Overview:

One of the most exciting developments for educators is the recent emergence in popularity and affordability of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) to facilitate collaboration, simulation, and experientially-based learning. Of the leading platforms, Second Life has gained early popularity among educators, researchers, and institutions. Second Life offers many opportunities for educators to develop and lead experiences in virtual environments. However, mastering Second Life can be a challenge.

This two-part on-demand webcast will help you learn Second Life basics and how to incorporate Second Life to your educational setting. You will gain a broad understanding of the educational potential of Second Life and be offered a streamlined approach for gaining sufficient mastery of virtual worlds to designing effective learning experiences.

Target Audience:

Session One: Faculty, learning designers, and multimedia specialists new to Second Life will learn to:

• Define multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) and understand their importance to the learning domain
• Identify strengths and weaknesses of popular emerging MUVE platforms
• MUVEs in the greater context of the developing 3D Web
• Identify appropriate contexts for different learning architectures that work in Second Life
• Identify planning points for initiating learning delivery in Second Life

Session Two: Learn how to integrate the basic concepts from Session One into your courses or programs. Faculty and instructional designers are encouraged to participate in this session.

Before Viewing the On-Demand Webcast:

In order to benefit most from the topics presented in this on-demand webcast, Second Life novices are encouraged to create a free account in Second Life (www.secondlife.com) before the event. You can also sign up through the New Media Consortium, which offers a very accessible orientation (http://sl.nmc.org/join/) or review the Cheat Sheet for Dazzle at http://www.secondblogger.com/index.php/2008/06/13/new-cheat-sheet-for-dazzle/). You are encouraged, but not required, to gain a basic familiarity with how to move, communicate, create, and collaborate in Second Life prior to viewing the on-demand webcast. Doing so will allow you to gain the most value from the presentation topics.

Program Agenda:

Instructors:

Ken Hudson, Managing Director, Virtual Worlds Design Centre

Ken is an expert in the uses and applications of social media in educational contexts. He established the Second Life program at Loyalist College which received the college's Ontario award for innovation for 2008. At Loyalist, Ken designs applied learning experiences using Second Life, including a recent Canadian border-crossing simulation. He is a regular speaker at conferences and online seminars. The Virtual World Design Centre at Loyalist works with educators and organizations to develop integrated virtual environments that support instructional outcomes. Ken is a Senior Fellow at the Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity, Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto.

Christopher Keesey, Project Manager, Ohio University Without Boundaries

Christopher has been building and managing the development of technologically mediated learning experiences for nearly a decade. He specializes in integrating highly engaging animated simulations, virtual environments, and games into educational experiences that can either stand alone or support blended delivery formats. Christopher also consults with teams in industry and higher education on appropriate utilization of technology for learning and leads the development and deployment of these technologies.

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