TECH FOR TEACHERS
EDU 416
Lesson 9: Virtual Worlds and Field Trips
VIRTUAL WORDS
• Virtual worlds are emerging as a meeting place for the most
prestigious universities, non-profits, and academic institutions
in the world.
EDUCATIONAL USES FOR VIRTUAL
WORLDS
• Communications scenarios. It is clear virtual worlds are being used to teach field
specific communications. For example, an MBA negotiations class may meet
virtually with different company leaders to negotiate the terms of an agreement.
• Developing Tools. Some scientific fields are integrating lectures with 3D models for
teaching purposes. For instance, in the field of forensic pathology, Second Life is
being used to teach autopsy procedures.
• Staging an Exhibition. Students at the London College of Fashion held a virtual
degree show and created a Second Life building to display their final projects.
• Virtual campuses. These are becoming quite common. Many universities are
building a virtual presence to focus on learning resources, student centers, and
marketing efforts.
EDUCATIONAL USES FOR VIRTUAL
WORLDS
• Virtual Classrooms-Some professors are using the platform as a meeting
space for students to attend lecture with embedded videos, illustrations,
ebooks, or 3D models.
• Virtual Centers. Several prestigious research labs and centers, such as
the POC Center for Emerging Neurotechnology are creating virtual offices to
discuss ideas, meet colleagues, share methodologies, or compare research.
• Conferences Facilities. The MAYO clinic in Second Life hosts virtual events on
diseases for residents and even includes a bookstore.
• Technical Training. A virtual scenario might prepare hair stylists to practice
the steps of the coloring process. Practice can not only build confidence,
but emphasize important techniques.
EDUCATIONAL USES FOR VIRTUAL
WORLDS
• Virtual Field trip. This option is great if you only want to use the technology for a trial
basis or as a final project. Engineers might visit a chemical plant and see how they
would address problems.
• Simulated Experiences. To experience a simulated world. For instance, The NOAA
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) created a world to simulate a
tsunami or hurricane.
• Safety-focused Lessons. This can be especially useful to see if students are ready to
perform dangerous activities that can be life-threatening, such as trauma, terrorist,
or evacuation trainings.
• Virtual World economies. Virtual worlds have their own currency and economies. The
Second Life currency is the Linden, which can be used to buy objects, land, or
personalize your virtual appearance. Students might explore the economy of a
virtual world. USC Marshall School of Business uses the platform to allow students to
run their own businesses and manage rental properties.
EDUCATIONAL USES FOR VIRTUAL
WORLDS
• Archaeological and historical sites. Some countries are exploring replicating
archeological sites for public viewing and research studies.
• Libraries and Museums: Some academics from the ALA (American Library
Association) are predicting that “cloud” technology coupled with virtual
platforms may make traditional libraries obsolete. Stanford University already
has a virtual university library in Second Life.
• Student Activism. Anti-violence campuses on Second Llife integrate
seminars, workshops, exhibitions and films related to anti-bullying, violence
and discrimination.
• Language Learning. Second life is especially popular for practicing language
skills. Text and audio forms of language can be integrated in meaningful
ways to support learning.
EDUCATIONAL USES FOR VIRTUAL
WORLDS
• Cultural Immersion. Some courses are using virtual worlds to recreate interactive exhibits, such as
exploring the heritage of Native peoples.
• Instructors design a world with specific parameters. This is especially useful if you want students to
practice exploring a scientific site, such as a virtual mine before visiting the real thing.
• Research Studies. Since the field is still relatively new, virtual worlds themselves are the subject of
much academic research. Cornell University’s Weill Medical College is currently exploring if Virtual
Technology can be used to help individuals cope with PTSD related to the World Trade Center
bombings.
• Collaboration. The process of creating a world provides a learning experience in itself. Students
must learn what parameters and aspects should be included to have it simulate a real situation or
environment. For example, an urban planning course, might create a world that follows the
principles of an ideal urban plan or architecture students might design buildings for a city.
Cited From: http://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/top-20-uses-of-virtual-worlds-ineducation/#ixzz2uCP3yp00
CRUCIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE
SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF VIRTUAL
WORLDS.
• Effective virtual worlds allow the learner to visualize or enact learning scenarios through
active engagement.
• The key to efficacy of virtual worlds is interactivity, rather than immersion. This simply
means that students learn by doing in this environment.
• Virtual worlds can be applied to create spaces that transcend safety or distance
parameters.
• Ease of navigation through the world seems to make the user experience better and
improve learning motivation.
• Teachers best serve as facilitators in the discovery process, rather than problem solvers.
• Desktop Virtual worlds are the preferred method as they more cost effective and less
cumbersome than immersive VR.
• Worlds must build learning through interaction and construction, rather than by
assimilation as with traditional instruction.
VIRTUAL WORLDS CAN BE USED TO
EFFECTIVELY INTEGRATE MEDIA, SUCH AS:
• e-Books
• Hyperlinked articles
• Objects to manipulate, such as artifacts
• Interactive calendars or blackboards
• Surveys, where feedback is sent via email
VIRTUAL WORLDS
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OpenSims
Open Wonderland
Secret Builders
BrainNook is a virtual world for kids where they can develop math and English skills
while playing in the free online playground.
Second Life
Woogi World
Eduism
Forestia
Quest Atlantis Remixed
MinecraftEdu
OTHER VIRTUAL WORLDS
• Webkinz
• Club Penguin
• BarbieGirls.com
• Build-A-Bearville
MINECRAFT
• Minecraft can have huge educational benefits for children; it can help
teach numerous subjects both with and without adult involvement. Learning
in Minecraft can be faster than traditional methods of education, as children
are often far more motivated, get more practice, and feel that what they
are learning is useful.
• It enables students to explore, create and imagine in a completely different
way than they could ever do in a traditional classroom. The beauty of the
game is in the way it unleashes the creativity of both students and teachers.
MINECRAFT ARTICLES
• Read the following article and watch the video
• The Minecraft Cell: Biology Meets Game Based Learning
• Read the following article
• Minecraft in the Classroom Teaches Reading and More
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS
Arctic Adventure
• Free to the entire K-12 community, this programming uses the allure of Arctic dogsled expeditions and Arctic
research as the vehicle through which K-12 teachers and students gain an understanding of natural and social
sciences while they experience the cultures of the Arctic. Since 2000, these adventurous learning expeditions have
circumnavigated the Arctic to observe, experience, and document traditional ecological knowledge and collect
previously unknown in-situ environmental realities–while collaborating with K-12 students and teachers in state-ofthe-art online learning environments. Standard-aligned curricula are also available.
Global Trek
• This adventure from Scholastic looks like Expedia or Travelocity, but is created for students eager to explore the
world … from their computer. Student can choose from a list of countries and will be asked to keep a travel journal
to write about different topics during their online trip.
Google Lit Trips
• Google Lit Trips are free, downloadable files that mark the journeys of characters from famous literature on the
surface of Google Earth. At each location along the journey, there are placemarks with pop-up windows
containing a variety of resources including relevant media, thought-provoking discussion starters, and links to
supplementary information about “real world” references made in that particular portion of the story. According to
their creator, Google Lit Trips “three-dimensionalize the reading experience by placing readers ‘inside the story’
traveling alongside the characters; looking through the windshield of that old jalopy in The Grapes of Wrath or
waddling alongside Mr. and Mrs. Mallard’s duckling family in Make Way for Ducklings.”
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS
Hershey’s Factory
• Sometimes students just want to explore something cool, like chocolate. Thanks
to step-by-step videos on its chocolate-making process, Hershey’s gives students
a fun virtual field trip … even if it’s minus the smell and taste of chocolate!
Le Louvre
• Take a virtual tour of the Louvre to experience a 360-degree panoramic view of
many of the museum’s halls. The virtual tour web page offers different
departments and architectural views of the museum. Tours currently include
Egyptian Antiquities, Remains of the Louvre’s Moat, and Galerie d’Apollon, as
well as many other rooms included in the museum (some are even closed to the
public!).
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS
Mt. Everest
• From recent panoramas and photo galleries, to travel logs and fun facts, students can make their
very own virtual climb of Mt. Everest.
Museum of Natural History
• This comprehensive virtual tour allows visitors using a desktop computer (Windows, Mac, Linux) or
a mobile device (iPhone, iPad, Android) to take a virtual, self-guided, room-by-room walking tour of
the whole museum. Students can browse a list of past exhibits, which is included on the ground floor
map. Visitors can navigate from room to room by clicking map locations or by following blue arrow
links on the floor that connect the rooms. The desktop version includes camera icons to indicate
hotspots where the visitor can get a close-up view of a particular object or exhibit panel.
Panoramas of the world
• View high-definition panoramas from anywhere in the world, including snowy mountain tops and
deep sea coral reefs, at 360 Cities, which contains one of the internet’s largest collection of
uploaded panoramic images. Students can access to navigable views of cities, natural landscapes
and much more. The site also offers tools for people to create their own panoramas. For more
specific panoramas, check out the Seven Wonders of the World. This website has panoramic views of
all Seven Wonders of the World, which include the Colosseum in Rome, The Great Wall of China,
Petra in Jordan, The Taj Mahal in India, Machu Picchu in Peru Christ Redeemer in Rio, and Chichén
Itzá in Mexico.
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIPS
Space
• Take your younger students to the moon with these up-to-date, interactive
resources from the Connections Academy Blog. Older students can explore Mars
through NASA’s downloadable virtual field trip, an immersive multimedia
application developed to support student and user exploration of areas on Earth
that have been identified as analog sites to regions on Mars. Analog sites are
those areas that share some common traits with sites on Mars and have been
identified based on their significance and importance to NASA.
White House
• “Inside the White House” is a good idea for older elementary and middle school
students learning about government, as well as any civics or American history
class. Students can watch videos or take an interactive tour through the West
Wing, the South Lawn, the East Wing, and the Residence. There is also a slide
show of the presidents and other historical information.
ASSIGNMENT
• View the field trips from the previous slides. Which
field trip did you like the best? Why? Share your
response on our classroom blog.