Second Life as an Experiential Learning Opportunity

Computers and Writing 2010:Virtual Worlds @ Purdue Conference

May 21, 2010

Slides available: http://slideshare.net/andella

Panel Overview

Purdue University Calumet Campus Second Life Initiative Team:

• Anastasia Trekles, School of Education• Sherrie Kristin, Library and Information Services• Michael Roller, Computer Graphics Technology• Kim Nankivell, Computer Graphics Technology• Ge Jin, Computer Graphics Technology• Mark Mabrito, English and Philosophy

Objectives of EXL Program• Present and describe the intended purpose and application of the

construction or activity they have created;

• Design and implement an activity or construction that meets the supervising staff or faculty member’s needs, and accomplishes his/her expected educational outcomes;

• Conduct him/herself professionally as a member of a project team;

• Communicate routinely with supervising faculty/staff, as well as related Subject Matter Experts where appropriate, on the details and status of the project;

• Demonstrate problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities when appropriate.

From Concept to Reality• Purchasing the island and

restrictions: What cannot be done on an “educational platform?”

• Challenges once purchased: Once the island is paid for, how do we do what we want?

• In a “budget reduction” environment, what is the future for the project?

• Our approach to the “Experiential Learning” credit adaptation: Why we chose the avenues we did

Factors and Challenges to Implementation

• What other schools are doing

• Implementation• Alternatives (per Kim)• Determining the

learner’s affective state

Learning in Virtual Environments and the Student Affective State

• Virtual Classroom in Second Life• Training in Virtual Environment

– Military– Healthcare– Disaster & Response

• Intelligent Tutoring System• Effective human instructors are able to monitor student

affective state and tailor their teaching methods to maintain high levels of affect

• It is difficult to assess the learner’s affective state (motivation, interest, engagement level) in virtual learning environment.

Sensory Channels Related with Affective State

• Visual Channel– Facial Expressions– Gestures

• Auditory Channel– Speech

• Physiological Channel– Respiration rate– Heart rate– Skin temperature– Electrocardiography (EEG)

• Accuracy of affective state detection using facial expressions > 70%

Affective State Detection from Facial Images

• A prototype affective state detection system from single camera image sequences

Face Detection

Face Size Estimation – Face Triangle

The size of eyes and mouth also can be estimated from face triangle.

faceeyes / mouth

nothing

640

480Haar feature based face detection(Jones & Viola 2001)

Image Processing Approaches Used

Thresholding Histogram Equalization Finding Corners Convex Hull Approximation

Gabor Filter (Gabor Wavelet Trans.)

A Gabor filter is a linear filter used in image processing for edge detection. Frequency and orientation representations of Gabor filter are similar to those of human visual system, and it has been found to be particularly appropriate for texture representation and discrimination.

Particular Gabor filter responses can help extracting and getting some characteristic features for certain facial expressions (e.g. frowning) at some specific face positions.

Gabor Filters – Face Template

We are using 32 feature points in face template, 12 gabors filters with different directions & frequency, generate 384 gabor responses each frame. The 384-vector is used to train system using SVM.

Examples

Broad Scale/Metaverse Applications

• Pedagogical implications

• Standardization• Cross-discipline

implementation• Experimentation and

future considerations• Application to the

curriculum

Research in Metaverse Applications

• Research Question:– What factors should be considered in order to define and

establish an accepted set of specifications for which effective avatar applications and architectures can be created and deployed for learners?

• Research Objectives:– Investigate how learners, in various roles and domains,

perceive virtualized representations and artifacts (avatars) for interaction.

– Document the wider educational implications of technology on recall and retention, and how they are created and developed.

Cognitive Factors

• Presence and Perception– Gestures and Body Language:

Research has shown limitations on behavior cues found in virtual environments have the potential to alter the perception of self and the behavioral interactions between avatars within a virtual world [1][2].

– Translation Between WorldsRecognition/recall from in-world experiences to out-of-world application

1. Yee, n., & Ballenson, J.N. (2009). The Difference Between Being and Seeing: The Relative Contribution of Self-Perception and Priming to Behavioral Changes via Digital Self-Representation. Media Psychology, 12:2, 195 – 209.

2. Francheschi, K., Lee, R., Zanakis, S., Hinds, D. (2009). Engaging Group E-Learning in Virtual Worlds. Journal of management Information Systems; vol. 26, no. 1 (pp. 73-100).

Technological Factors

• Performance and Stability– Latency can alter perception and presence and

negatively affect collaboration between participants [3].

• Media Integration for Simulation– Optimization methods/algorithms for artifacts to

ensure both believability and accuracy within the interactive construct or process

3. Edirisinga, P., Nie, M., Pluciennik, M., Young, R. (2009). Socialisation for Learning at a Distance in a 3-D Multi-

user Virtual Environment. British Journal Educational Technology; vol. 40, no. 3 (pp. 458-479).

Methodology

• Mixed-Method Approach:– Cognitive Factors

Qualitative measures on how learners view online learning environments and avatar representations (learning styles, learner perceptions, self and group presence and interaction)

– Technical FactorsQualitative measures on performance, stability, and compatibility with media and networked file systems (latency, optimization, performance)

Expected Outcome

• Deeper understanding of cognitive and technological factors associated with virtualized learning environments

• Specification for designing, developing and incorporating effective avatar technologies within virtual environments specifically for the improvement of learning and interaction

Projects in the Content Areas

• English and Writing• Education• Computer Graphics

Technology• Nursing• Library

English Writing

• ENGL 43500: Designing Virtual Worlds– Component to Online Certificate in Writing for

Interactive Media.– Students create design proposals for SL Sims,

related to business, training, entertainment, etc. – Students explore communication/collaboration in

a virtual world.– Students may be able to continue beyond course

with a “virtual internship” assisting in creating course content for SL.

English Writing

• “Avatar Journal” project (cross class project-Fall 10 or Spring 11)– Students explore avatar creation as identity.– Maintain a blog from avatar’s perspective to parallel and

document experiences in-world.– Students create and showcase artifacts (interactive objects

within SL) defining their SL experiences from avatar’s perspective.

– Examine ways in which the metaverse can be used for primary/secondary research.

– Used as basis for future writing and research projects in other classes.

Instructional Technology and Education

• EDCI 56600: Hypermedia Application in Education– Graduate students explore Second Life and identify strengths,

weaknesses, and potential uses in educational environments– Discussion of all types of applications including industry, healthcare,

K-12, and higher education• EDCI 59100: Advanced Multimedia Design

– Students are tasked to build a classroom simulation for student teachers to practice presentation skills – first build will take place this summer

• EDCI 58900: Virtual Worlds in Education– Graduate credit course for K12 teacher license renewal– Introduces teachers to virtual worlds and asks them to build a lesson

plan and learning objects

Special Education

• Disabilities groups: Second Life sites like Virtual Ability Island and the PATINS Project provide information and resources

• Autism: Virtual worlds, like video games, have often been favored by autistic people, especially children, as a means of self-expression and communication

• ADHD: Virtual worlds are engaging; students with ADHD and other learning disabilities can connect with subjects in unique ways to visualize, analyze, and to use as story- or research-starters

Computer Graphics Technology

• Project – comparing face-to-face to virtual teaching with facial expression models

• How to detect the student’s and instructor’s expression and body language

• Not limited to SL, in fact may not work best in SL

Nursing Education

• Pharmacokinetics course very interested in simulation possibilities for training nursing students in drug logging, dispensing, and administration– Reading labels, checking orders on a patient chart,

measuring drug intake and output– Processes for setting up titrations and mixing insulins– Simulated administrations that invoke events (patient

vitals change, stabilization, death)• Planning still in process; may become a simulation

programmed outside of Second Life

Library Media Services

• Planned Second Life implementation of Library at Purdue Calumet includes:– Access to databases and informational

repositories available through the Library, even for those who are off-campus

– A virtual walk-through tour of the real Library to familiarize students with the space and where items are located

Looking to the Future…

• What are the next steps for… – Purdue University Calumet?– Courses, activities, and experiential learning

opportunities for students in virtual worlds? – Research into the efficacy and implications of

virtual world technology for teaching and learning?

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