As the Worlds Turn: In Search of the Perfect Virtual World

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As the Worlds TurnIn Search of the Perfect
Virtual World

• Don Margulis, Psychology
• Dona Cady, Humanities
• Middlesex Community CollegeBedford and Lowell,
  MA

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Different Types of Worlds

• Open
• Simulation
• Sandbox
• Second Life
• Closed
• MMO Worlds
• Gaming and Story-based
• World of Warcraft

3
Institutional Support (or Lack of)

• Levels of institutional support
• Upper administration
• Operational administrative support
• Community of practice
• Institutional Culture (Openness to innovation)
• Despite lack of upper level support you can still
  accomplish a lot

4
How You Evaluate A World

• Technology Demands
• Cost
• Appropriate Fit
• Culture

5
Worlds We Have Used

• Activeworlds
• World of Warcraft
• Warhammer Online
• City of Heroes Architect Edition
• Second Life
• There.com

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Challenges

• Student familiarity with the technology
• Access to technology (home and school)
• Time commitment
• Need to invest a lot of time to gain benefits
• Hard to find time to be together
• Addiction or over use
• As an immersive technology we have the reverse
  issue related to engagement
• Implementing safe guards

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Resources

• Beyond the Screen blog
• http//beyondthescreen.wordpress.com/
• Psychology of Virtual Worlds
• http//campus.digication.com/virtual/Welcome/