1.
Learning in a
Virtual World
for Real Life
New Zealand Virtual School
Trade Academy

2.
virtual.school.nz
New Zealand Virtual School
Trade Academy

3.
Allan Jon
allan.jon@virtual.school.nz
Alex MacCreadie
Tracy MacCreadie
New Zealand Virtual School
Trade Academy

4.
What is it ?

5.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vMO3XmNXe4

6.
I want to be... •Maths
•English
•Geography
•Science

7.
Maths English Geography Science
Numeracy Formal Writing Mapping Physics
•Maths
Geometry Literary study Natural •English
Chemistry
Event
Measurement Static Image •Geography
Biology
Resource use •Tourism
Algebra Speech
Global Topic
Statistics Film Study
To be a pilot...
•Communications
•Air law
•Human performance and limitations
•Navigation
•Meteorology
•Aviation aircraft general knowledge

8.
Most of what Isee my
I still want to learn at
friends isagoing toway?
Is there better the
school and play inbe a
Netball team...
waste of time.

9.
Secondary Futures
• Students First
• Inspiring Teachers
• Social Effects
• Community Connectedness
• The Place of Technology

10.
Secondary Dual qualifications in Trades and
NCEA
futures
offers a A conduit between the Secondary,
Tertiary providers and Industry
different
path Workers who can be productive
straight out of school

11.
There are nine trade academies starting
Only one will be able to accessed
by any secondary student
Anywhere
Anytime
next year.

12.
US

13.
2011 Learning Strands
eTrades
Infrastructure Horticulture
Foundation Aviation
Electrical
Studies Tourism
+ Targeted Workplace PD Courses for older learners

14.
Our Partners

15.
The brief
•Freeware
•High engagement levels
•Rich Authentic Learning
•Robust assessment
•High speed and low speed connectivity

16.
So what tools do we have..
•Skype
•Google docs
•Moodle
•Blogs
•Wikis
•3D Campus (2012)
Some courses will simultaneously use multiple conferencing
technologies

17.
Where is this bridge?
Balclutha

18.
Lessons can look like this…

19.
Classroom limitations removed
Pace
Place
People

20.
Learners activities are in a medium
that they are familiar and
enthusiastic about.

21.
Staff knowledge of digital tools is not a
barrier to student access to powerful
online learning

22.
3D Animation and Game Design
‘Jello’, using the Unity game engine.

23.
Tapping into the Experts
Living Secondary • Connected
Futures ideals • Experts
We have run • Face2Face at
trials and Unlimited
established links • Via VC at Catlins
• Brendon Thornton talking with the ‘trial’
class at Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti.
• Brendon was an animator at Rockstar
Studios (GTA and Red Dead Series).

24.
Podcasting real learning situations

25.
Communicate, collaborate and visualize dynamic product data.
Using 3D allows
students to
“Demonstrate
knowledge of…”.
3D visualization
empowers
inquiry learning.
View in 3D with Deep View
Free at
www.righthemisphere.com/dv

26.
View in 3D with Deep View
Free at
www.righthemisphere.com/dv

27.
Optional Face2Face and Camps
• Optional
Face2Face • Build peer
• Safe sites • Meet teachers relationships
• Hands On • Develop
connections
Camps Class

28.
Timetabling can be more
flexible…

29.
Learning is collaborative

30.
How can we make relationships with
students to encourage them to engage
in learning

31.
The Next Step

32.
Advantages
• Personalization of Avatar
• Personalization of Place
• Learner Voice and Ownership
• Co-construction of environments
• Building on the Key Competencies
• The Bottom Line: Costs and the evolution of
the Virtual Environments

33.
Limitations
• Chewbacca and Worf can not do Virtual Playground Duty for us
• Learning Advisors should not be blue with red fire wings
• Virtual Landscapes have some constraints – but primarily only the
imagination
• The ongoing evolution of code and 3D formats
• Transparency. Places of Learning have restraints.
• My free floating Towers of Ivory cost less than those built in Auckland.

34.
The bottom line
You may be able to retain some students you
would other wise lose
We provide the course for 60% of your current
cost
We are not for everyone
We are up and running

35.
http://www.virtual.school.nz/