In this presentation, John will share his experiences using virtual world technology to enhance education and his current work at ReactionGrid to create web and mobile-based virtual word platforms. He will share success stories from university environments and describe best practices for integrating virtual worlds into a broader curriculum. He will also explain common pitfalls when exploring virtual world technologies and highlight the unique affordances of virtual worlds when they are interwoven with existing social media (e.g., Facebook) and web-based educational content.

1. From Margins to Mainstream:
Successfully Integrating Virtual Worlds
into Educational Institutions
John Lester
Director, Community Development
ReactionGrid Inc.
Athabasca University November 10, 2011
These Slides: http://bit.ly/Athabasca2011

2. ReactionGrid Inc. Services
● Creating 3D Simulation and Virtual World
platforms for general purpose use.
● Developing desktop and mobile applications.
● Helping clients with best practices for developing
successful immersive learning projects.

3. ReactionGrid Inc. Clients
● Government: NASA, NOAA, DOE, GovGrid, Veterans
Administration
● Enterprise: IBM, Microsoft, Xerox, Siemens, Raytheon,
Novonics, Emdeon, American Cancer Society, Aspyr Gaming
Studios
● Universities: Boston College, Cedar Crest Academy,
Chanchung American International School, Colorado Mountain
College, George Mason University, Georgia Tech, Hong Kong
Polytechnic, Future University Japan, Perdue, Rutgers

4. Immersive Learning
and some Best Practices
● "Emotional Bandwidth"
● Building new tools to increase it.
● Learning how to use existing tools better.

5. Bound by our Biology
● Our brain is designed to thrive in
a 3d environment full of
embodied people and places.
● We forget the importance of
social cues that build empathy
and trust.
● What we experience in a virtual
environment feels real because
our brain fills in the gaps.

8. Common Pitfalls
● Pattern Matching
● The Tiger in the Grass
● Lost Opportunities caused by
using a new tool like an old tool.

12. Creating Engagement
● We tend to recreate the familiar.
● We do this because the familiar feels safe.
● The deepest learning happens not when we
feel safe, but when we are fascinated with and
challenged by our environment.

18. RSU3 Virtual Learning Center (Adult Education, Maine)
Challenge: Reduce Rural Isolation

19. My Favorite Best Practice
● Define and Remember your Strategic Goals
Strategy without tactics is the
slowest route to victory.
Tactics without strategy is the
noise before defeat.
-Sun Tzu

20. More Best Practices
● Engage people Easily and Everywhere (3Es).
● Make sure your tools work with each other.
● Use industry standards whenever possible.
● Focus on Augmenting, not Replacing.

21. The Jibe Platform
● Jibe is a multiuser 3d virtual world platform created by
ReactionGrid using Unity3D technology.
● A Jibe world can be embedded on any web page, with mobile
support in progress.
● Jibe integrates and communicates with web portals,
LMS/CMS and industry standard databases.

23. Visit this Jibe world

24. Visit this Jibe world

26. Visit this Jibe world

27. Visit this Jibe world

28. Fish where the Fish Live
Visit this Jibe world

29. Thank you
pathfinder@reactiongrid.com
twitter: @pathfinder
contact: about.me/pathfinder
Jibe-Unity3d Discussions:
bit.ly/Jibe-Unity3d-Discussions
slides: bit.ly/Athabasca2011
www.reactiongrid.com