This slide presentation explains the work created in virtual reality environments during a course conducted at Empire State College, SUNY. With the advent of open source islands, students were able to create virtual islands to meet their professional interests. The course design is highlighted and the students work itself is put forward in slides and in video links to the islands themselves.

1. PLANNING AND DESIGNING IN NEXT-GENERATION
VIRTUAL REALITY: LESSONS LEARNED WITHIN AN
IMMERSIVE COURSE ENVIRONMENT
▪ With the advent of open source in virtual reality, the process of planning and
designing in virtual reality has taken new dimensions. Moving beyond the costs
and constraints of Second Life, students in an immersive practicum course planned
and then designed their own virtual reality islands or events. This presentation will
share the work of the students and will consider the challenges and victories that
emerged – from the perspective of the students and the instructor.
▪ By: Eileen O’Connor, Irene Cruz, Al Ritondo, Marjorie Thompson, Terri Worman
▪ Agenda: Background on virtual; movement to open-source; general course
info; explanations from students themselves
Presented May 2015

2. Ways to procure your own virtual
experiences
Virtual Usage Approaches (join
communities)
Second Life / Active
Worlds / other providers
Rent
islands
Get
advanced
avatar w/
small land
Sharecrop
/ field trips
Or, get Open Source
(code from SL)
Stand
alone or
hypergrid
Types of
viewers
Try on your
computer

3. Various platforms today
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenSimulator
http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Main_Page

4. New providers are emerging; lower
cost, more features . . .
stability?
http://www.kitely.com/
http://www.dreamlandmetaverse.com/

5. What changes has open source allowed?
• A larger, more cohesive framework for complex designs
• A location where students could have ownership and control over an entire
process / learning by reading, watching, doing, testing, sharing
• A framework that allowed students to develop projects for others beyond
themselves and their direct work /school experience
• Greater sophistication in the work that emerged – from limited applications/all
move towards things they would like to see that were not feasible in their
current environment/students came with expertise and content areas
• A more comprehensive and applied understanding of a complete learning
environment
• Freed from the constraints of “reality” – but held to a standard of sense-
making, application, quality
• Something that could be saved and used later – entire island downloads

6. Why virtual? And, what can you REALLY do?
• Students could now develop an entire “concept” for an education
/ communication / interaction environment
• The bi-weekly meeting were about real events and designs – not
just simple widgets and whirly-gigs
• Students visited and share each others design ideas
• Students could envision an entire
process or project – and create a
starting point that they could
continue to develop
Design, immersion & conceptual
framing became a reality

7. What was the process of learning & community
building? – working together in comfortable settings
• Meeting and sharing
• Ideas / technologies eventually, articulating a large and visionary
instructional purpose within the space
• Framing theoretical papers were produced by each student
• Work in progress and “homework” via video (Screencast-o-matic)

8. Working within the individual students ideas and
conceptualization / visiting their works-in-progress
– not just the once-removed, abstraction of writing
• Moving toward pilots and learner
testing in the second course

9. Visiting each others “visualizations” and the
approaches & skills they were developing

10. Fascinating projects emerged – the experience,
talents, desires of the students emerged
And, all of these
could be saved onto
their computer at
the end of the
semester for later
implementation

11. English language learners start with
safe and then expansive experiences

12. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JBp4rMIoXo
High school students can make and test theater sets
thus learning set design and collaboration skills in a
low cost yet highly flexible virtual environment

13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36RrsY9aiuM
Artist and art students can come to learn,
experience and develop virtual creations that
they can bring to fabricators later; they can begin
to understand art exhibitions too

14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBI0bIGBto
This spearheaded the creation of an exhibit booth at
a virtual conference on virtual reality – she brought
us to the conference, and got us great publicity too

15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEML-r94xwo
Middle school students (in an after school program)
can come to a fun & informative cell biology
simulations – with simulations, tutorials, and prizes

16. A VP2 student brings a class
to her Creative Center

17. Virtual Conference Planner
Conference Planning -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBI0bIGBto

18. Created an Exhibit Area for Empire State
College at the virtual conference –
a space to create a community of
practice and sharing.

19. Attended the OpenSimulator Conference as Both Participant
And Documenter for Future Mini-Conference

20. “The Beginner’s Guide to Second Life: Explanation &
Exploration”
In anticipation of our own future virtual mini-
conference and in consideration of individuals who
want to attend the conference but are new to virtual
worlds, my next steps are to create this five-part
series – a tutorial project that will take adult
newcomers to Second Life through a structured, yet
experiential adventure that will have them build
knowledge, acquire skills, and gather badges along
the way.

21. AL RITONDO
Video Production
Video Production - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfpWLVImKUc&feature=youtu.be

22. VIDEO PRODUCTION WORLDVisitors will experience a
professional TV Studio, learn about
different production topics in the
amphitheater, learn indoor and
outdoor lighting techniques, have
hands-on with camera jibs and
dollies, test their new-found
knowledge at different shooting
locations, and enjoy the gift shop.
A Virtual 3D Island Where Video Production Skills Are Learned and Practiced
INDOOR LIGHTING WELCOME BOOTH TV STUDIO

23. AL RITONDO HAS BEEN IN VIDEO
PRODUCTION FOR OVER 35 YEARS
Awards:
WEVA Creative Excellence Awards
Telly
Communicator
Vision
WEVA Hall of Fame
Video Producer/Director
Teacher
Podcaster
Awards Judge
Learners on Video Production World are mainly
novices to video production, and would like to receive
an immersive crash course in the tools, skills, and
strategies to achieve a finished, professional corporate
video for their company or client.

24. STILL TO BE DONE
Still need a technical semester to work out and program all the
“physics” and technical requirements such as:
•Functioning lights that act like real lights
•Reflectors that bounce light from the in-world sun
•Boom arms that act normally with counter weights
•In-World camera sending images to In-World screens
•Learn programs like SketchUp and Blender
Also need a semester to develop curriculum, training tutorials,
assessments and website, culminating in a two-cohort pilot launch
of video pros and video novices.

25. ESOL/ELL Learning
Site in Kitely
CREATED AND PRESENTED BY IRENE T. CRUZ
ELL / ESOL (English learners) support –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bk7kUlfOkI

26. Criteria for Mini-pilot Framework
Theoretical Framework established:
 The Theoretical Framework was comprised of a condensed pilot
and study of the outcomes of an ESOL/ELL Learning Site. The
ESOL/ELL Learning Site was created to enable adult learners in the
practices of immersive and authentic learning within a VLE (Virtual
Learning Environment).
Steps involved in this process:
 Documented steps in designing a VLE.
 Learners creating an Avatar and it’s function within the VLE
(Virtual Learning Environment)
 What types of learning benefited the learners?

27. Creating an immersive learning environment
Initial Set-up in
Kitely
Choosing an island
and it’s design
plan
Decisions,
alterations, on the
design plan for
effective
immersive
learning.

28. Connecting the Design to the Learning
Learning Styles considered in the Design
This framework follows through with the use of learning by exploring, collaborating,
being, building, championing, and expression. (Lim, KennethY.T., 2009)
Collaboration of ideas within English Skill Sets.
Design Principles applied to the rendering of thisVLE.
Within this piloted framework, two of the principles that I focused on were; Contiguity
Principle and the Redundancy Principle. (Clark R.C., Mayer, R.E. 2011).
Contiguity Principle – evident in the graphics and text that are balanced for the learners to
easily understand. The Redundancy Principle - repetitious use of learned information for
compounded learning effect.
Signage for easy
transition
Welcome Center with Documented How-To’s

29. Future Considerations and Queries
regarding the implementation of VLE’s
Queries
 Viable option for educational benefits – depends largely on financial sources to support cost of
programs.
 Ethical and Moral Issues that must be addressed with learners.
 Excellent resource of educational connection for learners from all over the world – anytime/day.
 Issues with technical availability for learners and level of computer’s successful outcomes
Future Consideration:
 Potentially incorporated with existing ESOL/ELL Learning Sites withinVLE’s and MOOCS.
 Potential to be converted to corporate training site for ESOL Speakers who require additional hands-
on English skills to improve their job performance.
 Incorporated with children’s programs and existing Online Schooling.

30. References:
Ackermann, Edith Dr. (April 30, 2010). Playful Inventions and Explorations: What's to be Learned from Kids? Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3jI19vR5bI
Algere, D., Backstrom, A., Clayton, J., Cotton, K., Davis, C., and Fleszczynski, C. (2012). Instructional Design Trends Investigation. Retrieved
from
https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=http%3A%2F%2Fkriscot38.weebly.com%2Fuploads%2F2%2F1%2F6%2F9%2F21693500
%2Ftrends_invstigation_learning_team_project.docx
Antonacci, Dave, DiBartolo, Salli, Edwards, Nancy, Fritch, Karen, Murch-Shafer, Rick. (2008) The Power of Virtual Worlds in Education: A
Second Life Primer and Resource for Exploring the Potential of Virtual Worlds to Impact Teaching and Learning. Retrieved from
http://www.angellearning.com/products/secondlife/downloads/The%20Power%20of%20Virtual%20Worlds%20in%20Education_0708.pdf
Designboom - SecondLife. (2010). Designing a Second Life. Retrieved from http://www.designboom.com/contemporary/secondlife.html
Caillois, Roger. (2001). The Definition of Play and the Classification of Games, Retrieved from
https://moodle.esc.edu/pluginfile.php/947064/mod_resource/content/3/caillois.pdf
Clark R.C., Mayer, R.E. (2011). E-Learning and the Science of Instruction. John Wiley & Sons; San Francisco, CA
Cheong, P.H., Dutton, W. H., Namkee P., (2014). The Social Shaping of a Virtual Learning Environment: The Case of a University-wide
Course Management System. Retrieved from www.ejel.org/issue/download.html?idArticle=317/
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.101.1869&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Cudworth, Ann. (2014).Virtual World Design - a trailer about the book. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV1J9QWwVOw
Hyperreality. (2014). Hyperreality. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperreality
Ilyas, Mareena, Kelly, Oriel. (2011).Let’s talk - providing virtual ESL learning support from a distance. Retrieved from
http://www.ascilite.org.au/conferences/hobart11/downloads/papers/Ilyas-concise.pdf
Jones, D. E. (2006). I, Avatar: Constructions of Self and Place in Second Life and the Technological Imagination. Journal of Communication,
Culture and Technology. Retrieved from http://moodle.esc.edu/mod/resource/view,php?id=663024.
Lim, Kenneth Y. T. (April, 2009). The six learnings of Second Life: A framework for designing curricular interventions in-world. Source
Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 2(1), 3-11. Retrieved from https://repository.nie.edu.sg/bitstream/10497/15413/1/JVWR-2-1-3_a.pdf
Macedo, Angelina, Morgado, Lina. (2014). Learning to Teach in Second Life. Retrieved from http://www.eden-
online.org/contents/conferences/OCRCs/Porto/AM_LM.pdf
Nelson, B., & Erlandson, B. (2012). Design for Learning in Virtual Worlds. New York: Routledge.
Science Clarified. (2014). Which World Is Real? The Future of Virtual Reality. Retrieved from
http://www.scienceclarified.com/scitech/Virtual-Reality/Which-World-Is-Real-The-Future-of-Virtual-Reality.html
Varli, Ozan. (2009). An Exploration of Three-Dimensional (3D) Virtual Worlds through ESL/EFL Teachers’ Perspectives in Second Life
Retrieved from http://home.ku.edu.tr/~ovarli/docs/Master's%20Thesis.pdf

31. Marjorie Thompson
Art, sculpture and design
Art teaching & design - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36RrsY9aiuM

32. Sculpture Island is a virtual reality island dedicated to exploring the interface between art in reality and art in virtual reality. It has outdoor
park areas and interior gallery spaces to develop art in a simulated controlled environment.. There is also an opportunity to create
landscaping.to further visualize how art will interact with architecture, landscaping and people as they use public and private spaces.

33. Sculpture Island gives visitors the opportunity to view art in a 3-D space from different perspectives. People from all over the world can visit an art
installation. Virtual reality would be useful in creating models of art installations, for feasibility studies of public art and proposals for public and
private clients.

34. Sculpture Island has many sculptures which were created with 3-D modeling, exploring the interface of technology and art. There will be information
about intellectual property information. There will also be information about creating art through traditional methods such as casting and mold making.

35. Examples -- students sharing their work
• Virtual tutoring - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhmnGi-8VxI&feature=youtu.be
• ELL / ESOL (English learners) support – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bk7kUlfOkI
• Healthcare training - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDRDMMUZ2sw
• Art teaching & design - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36RrsY9aiuM
• Video Production - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfpWLVImKUc&feature=youtu.be
• Conference Planning - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yBI0bIGBto
• Theater set design - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JBp4rMIoXo
• Biology for middle school - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEML-r94xwo
• A science lesson built within a complex island design framework -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiNzhaM7siI