This document summarizes Eileen O'Connor's work developing virtual learning communities in Second Life for graduate students and K-12 students. It provides an overview of her past uses of Second Life in graduate courses, including field trips, class meetings, and student presentations. It then discusses her ongoing K-12 pilot project called SER/VE, which creates virtual science pods for middle school students. The document concludes by outlining challenges of integrating virtual worlds into K-12 education and inviting readers to contact O'Connor for more information.

1. Second Life – and a short history of developing virtual learning communities In graduate school / in K12 Eileen O’Connor, Ph.D. Empire State College Eileen.oconnor@esc.edu Presented at Tec2011 of the College of St. Rose May 16, 2011 http://www.slideshare.net/eoconnor/sl-building-virtualcommunities

2. Agenda Poll of your background and experience Pictorial overview of uses of Second Life Pictorial overview and history of O’Connor’s work – in graduate course & in K12 pilot K12 work in progress -- SER/VE Questions? Your input on usage and design NOTE: I am a graduate instructor preparing K12 teachers . . . I must bridge two worlds that have very different attitudes towards virtual

3. PRIMARY MOTIVATION FOR WORKING WITH VIRTUAL LEARNING Kids learn this way Kids are engaged, challenge, tested, and exercised this way (aka, gaming) SO, why aren’t we using it in K12 teaching??? . . . because it ain’t easy BUT IT IS DO-ABLE http://www.interactivelearningsolutions.net/serve

4. If you build it, they will come but what do you want to build?

5. An aside: general uses of Second Life Overview of places that are open to the public Second Life is: Available to 15 year olds now Undergoing change Other virtual platforms exist & are becoming stronger Stay tuned What might a graduate program use?

6. Key considerations in any virtual design

7. Graduate school applications

8. Much already in the design & assumptions within online teaching w/ adults

9. MAT Science Center – meetings & presentations

10. Students across the state give virtual presentations

11. Meeting the Dean

12. Field Trips: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

13. Class meeting using ISTE space

14. Virtual Science: National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

15. NOAA – virtual, real-time weather Map (Northeast)

17. Visit cultural locations

18. And man-made wonders

19. Best expressed through an instructional metaphor: like designing an intelligent experience (field trip / discussions / role playing / construction) . . . with an assessment More advanced uses

20. Much needs to be established in K12

21. From a development & fun six months with the Mall of the Universe  to SER/VE The STEM Exploratory Real/Virtual Environment Moving to K12

22. Also starting, Pre-service / in-service teacher as designer: http://www.interactivelearningsolutions.net/tutorials/sl-pod-make-med.html

23. With sophisticated interiors

24. Students could learn & practice before going into the mall

25. It even had an apartment building

26. However, post grant . . . Focused only on the science – NSF suggested informal science Began a pilot in SER/VE Continuing with pre-service teacher development

27. Much needs to be established in K12

28. The STEM Exploratory Real/Virtual Environment (SER/VE) – the main Science Center w/ the bulk of the meetings and interactions Created by a 13 yr. old student

29. Working w/ students on their territory . . . a very mobile environment

30. First week: interest, energy . . . and confusion

31. The virtual setting 2. The first meeting; going over the instructions on location 1. The setting for the meetings The virtual interactions were clarified 3. Improving independent instruction: placing instructional & interactive materials on the island Tutorial website put onto the island 4. Ongoing: making animated tutorials to teach tech & the adventure & game concept

32. The information website was updated weekly; emails were sent too

33. An animated co-instructor helped with the weekly requirements – AKA, DaddyDarren Denver

34. Resources & background: http://www.interactivelearningsolutions.net/serve-background/index.html Students talk: Overview:

35. Later week: now paying more attention (really), because more assessments had been embedded

36. Additional directions were built into the placards to make it easier to learn if no one was present to explain them Students often came to the island on their own

37. Finally, the final presentations – see the different ways for viewing & navigating In a place where anything can happen, it usually did

38. The students & judges were very engaged  they came forward to see better . . . but still some inappropriate (silly) texting

40. New science pod area

41. New Science Pods To be developed by graduate students – with minimal knowledge of Second Life

42. What might you want to build yourself? What would it look like? Work in teams; Don’t worry about how to’s now

43. What would you have students do there? Who else would you invite? And, how would you get them on-track at-a-distance?

44. The MANY other considerations: Planning – what would you want? How would you monitor & plan? What would you do for fun? Who would you ask? How would you learn SL? How would your students learn SL? What would you design into virtual spaces?

45. What are the challenges? School security / school access Finding when / where to integrate into the courses Teacher education / after school – informal / eventually in school If you build it, they will come Develop the things they want to come to Please contact me for more info and links to more details: eileen.oconnor@esc.edu

46. Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. (Eileen.oconnor@esc.edu ) Recent Publications – Emerging technologies: O’Connor, E. A. (2011) Migrating Towards K12 in Virtual Spaces: Second Life Lessons Learned as Higher Education Meets Middle School Students. Published with the AACE Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference, March 2011 O’Connor, E.A. (June 2010) Using Second Life (a virtual reality) in Language Instruction: Practical Advice on Getting Started; published with the proceedings of the 4th International Scientific and Methodological Conference on "Information and Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching‖ O’Connor, E. A. (2010- 2011) The effect on learning, communication, and assessment when student-created YouTubesof microteaching were used in an online teacher-education course. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 39(2), pp. 135-154. O’Connor, E. A. (2010) Practical Considerations When Using Virtual Spaces for Learning and Collaboration, with Minimal Setup and Support. A book chapter published in the Handbook of Research on Practices and Outcomes in Virtual Worlds and Environment, IGI Global publishers

47. Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. (Eileen.oconnor@esc.edu ) Recent Publications – Emerging technologies: O’Connor, E. A. The Use of a Wiki in Teacher Education: How Does Learning and Instruction Change When Work Can ―Go Public‖? Published with the AACE Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference in March 2010 O’Connor, E. A. (2009-2010) Instructional and Design Elements that Support Effective Use of Virtual Worlds: What Graduate Student Work Reveals about Second Life. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 38(2), pp. 214 – 234. O’Connor, E. A. and Sakshaug, L. (2009) Preparing for Second Life: Two Teacher Educators Reflect on Their Initial Foray into Virtual Teaching and Learning, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 37(3), pp. 259-272. O'Connor, E. (2008). Becoming a Virtual Instructor: How Can Higher Education Faculty Prepare for Second Life?. In G. Richards (Ed.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2008 (pp. 1144-1149). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. O’Connor, E. A. (2008) Initial Study of Pre-Service Teachers’ Comments on a Reality-Based, Urban-Student Video Streamed within an Online Course, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 37(2), pp. 139-158.

48. Eileen A. O'Connor, Ph.D. (Eileen.oconnor@esc.edu ) Recent Publications – Emerging technologies: O’Connor, E. A. (2008) Moving Beyond Text Interactions: The Use of Streaming Video in Internet-Based Courses. Published with the 3rd International Scientific and Methodological Conference on "Information and Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching‖ Sakshaug, L. and O’Connor, E.A. (2008) Pedagogical, cultural and epistemological shifts: The dynamics of learning to teach in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program at SUNY Empire College – published with 2009 National Conference proceedings of the National Center for Alternative Certification; http://www.teach-now.org/Sakshaug_OConnor.doc- retrieved on 7/22/09 Oconnor, E. (2007). Using Reality-Based, Authentic Streamed-Videos and Online Conversations to Prepare Pre-Service Teachers for Urban Classrooms: A Pilot Study. In T. Bastiaens & S. Carliner (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 2007 (pp. 1179-1184). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. O’Connor, E. A. (2007) A Case Study of the Approach to Teaching and to Technology of Three New Teachers in an Alternative Teacher Certification Program, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 35(3), pp. 357-382. O’Connor, E. A. (2006). Encouraging community: Why, when, and how to structure online interactions to support collegiality and honesty. Published with the 2nd International Scientific and Methodological Conference on "Information and Communication Technologies in Foreign Language Teaching ‖ (http://distance.ffl.msu.ru/cdo/conf0606/oconnor.doc- retrieved August 2007) Presentations