MUVE Your Pupils: Best Practices in Multi-User Virtual

Environments for Learning

By Dr. Sabine Lawless-Reljic

San Diego Computer-Using Educators, November 6, 2010

Technical best practices

• Web integration– Registration– Portal– Database backend– Summary, results,

history– Reporting tools

• In-World Practice– Sizing and

Proportions– Bypassing inventory– Customized themes

and viewer selection– Consistent HUD

based instructions– Managing cam

controls

Strategies

• Interactive practice (Genome: Genetics)• Student discussion groups & guest speakers• Field trips• Independent projects on a theme (biome:

modeling in science)• Glossed-over machinima (Biome: Cell Tour)• Exhibits• Fun stuff (fly, tp, vehicles, etc.)

EDTECH700 Cathy Arreguin with SDSU, Spring 2010

Don’ts

• Don’t go into a VW without a purpose• Don’t build without a specific purpose• Don’t expect users to understand the

opportunities• Don’t plan a MUVE session without a RL plan

Death by PowerPoint can happen anywhere.

Your class• Get students up and running quickly• Allow individual expressions in avatar appearance• Get them involved in the Metaverse

(island>world, grid>hypergrid, other VWs)• Encourage emoticons in text and gestures

shortcuts (important proxy for body language)• Attend an event• Engage one or more guest speakers• Have them join one or more groups• Be understanding with technological issues

Text or Voice?• Benefits of Voice:

– Familiarity (What we are used to f2f)– Indicator of gender, emotion, etc. (pitch, tone, ..)– Good when typing not necessary or too slow

• Benefits of Text:– Participation increase & simultaneous– Easy archiving– Access for many disabled students

>>Distribute media based on context and role if MUVE allows it.

Digital Citizenship & Internet Safety

• Intellectual Property Laws• Creative Commons• Licensing• What is/isn’t legal to download

• Cyberbullying• TMI (Too Much Information)• Cyber predators• Social Networking• IM/e-mail/txt/chatrooms

Resources

• Scilands Best Practices in Education Panel and Discussion>>http://www.slideshare.net/01archivist/scilands-

best-practices-in-education-panel-and-discussion

• A Guide to Using Problem-Based Learning in Second Life>>http://previewpsych.org/BPD2.0.pdf

Contact InfoSabine K. Lawless-Reljic, Ed.D.• Communication Officer for ARVEL (Applied Research in

Virtual Environments for Learning)ARVEL SIG: http://www.arvelsig.com

• Web: Sabine Reljic (Skype, Twitter)• Virtual Worlds: Willow Shenlin (3rd Rock Grid, 3DXplorer,

InWorldz, Reaction Grid, Science Grid, Second Life, SmallWorlds); Willow Virtual (Grand Central Sim); WillowWarC (World Of Warcraft); SKYlawless (Blue Mars); Sabine Reljic (AET Zone, ScienceSim).