Learning

This Journal article takes a look at augmented reality games that require students to uncover solutions in spaces where the real mingles with the virtual. From the article: "Researchers are ramping up traditional MUVEs, developing games that require students to uncover solutions in spaces where the real mingles with the virtual.

NOAH PATEL REMEMBERS the first time aliens descended on his math class at Thomas A. Edison Middle School in Brighton, MA.

This press release reports EON Reality has collaborated with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) to develop an Interactive Digital Center (IDC). From the press release: "The new center is part of the KCTCS statewide strategic plan for integrating visualization technologies throughout KCTCS and provides a platform to develop interactive 3D applications for education and industry and a simulation technician-certified curriculum.

This Wired Campus post shows Sorin A. Matei's (an associate professor of communication at Purdue University) CAVE tool for studying history. A video report is also available. From the post: "It’s one thing to imagine what Rome looked like in ancient times. It’s another thing to wander around a virtual-reality simulation of ancient Rome learning about buildings as you go by clicking on them. Sorin A. Matei, an associate professor of communication at Purdue University, is experimenting with various ways to blend databases with digital maps or 3-D models. I put together a short video report."

This MediaGrid article reports the Harvard University's Interactive Media Group will host a half-day Immersive Education event, on December 8th 2007 from 2-5pm, that is open to the public and free to attend. From the article: "Educators, researchers and administrators from Harvard University, Boston College, MIT Media Lab, Amherst College and the United States Department of Education will give a series of presentations and demonstrations to provide attendees with an overview of Immersive Education and how virtual world and game-based learning technologies are used in and out of the classroom today. Immersive Education Day at Harvard is a precursor to the Immersive Education event at Boston's Digital Media Summit in January, 2008.

This BBC News article reports a virtual reality system which allows children to manipulate planets or watch flowers spring to life has become a big hit in Singapore primary schools. From the article: "A system being trialled in the South-east Asian city state, called "mixed reality", displays graphics as three-dimensional images in the classroom.

The child wears a small headset which allows them to see moving, interactive images of the Solar system or plants as if they were in front of their eyes, but, instead of having an entire world generated inside a big helmet, the images appear as if they are in the class with the other children.

"European virtual classrooms: building effective “virtual” educational experiences"
Nicoletta Di Blas and Caterina Poggi
Virtual Reality Journal, Springer London, Volume 11, Numbers 2-3 / June, 2007, Pages 129-143.

This paper presents Learning@Europe, an educational service, supported by VR, that has involved in year 2004–2005 more than 1,000 students from 6 different European countries. L@E has fostered the creation/reinforcement of three different kinds of communities: (1) the classroom community (reinforcing the bonds among students, and between students and their teachers), (2) communities among different schools competing together through 3D environments, (3) a global community (roughly involving 20% of the total) of all the teachers and students. A similar situation was created, at regional level, in the Italian Region of Lombardy, involving nearly 800 individuals. Given that the behaviours of the different communities in the two projects were very similar, it seems to be arguable that a pattern of community building through virtual environments has been detected. The important facts (detected by surveys of teachers and students, inspection, direct observation, qualitative data analysis) about these communities are: (1) the depth of the pedagogical impact, in terms of increased knowledge (about history and related subjects), skills (use of functional English, use of ICT in learning/teaching processes, group work) and attitudes (more curiosity towards history, increased motivation in school activities, improved respect and interest for other cultures). (2) The engagement of all the participants, with very high level of customer satisfaction. (3) The depth of the social impact, reinforcing existing relationships (within the same class) and creating new ones. The key feature of this success apparently lies in the sense of “social virtual presence”, that is, a feeling of being engaged in a virtual situation, so strong that the technological means become “transparent” and the social situation (meant at different levels and for different time frames) becomes “the king”. The paper will present the project, its main features and its outcomes, eventually discussing the role of social virtual presence into building effective and lively communities.

This EduTechie.com article looks at 7 ways Croquet is better than Second Life for education. From the article: "Recently I posted an article questioning the usefulness of Second Life in education, to which I received mixed feedback. Last week I had the opportunity to see Dr. Julian Lombardi and Dr. Marilyn Lombardi of Duke University demonstrate a open-source peer-to-peer virtual world application called Croquet. Croquet is basically Second Life, but much more.

This article looks at 7 ways Croquet is better than Second Life. I also explore some of the con’s of this alternative virtual world and some questions I still have.

This GRID Today post reports MediaGrid.org launched its Immersive Education initiative with an open call to educators, students and professionals who have experience using virtual learning environments or video game technologies (such as Second Life, Croquet, Extensible 3D [X3D], Panda3D, Quake, Unreal, Torque Game Engine, etc.).