Bridging HBSE and Practice I Course
Assignments Using Virtual -Second Life (SL) –
and Real World Contexts
Social Work Distance Education Conference
April 16, 2015
Scott Anstadt
sanstadt@fgcu.edu
Florida Gulf Coast University
VIRTUAL WORLDS

Virtual worlds are computer-simulated
environments



“Multi-User Virtual Environments” (MUVEs)
was originally used to describe massively multi-players
online games (MMOGs) such as World of Warcraft
Distinct features:




(1) a 3D illustration space,
(2) an avatar that visually represents the user,
(3) interactive tools for communications in text, audio and symbolic
formats and
(4) the “ability for a user to ‘act’ on the world” SA
SL IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Descript what SL is -developed in 2003, by Linden Labs- 15
million users . Educational uses of SL have been studied
for:
 Online communities – ‘Sims’(Enhancing quality and
experiences of student learning
 Providing collaborative environments Second Life (SL)
Second Life features compelling visual and immersive
components, synchronous interactions in text, symbolic
and audio formats,
 Colleges and universities established a presence in SL
offering virtual classes, discussions, presentations, field
trips and guest lectures
SA
SL IN SOCIAL WORK
 The
blended learning approach allows
both synchronous and asynchronous
learning- Flow of Learning
 Our approach has additional advantages
-interaction of students and
 simulated
resource sharing and support.
 multidimensional experiences
 interaction with key informants
SA
SL & FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY (FGCU)

EPAS to evaluate competencies across courses
helping students integrate course material when
there is something in common that addresses the
core competencies
Apply knowledge of human behavior and the
social environment
a) utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the
processes of assessment, intervention, and
evaluation ; and
b) critique and apply knowledge to understand
person and environment.
BB
SL & FGCU
Engage diversity and difference in practice
a) recognize the extent to which a culture’s
structures and values may oppress, marginalize,
alienate, or create or enhance privilege and power;
b) gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the
influence of personal biases and values in working
with diverse groups;
c) recognize and communicate their understanding
of the importance of difference in shaping life
experiences; and
d) view themselves as learners and engage those
with whom they work as informants.
BB
SL, PRACTICE I, HBSE
 Common
assignment between the courses
 Students felt a connection, a flow from HBSE
to Practice I
 Biopsychosocial Spiritual Assessment Explore
spiritual resource
 Interview informants
 Attend services
 This
was a mandatory assignment
SL STUDENT SURVEY – SL USE AND
COMPETENCIES

Survey was administrated:
 N=
30 (2013)
 N= 36 (2014)
Completed after assignment graded
Administered by third party
QUALITATIVE - COMMENTS

In the beginning I really hated Second Life! I
couldn't figure out how to navigate and it was
really frustrating for me. But for our last cultural
assignment for your class my opinion changed.
I actually enjoyed using it and learned a lot
about a culture outside of my own. :) Definitely
was a work in progress for me but I think it can
be a great tool for students but maybe make it
an option and not required.
QUALITATIVE - COMMENTS

First of all, I am a people person and that's probably the
biggest reason why I have chosen to pursue social work.
Therefore, something like Second Life that seemingly takes
place in an all digital alternative universe is not going to
appeal to me. I don't think Second Life is horrible by any
means I was also disappointed because it seemed difficult
to navigate, which was expressed by a lot of people in our
class. I find that surprising since most of us have probably
been using computers since we were young. Finding meeting
times to attend some of the services was seemingly difficult,
or meetings would be canceled and there was no way to
know ahead of time. I also see how it could help someone
whose home bound and is looking for human interaction
QUALITATIVE - COMMENTS

If we only do Second Life once or twice for
assignments, that's not enough time to really
learn how to use it. When I was doing my
cultural assignment, it took me a week just to
find a cultural event to even go to.
ASSIGNMENT -2 – INNER HARMONY GROUP





Description of Group in SL – Offered in BSW and MSW Groups Courses
Four BSW and 6 MSW Students elected to do this assignment
Excerpts of Comments:
I could see myself being part of a group like this. It is a welcoming
environment and I think that it is amazing that no one is judged. I definitely
would recommend my clients in the future, to seek Second Life as an outlet
to any emotional or social problems. Second Life is a good resource for
individuals who are physically impaired. There may be individuals who need
to build their social skills and Second Life is a great tool because everyone
is so friendly.
I see this music group discussion strengthening the ties and bonds between
the university and the community of Fort Myers.. Students will be able to
attend and join an activity that involves other FGCU students and staff. That
can connect other FGCU students and staff to come together outside the
university.
ASSIGNMENT -2 – INNER HARMONY GROUP
CONT.

I was apprehensive about meeting and
participating in this group on Second Life. After
the first meeting it was easier to share my
ideas, and everyone seemed very nice and
extremely encouraging. I learned that I like
working in a group and hearing everyone’s
opinions. I think everyone has different ways of
looking at things; so participating in groups can
give you different approaches to an idea.
2014- LESSONS LEARNED AND IMPROVEMENTS
MADE – SURVEY COMPARISONS

Concern 2013 – SL Navigation




Concern 2013 – Difficulty Finding Resources



2014 Instructors Located and Vetted Informants
Concern 2013 – Difficulty Attending Meetings


2014 Construction of Community Cultural Hub (CCHub)
2014 Video and Tours of the CCHub
Concern 2013 – Difficulty Finding Informants


2014 Self Guided Basic Skills Resource Tours
2014 Demonstration of the Above
2014 Video by Instructor and Posted
2014 Presentations and Tours of Spiritual Sims at CCHub
Concern 2013 – Privacy in Discussions

2014 Constructed Group Interview Clinic – One Way Mirrors
QUESTION #1- SECOND LIFE INCREASE LEARNING
EXPERIENCE - RELIGION/SPIRITUALITY 2013-2014
45
42
40
40
39
35
33.3
30
25
20
16.7
14
15
10
6.7
6
5
3.3
0
0
1
0
2
3
4
2014
2013
5
0
6
QUESTION #2- SECOND LIFE PORTAL - EASE OF
ACCESS AND ABLE TO MANUEVER 2013-2014
50
45
43.3
40
35
33
33
30
30
30
26.7
25
20
15
10
5
0
3
0
0
1
2
3
4
2014
2013
0
5
0
0
6
QUESTION #4- CSWE COMPETENCY- DIVERSITY
INCLUSIVITY 2014-2013
50
45
43.3
39
40
35
33.3
30
28
25
22
20
16.7
15
10
6.7
6
5
3
3
0
0
1
2
3
4
2014
2013
5
0
6
QUESTION #6 - INTERACTIVE AND VISUAL FEATURES
2014-2013
60
50
50
40
31
31
30
28
23.3
20
16.7
10
10
8
3
0
0
1
2
3
4
2014
2013
5
0
0
6
QUESTION #7- INTERVIEWING KEY INFORMANTS ON SL
HELPED LEARNING ABOUT CULTURE AND TRADITIONS
2014-2013
40
36.7
36
35
33
30
30
25
22
20
16.7
15
10
10
8
5
0
3.3
3.3
0
0
1
2
3
4
2014
2013
5
6
QUESTION #8 - PRACTICING RITUALS IN SL HELPFUL IN
LEARNING ABOUT SOCIAL WORK ASSESSMENTS 2014-2013
50
46.7
45
40
36
35
30
25
23.3
25
22
20
16.7
15
10
13.3
8
5
5
3
0
0
1
2
3
4
2014
2013
5
0
6
QUESTION #9 - CSWE COMPETENCY IN
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN THE SOCIAL
ENVIRONMENT 2014-2013
60
50
50
39
40
30
30
28
22
20
10
16.7
8
3.3
3
0
0
1
0
2
3
4
2014
2013
5
0
6
QUESTION #10- CSWE COMPETENCY –
DISTINGUISHING, APPRAISING, AND INTEGRATING MULTIPLE
SOURCES OF INFORMATION INTO INTERVENTIONS 2014
35
33(33%)
33(33%)
30
25
20
17(17%)
15
10
6(6%)
6(6%)
1
2
6(6%)
5
0
3
4
5
6
QUESTION #11- CSWE COMPETENCY- GAINING SELFAWARENESS TO REDUCE BIAS 2014
60
53(53%)
50
40
30
25(25%)
20
11(11%)
10
6(6%)
3(3%)
3(3%)
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
SUMMARY
SL Potential to Expand Experiential Learning
 Cultural, Community, Ethnic, Spiritual Religious
 Reduce Student Biases
 Shortfalls Need to be Addressed for SL to be
Meaningful to Students
 This Can Be Done with:

 Tools
Built in SL (CCHub, Interview Clinic etc)
 Dedicated Time Spent
 Ongoing Evaluation of Student Experience
REFERENCES

Anstadt, S., Burnette, A., & Bradley, S. (2011). Towards a research agenda for social work practice in virtual
worlds. Advances in Social Work, 12(2),289-300.


Anstadt, S., Burnette, A., & Bradley, S. (2012).Advanced technology education: A case for uses of virtual reality
in teaching human services. Journal of Virtual Studies, 3(1), 264-273.


Barab, S., Thomas, M., Dodge, T., Carteaux, R., & Tuzun, H. (2005). Making learning fun: Quest Atlantis, a game
without guns. Educational Technology Research & Development, 53(1), 86-107.


Bruckman, A. (1997). MOOSE Crossing: Construction, community, and learning in a networked virtual world for
kids. Unpublished PhD, MIT.

Clouder, L., Dalley, J., Hargreaves, J., Parkes, S., Sellars, J., & Toms, J. (2006). Electronic ReConstitution of
groups: Group dynamics from face-to-face to an online setting. International Journal of ComputerSupported Collaborative Learning, 1(4), 467-480.

Damianakis, T., Climans, R., Marziali, E. (2008). Social workers’ experiences of virtual
psychotherapeutic caregivers groups for Alzheimers’, Parkinson’s, stroke, frontotemporal
dementia, and traumatic brain injury. Social Work with Groups, 31(2), 99-115


Delucia, A., Francese, R., Passero, I., &Tortora, G. (2009). Development and evaluation of a virtual campus
on Second Life: The case of Second DMI. Computers & Education, 52 (1), 220-233.
REFERENCES

Dickey, M. D. (2005) Engaging by design: How engagement strategies in popular computer and video games
can inform instructional design. In Educational Technology Research & Development, 53(2), 67-83.
New York: Springer.


Dickey, M. D. (2011). The pragmatics of virtual worlds for K-12 educators: Investigating the affordances
and constraints of Active Worlds and Second Life with K-12 in-service teachers. Educational
Technology Research & Development, 59 (1), 1-20


Diehl, W. C., & Prins, E. (2008). Unintended outcomes in Second Life: Intercultural literacy and cultural
identity in a virtual world. Language and Intercultural Communication, 8(2), 17.


Dillenbourg, P., Schneider,D., Synteta,V.(2002) “Virtual Learning Environments”, Proceedings of the 3rd
congress on information and communication technologies in education, Rhodes, Kastaniotis Editions,
Greece, 3-18.


Erlandson, B. E., Nelson, B. C., Wilhelmina, C. S. (2010). Collaboration modality, cognitive load, and science
inquiry learning in virtual inquiry environments.Educational Technology Research & Development,
58(6), 693-710.


Hew, K. & Cheung,W. (2008). Use of three-dimensional (3-D) immersive virtual worlds in K-12 and higher
education settings: a review of the research. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39, 6, 959–
1148.
REFERENCES

Huang, H.-M., U. Rauch, et al. (2010). "Investigating learners’ attitudes toward virtual reality learning
environments: Based on a constructivist approach." Computers & Education 55(3): 1171-1182.

Jarmon, L., Traphagan, T., Mayrath, M., & Trivedi, A. (2009). Virtual world teaching, experiential learning, and
assessment: An interdisciplinary communication course
in Second Life. Computers & Education,
53(1), 169-182. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2009.01.010

Jarmon, L., Traphagan, T., Mayrath, M., & Trivedi, A. (2008).Exploration of learning in Second Life in an
interdisciplinary communication course. Paper presentation at American Educational Research
Association (AERA). New York, New York.

Leonard, L., Withers, L. A., & Sherblom, J. C. (2011). Collaborating virtually: Using "second life" to teach
collaboration. Communication Teacher, 25(1), 42-47.

Petrakou, A. (2010). Interacting through avatars: Virtual worlds as a context for online education. Computers
and Education 54, 1020-1027.


Riedl, R.E., Tashner, J.H., &Bronack, S.C. (2003). A virtual world initiative: Assumptions about teaching and
learning. International Conference on New Educational
Environments. Lucerne, Switzerland.
REFERENCES

Salmon, G., Nie, M., & Edirisingha, P. (2010). Developing a five-stage model of learning in second life.
Educational Research.Special Issue: Virtual Worlds
and Education, 52(2), 169-182.
doi:10.1080/00131881.2010.482744

Squire, K. & Jenkins, H. (2004).Harnessing the power of games in education. Insight ,3(1), 5-33.


Vernon, R., Lewis, L., & Lynch, D. (2009). Virtual worlds and Social Work education:
Potentials for “Second Life”. Advances in Social Work 10(2), 176-192.


Wang, C. X., Calandra, B. & Hibbard, T. S. (2012). Learning effects of an EFL program in Second Life,
Educational Technology Research and Development, 60(5), 943 - 961.


Wang, C. X., Lefaiver, L. M., Wang, Q. & Hunt, C. (2011). Teaching in an EFL program in Second Life:
Student teachers’ perspectives and implications. Journal of Educational Technology
Development and Exchange, 4(1), 27-40.


Wickens, C.D. (1992). Virtual reality and education. Proceedings of the 1992 IEEE International
Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics, vol. 1, 842-847.
ADDITIONAL SLIDES
COMMUNITY CULTURAL TELEPORTATION HUB - OUTSIDE
THE COMMUNITY CULTURAL TELEPORTATION HUB - INSIDE
THE GROUP INTERVIEW CLINIC - OUTSIDE
GROUP INTERVIEW CLINIC - INSIDE
SELF GUIDED BASIC SKILLS COURSE
SL PRACTICE I & HBSE I
Explored the common ground between the study
of ethnic and spiritual heritage HBSE I and the
assessment of the ethnic and cultural heritage in
Practice I
 Practice I & HBSE I



Once student is assigned a case - should educate
themselves to see how the clients spiritually influences
social perceptions they have made/decisions
Social worker visits/attends the clients spiritual place
of worship, they know have something to
discuss/bond/engage
BB
ASSIGNMENT -2 – INNER HARMONY GROUP
CONT.

Getting the opportunity to go on Second Life to meet up
with other individuals to discuss music, and the way it
makes us feel was an awesome experience for me.
Professor Anstadt offered us an opportunity for us to
gather together and discover our inner yearning to follow
our daily path to a Spiritual Prosperity and Peace of
Mind Whole Group Discussion is a modified form of
classroom lecture where the focus is shared between
the instructor and the students for information transfer.
As a professional I would definitely use second life to
have mini discussion groups with my clients.
ASSIGNMENT -2 – INNER HARMONY GROUP
CONT.

Second Life can give people a place to express
themselves without all the social pressures. It is a
great resource for a group of people to meet up
and discuss ideas and opinions. The university
could conduct classes on Second Life to help the
people in the community that are unable to drive
to campus or physically not able to attend class.
Second Life can be used as a great tool to provide
information on a topic and make it available to the
public.
VIRTUAL WORLDS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Studies of MUVEs show:


Afford social interactions, access to information,
integration of technology, and collaborative learning,
group and team building
Scholars acknowledge that MUVEs support synchronous
communication and social interaction and therefore
motivate participants to learn
SL IN SOCIAL WORK




The relationship between users virtual lives and
their real lives. Ability to role play simulations
without compromising the identity of the individual
Potential for a range of experiences not as
available in real life and that can be produced in a
simulated environment
Improvement in interactive exposure to others,
Ability to connect and interact with people across
the world, providing pertinent cultural learning
experiences that would otherwise be impossible in
real life.
SA