc.org/join/ http://secondlifegrid.net/how/education_and_training http://teen.secondlife.com/whatis http://www.flickr.com/photos/hclearning/sets/72157601759232526/ http://virtualworlds.nmc.org http://slurl.com/secondlife/Teaching/112/117/23 http://jokaydia.com http://bit.ly/arAla http://virtualworlds.flexiblelearning.net.au/content/section%204.4(P&Doverview).ht m- http://virtualworlds.flexiblelearning.net.au/content/section%204.4(P&Doverview).ht m- http://virtualworlds.flexiblelearning.net.au/content/section%204.5(introduction).htm http://thejournal.com/articles/2007/08/09/the-teen-grid-bringing-your-school-into- second-life.aspx http://thejournal.com/articles/2007/08/09/the-teen-grid-bringing-your-school-into- second-life.aspx http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/educationaluses http://sites.google.com/site/rogerstackonline/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HA http://video.google.com.au/videosearch?q=educational%20uses%20of%20second%20 life&hl=en&safe=active&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv# http://video.google.com.au/videosearch?q=educational%20uses%20of%20second%20 life&hl=en&safe=active&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv# http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mro9Qzv--k8&feature=related Sarah Robbins: “A pretty crazy ride” - The History of Education and Second Life- REZED REVIEW Volume 2. Issue 1. Spring 2009