3-D Multi-User Virtual Environments for socialisation for learning at a distance

1. MOOSE team:Gilly Salmon, Palitha Edirisingha, Ming Nie, Matt Wheeler, Mark Pluciennik, Ruth Young, Jaideep Mukherjee Dr Palitha EdirisinghaPal Eilde& Professor Gilly Salmon: Genevieve SimonsUniversity of Leicester 3-D Multi-User Virtual Environments forsocialisation for learning at a distance

2. MOdelling Of Second life Environments (MOOSE) Role of facilitation in SL Designing for SL events • Develop & deliver SL • guides and training • Design, develop and pilot • SL-tivities in undergraduate distance learning course • (Archaeological Theory) In-worldsocialization & learning ingroups • Research students’ and • tutors’ use of SL-tivities

3. Development Knowledge construction Information exchange Online socialisation Access & Motivation Theory: socialization for learning at a distance Socialization for online collaboration, link between social presence & socialisation, affordances of 3D MUVEs for effective socialisation 5-stage model and e-tivities Salmon 2004; Motteram 2004; Gunewardene and Zittle 1997, Short et al 1976

4. Second Life learning preparations • Students • training guide • In-world training (1 hour) • Tutors • training guide • F2F session: technical and SL-moderation (2 hours) Training guides available at:http://tinyurl.com/mooseSLguides

5. Over to Pal

6. UoL Archaeology module Current approach Second Life approach Immersion in simulated ritual experience Artefact of Saami tent in world for exploration and interaction Interpretations of a vision and created landscape in-world and exploration of history, ideals and aspirations Group discussion in world

7. Saami tent

8. Kalasha village

9. Initial findings These are the substantive issues and they need presenting Very well • Provides environment for meeting • In world socialisation • Remote network building • Enabling the first 2 stages of the ‘5 stage model’ faster… • Perspectives on: • 1st stage of the model: access and motivation • 2nd stage of the model: socialisation • The shape / details of the 5-stage model • Role for the SL moderator / SL moderation • Complex presence through avatars

10. Socialisation DM: How are you? EA: Good, thanks. How are you? DM: Have you changed your outfit again? great! EA: The rugs look so real. YU: I knitted them the weekend that’s why! EA: Ha ha! EA: You're very talented. DM: :) EA: Do you have to knit in the middle of the tent or in the men's section? YU: No Comment! EA: :)

11. Avatar students help the avatar tutor YU: Well, I feel like a prune standing up here AC: It's less anonymous EA: ha ha AC: Sit down! DM: :) YU: I'm not sure I know how to yet! It might be embarrassing! EA: We won't laugh. :) AC: Right-click on ‘Sit’ YU: Thanks - that's helpful. But I might fly instead ... AC: That would give you a different impression of space ... YU: Meanwhile, back in space ... [back to the session]

12. Course and personal matters DM: EA, which essay question have you chosen? EA: I haven't yet as I defered my course 'til the summer session... DM: Oh, sorry, you were ill, weren´s you? EA: Yes, :) EA: Which did you choose? DM: Neo-Darwinian approaches... EA: Sounds like a good one. :)

13. Over to Gilly

14. Further work • Learning sessions with: • 2 UoL modules (Geography, Media and Communications) • London South Bank University (Photography) • Modeling of SL moderationand SL activities for formalHE learning

15. Online resources Project website: http://www.le.ac.uk/beyonddistance/moose/ Project blog: http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/beyond-distance-research-alliance/projects/moose Saami Tent and the Kalasha village: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Media%20Zoo/170/150/17 Training guides: http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/beyond-distance-research-alliance/projects/moose/mooseblog/training-guides

16. Thanks for listening MOdelling Of SecondLife Environments www.le.ac.uk/moose MOOSE team:Gilly Salmon, Palitha Edirisingha, Ming Nie, Matt Wheeler, Mark Pluciennik, Ruth Young, Jaideep Mukherjee