How do I make my rubber duck spin?

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How do I make my rubber duck spin?

• Creativity and learning in Second Life
• Judy Robertson and Nicole Cargill-Kipar

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Nicole Cargill-Kipar n.kipar_at_hw.ac.uk Second Life
name Khaythora Kirax
Dr Judy Robertson Judy.Robertson_at_hw.ac.uk Second
Life name Jxr Greenwood
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Overview

• A bit about Second Life
• A bit about my module
• Supporting creativity on my module with Second
  Life
• Group work in SL
• Should you use SL for teaching?

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What is Second Life anyway?

• Its a massively multiplayer immersive 3D virtual
  environment
• (Not a game)
• Population 11,175,710 (Nov 2007)
• Total hours spent 24,625,902 (Nov 2007)
• Represents the intersection of user generated
  content, social networking and 3D worlds
• Thriving arts and educational communities
• Growing business opportunities

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I hope you have some good theoretical motivations
for all this nonsense
Sure I do! Constructionism Hard fun
Ask them about Curriculum for Excellence at the
end
Plus 4 years empirical data on computer game
authoring
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Multimedia Design Module

• 4th year Computer Science/Information
  Technology/MEng students (35)
• MSc students in CS (from a range of degrees (35)
• Very mixed range of backgrounds
• Previous version of module was out of date with a
  failing average
• Last year the assignment was to make a film- not
  enough computer science
• Students finish their assignment today not yet
  marked!

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The vision

• Students will terraform the HeriotWatt Second
  Life island

?
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Assessment 100 coursework

• Submit an individual portfolio containing
• An area of land in the Heriot-Watt Second Life
  island (group work) (25)
• A multimedia tutorial to help other students
  learn about Second Life (25)
• A fun interactive Second Life exhibit for
  visitors to the Heriot-Watt island (25)
• A learning log (15).
• A review of other students multimedia work
  (10)

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Research data

• We will publish this study, but are currently
  still collecting data.
• Questionnaires
• Interviews
• Learning logs
• Artefacts on island
• Participant observer notes
• This is exploratory work

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Second Life Demo
Stop talking and show us!
Can I spin now?
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Supporting creativity
We was robbed! You said this talk was about
creativity
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(No Transcript)
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Group work in SL

• Group work in Second Life and the idea of Self
• Pilot study
• Work in progress
• data has not been analysed yet, just a dip
  into it for todays talk
• not all interviews have been conducted yet

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and theUndecided
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The Weird
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I had taken a snapshot from earlier lab sessions
where we had a group meeting in second life
discussing things related to the group portfolio.
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Our group got together about a week ago and we
started throwing ideas about.
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Unlike most of my friends, I don't know any of
my group members, which will probably make it
more interesting. Now, what's most ironic is that
I have actually met two of them in Second Life
already, but I have no idea who they are in real
life. It would be quite interesting if the whole
work was done without us ever meeting
face-to-face )) (we're meeting next Monday in
person ))
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I dont like impersonations of real life into
the digital world. Because of that in particular
I didnt enjoy Second Life too much. I didnt
modify my avatar or anything else, I just worked
on the assignment.
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The Good
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The group worked as single entity during the
weekend, through meetings conducted in the Second
Life environment . It was an remarkable effort
what everyone did, as we agreed to split all the
work among the four of us to have something we
can proudly present during the Oscar event that
will take place the following Monday.
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The teamwork spirit was greatly exposed as we
were working along the portfolio, which was by
itself an experience worth all the efforts spent
up the moment.
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During lab time, one of my colleagues asked for
my help in order to overcome a problem he was
having in his script. I thought sharing the
experience would be of great benefit which might
be added to an error knowledge base later on.
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So it is not a matter of criticising only, but a
constructive way to have your project baby get
accepted by the public after all. I was
personally evaluated by two of my class
colleagues . The comments were all valid since
they were truly touching some missing bits and
pieces of my design.
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The Bad
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The group are still not pulling their weight
unfortunately. I've built everything else, so
I'm a little overworked and disappointed by the
amount of effort the others have put in. I
asked my group member if he was planning on
doing any more work before we submit and he
replied with the mantra he has been slavering all
term. "I can do whatever you want me to do / You
tell me what to do, and I'll do it". I wish he
would use some initiative. I'm not his parent or
minder!
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I might have to say that working in group this
time really tough. I don't mind being the group
anchor and being the one who generates the idea.
Although I have explained what should be put to
fit the concept still they are relying on me of
everything.
All the member agreed with all the suggestion
that I made. Seems that I'm the one who make all
the think. I'm just hoping of some ideas from
them as this is a team work.
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We had some bigger issues when somebody actually
started building and never removed their stuff in
our land. Another group member encountered that
problem. He actually received quite hostile
behaviour from the intruders, so to say. So I
guess people toughen up in virtual life.
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I wonder if I had spoken to them face-to-face ..
would they react in the same way ...
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The Undecided
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I havent met avatars when they were building
something for my group, we always worked at
different times.
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Other group work that we had to do everything
had to be really tightly interconnected in order
to make sense. Whereas in Second Life
Although we had a common theme each person could
express their individual views on that.
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I remember in the beginning one of the
neighbour groups just made complete
terraforming changes to their land and when we
logged in next time what we planned to put on
that side no longer possible. Initially it was
flat and the next time it was a huge cliff.
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Benefits of Group work in SL

• Individual work needs to gel together to form a
  coherent piece
• Chance to express oneself
• Group meetings can take on a more immersive
  dimension
• Negotiation skills are required to a greater
  extent
• Creative process might be guided by external
  influences

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Well?
What do you think?
???
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Should you use Second Life?
NO if its just going to be a virtual lecture
theatre
YES if you are teaching programming
YES if youre fostering creativity or design
skills
YES if you want to / need to use simulations
YES if you want to explore immersion
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Any questions?

• www.judyrobertson.typepad.com
• flexiblelearning.wordpress.com

Wish Nicole a happy birthday!
Ask now for practical tips!