2006-2007 EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAUCUS (EDC) GRANTS
ACCOUNTABILITY FORM
(MIDPOINT: January 2008)
1. Background Information
Principal Applicant’s Name: Trevor Holmes
Institutional Affiliation: University of Waterloo
Excellence
Department: Centre for Teaching
Address: 200 University Ave W, Waterloo ON, N2L 3G1
e-mail: tholmes@uwaterloo.ca
Contact phone: 519 888 4567 x33408
Fax: 519 746 0029
Title of Project: Educational Development in Second Life: the Seeds of a New
World for EDC?
For all sections below, even if you are not yet 'done' please comment on what you have
completed so far. and make it clear what you still plan to do to complete the project.
2. Educational findings/outcomes


What did the EDC Grant enable you to do (that perhaps you could not otherwise
have done)?

Commit our Special Projects Assistant position in part to the support of a study
that will increase the co-op student’s skills and understanding while providing a
higher level of detail in gathering, archiving, and organizing any data collected.

Negotiate “land rental” in Second Life

Make possible collaboration not otherwise in the budget via anticipated
teleconferences and private wiki leasing.
Were there any unexpected outcomes? Surprises, delights, pitfalls... If so, describe
briefly.
The main impediment to the original timeframe has been twofold: the principal
investigator changed institutions, slowing several process down by a full term (hiring the
co-op student, sourcing appropriate hardware, etc.); as well, the University now deems
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the project a “study with participants” rather than a co-investigation amongst equals,
requiring a level of ethical review for human subjects research not anticipated by the
principal investigator or the specialists in higher education who were consulted.
The new plan to finish:
Phase 1: orientation and brief project
We will prepare ourselves by ensuring a basic level of navigation and tool use in
Second Life and circulating an agenda before we meet in-world. We will choose a
simple project that is achievable within one month (either building a small object or
building a simple resource). During and at the conclusion of this phase, we will archive
our in-world meeting conversations and journal our reactions to the process. Information
about our individual backgrounds with collaborative technologies will be gathered and
collated by a Research Assistant.
Phase 2: community of practice project
We will decide as a group what can be accomplished in three or four months that would
serve the broader EDC and worldwide developer community in terms of professional
learning space and/or resources in-world and build them. During and at the conclusion
of this phase, we will journal our reactions to the process.
Phase 3: gathering, understanding, and dissemination
After the first two phases are complete, we will discuss the pros and cons of Second
Life as a collaborative workspace compared to others with which we may be familiar
(teleconference, blogging, wikis, videoconference, live meetings), share our journals
within the group, and write a collaborative report that includes recommendations for
further uses of Second Life in the Educational Developer community. This report will be
made available on the STLHE website and/or the ED Caucus wiki site.

How did you share your findings with others? List any URLs, conference
presentations etc. where you presented your findings, particularly in a peer-reviewed
context.
There have not been any findings yet, but the new timeframe and phased approach will
bear fruit by June 2008 with final wrap-up by August 2008 as stipulated in the grant.
Currently the protocols and documents are under review with our Office of Research. I
will be proposing a session at STLHE dealing with Second Life and learning, related to
our findings at that stage.
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3. Budget
a. What was the amount of your original award? $_2500.00_________
b. How was it spent?
1800 has been committed to our Special Projects Assistant (a co-op student in
our office for Winter 2008).
c. If you have any funds remaining, describe your plans to make use of them.
Up to 600 will be spent to secure space in Second Life for the duration of the
project.
Up to 100 will support wiki use with appropriate levels of confidentiality / privacy
and teleconference charges associated with the project.
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