Second Life & education in practice
What is Second Life? Second Life (SL) is an online virtual world and was developed by Linden Labs and launched in 2003, (Wikipedia). With it, anyone can create a free user account, build an avatar and become a 'resident' of Second Life. As you navigate through Second Life, you can socialize by meeting other residents, take part in group activities (including, of course, educational activities), and create or trade virtual property or services with others. The recommended age for Second Life is 16 and over, however, there are age-appropriate regions of SL. Residents can use tools and code to build objects such as buildings, clothing, and much more, and it is worth noting that residents retain the copyrights to what they create in SL (Wikipedia).
As De Lucia, Francese, R.,Passero and I. Tortora highlight, that considering the interactive capabilities of SL, it is crucial that we take advantage of this technology, (2009). Their research has proven that "in a 3D multi-user virtual environment, learning is strongly related to the user perception of belonging to a learning community, as well as to the perception of awareness, presence and communication. The results of the evaluation are very positive," (De Lucia et al, 2009).
As demonstrated in the Sloodle video in "1B", Second Life is now becoming more commonly used in education. The following videos will help demonstrate many other ways in which it is practically applied. As you watch each video, keep notes of how you would possibly find uses for Second Life in your own curriculum. Then at the end of watching the videos, complete the poll and post your answer to the discussion questions answer in the ETEC 522 blog in Module 12- SL & Education in Practice.
As De Lucia, Francese, R.,Passero and I. Tortora highlight, that considering the interactive capabilities of SL, it is crucial that we take advantage of this technology, (2009). Their research has proven that "in a 3D multi-user virtual environment, learning is strongly related to the user perception of belonging to a learning community, as well as to the perception of awareness, presence and communication. The results of the evaluation are very positive," (De Lucia et al, 2009).
As demonstrated in the Sloodle video in "1B", Second Life is now becoming more commonly used in education. The following videos will help demonstrate many other ways in which it is practically applied. As you watch each video, keep notes of how you would possibly find uses for Second Life in your own curriculum. Then at the end of watching the videos, complete the poll and post your answer to the discussion questions answer in the ETEC 522 blog in Module 12- SL & Education in Practice.
University of texas- School of information
Video Highlights:
- Virtual world's like Second Life are used to socialize, work and learn
- Virtual world's are used by a variety of companies like IBM, Starwood Hotels, Wall Street Journal and many universities
- Overview comparisons between traditional and virtual classrooms, which is useful for educators, education technology specialists and many others
- Course lectures can be given to an entire class similar to face-to-face classes with teacher presentations, student participation and interactivity
- What makes these classes unique is participants can be located anywhere in the world, still be actively engaged and connect with one another
Case Study in Distance learning - Duke University, School of Nursing
Video Highlights:
Dr. Johnson, whose avatar is named, Ilana Harsley, speaks about teaching informatics students at the "Duson Second Life Campus," which allows advanced social networking. She highlights that virtual environments offer interaction and presence, which discussion boards do not provide.
Dr. Johnson, whose avatar is named, Ilana Harsley, speaks about teaching informatics students at the "Duson Second Life Campus," which allows advanced social networking. She highlights that virtual environments offer interaction and presence, which discussion boards do not provide.
- 300 Universities and museums have a presence in Second Life.
- Second Life allows users to hear and speak with others, which is similar to the real world. In the classroom you are fully immersed - seeing and hearing the lecture, your classmates and the professor. You can send files to the professor, and they too can send files to you to download to other programs.
- Field trips are virtual and incur no carbon imprints.
- Features a student who is a registered nurse, who learns through Duson SL in the Nursing Infomatics Graduate Program at Duke University. She lives in Massachusetts (200km from Duke's physical campus), and therefore Duson SL is very convenient for her. She felt more connected through SL and felt a sense of presence. She mentions that initially it took her some time to get the hang of SL, but once she did, she thinks it is the 'next best thing' to being on campus in real life.
Learning Languages in Second life
Video Highlights:
- Personal look at a Second Life users experience in learning to speak a new language in the virtual world
- Language learning in this environment can be more authentic by participating in activities and engaging with others only in that language
- Actively partaking in everyday outings like going to the movies or the market within the re-created foreign country allows for more practical learning to occur
- An endless number of interactive and exciting field trips can be taken which would otherwise not be possible
- Opportunities to meet and connect with native language speakers from that part of the world is common
- These educational strategies can easily be applied to many other subjects and to all ages of students within formal and informal learning
Machinima - (Machine + Cinema)
“Machinima” is a combination of the words “machine” and “cinema” and is simply defined as “animated filmmaking within a real-time virtual 3D environment.” (Marino, p.1). "In practical filmmaking terms, machinima is the process whereby the “machinimator” uses screen-capture software, such as iShowU, to record the world of the video game or virtual worlds such as Second Life...," (Ziemsen, 2012).
"In order to create unique shots and camera movements, one must move the view of one’s avatar or its point of view within Second Life. While there is no actual camera to manipulate, one can change the shot sizes and movements with a mouse, a tool that becomes the equivalent of the camera or lens, and the screen-capture software becomes the equivalent of the videotape. Once these shots are recorded, the machinimator can use any editing software, such as Final Cut Pro, to edit the shots," (Ziemsen, 2012).
Machinima in the context of online education in Second Life is used to record classes, assignments that involve other students or an environment that must be recorded, 'how to' videos, and in the case of media or film students, it can function as a virtual film studio. Matthew Payne writes about the “virtual film school,” and explores “how media education might harness machinima as a creative fusion of digital storytelling and video gameplay to teach digital analysis and practice in collaborative learning spaces.” (p.242). He makes the point that this mode of instruction is compatible with the constructivist learning theory, stating that we learn by “playing” (or doing), (p. 243, 247).
Video Highlights:
Gives an overview how to set up your screen to take a clean "Machinima" shot, by deselecting various options and windows, hide your name showing up above your head
"In order to create unique shots and camera movements, one must move the view of one’s avatar or its point of view within Second Life. While there is no actual camera to manipulate, one can change the shot sizes and movements with a mouse, a tool that becomes the equivalent of the camera or lens, and the screen-capture software becomes the equivalent of the videotape. Once these shots are recorded, the machinimator can use any editing software, such as Final Cut Pro, to edit the shots," (Ziemsen, 2012).
Machinima in the context of online education in Second Life is used to record classes, assignments that involve other students or an environment that must be recorded, 'how to' videos, and in the case of media or film students, it can function as a virtual film studio. Matthew Payne writes about the “virtual film school,” and explores “how media education might harness machinima as a creative fusion of digital storytelling and video gameplay to teach digital analysis and practice in collaborative learning spaces.” (p.242). He makes the point that this mode of instruction is compatible with the constructivist learning theory, stating that we learn by “playing” (or doing), (p. 243, 247).
Video Highlights:
Gives an overview how to set up your screen to take a clean "Machinima" shot, by deselecting various options and windows, hide your name showing up above your head
- How to avoid getting messages during your shoot, so that you are not disrupted
- Get ride of the entire interface so that you have a clean screen to shoot
- ***This video is just the beginning of how to learn to make Machinima. The process is quite complex, and we do not wish to go into great detail of this process in the context of this week's lesson. However, if you are interested in learning how to make Machinima, see the bottom of this page for more detailed instructions.
References
Joe Sanchez (2007, Aug 10). Education in Second Life. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R1SrZua5ww&feature=youtu.be
Sierracathy (2008, April 18). Making Machinima in Second Life. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FamAIQOn8to&feature=youtu.be
De Lucia, A., Francese, R.,Passero, I. Tortora, G.(2009). Development and evaluation of a virtual campus on Second Life: The case of SecondDMI, Computers & Education, Volume 52, Issue 1, January 2009, 220-233. Retrieved Nov.11, 2012 from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2008.08.001
DukeSchoolofNursing (2008, Dec. 18). Duke School of Nursing in Second Life. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL3D-59MbnY&feature=youtu.be
Learningrevolution (2009, Nov. 24). Second Life Language Learning Video. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdkz59vfn3g&feature=youtu.be
Marino, P. (2004). 3D Game-Based Filmmaking: The Art of Machinima. Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
MaryAnnCLT. (2007, Aug 10). Educational Uses of Second Life. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HA&feature=youtu.be
Payne, M.T. (2011). Everything I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from Playing Video Games: The Educational Promise of Machinima. In Lowood, H. & Nitsche, M. (Eds.) The Machinima Reader (pp. 241-256 ). Massachusetts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
SECOND LIFE. (2012).In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life
Ziemsen, E. (2012). Theorizing Educational Technology: The Use of Machinima in Online Film Production Education. Unpublished manuscript, University of British Columbia.
Sierracathy (2008, April 18). Making Machinima in Second Life. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FamAIQOn8to&feature=youtu.be
De Lucia, A., Francese, R.,Passero, I. Tortora, G.(2009). Development and evaluation of a virtual campus on Second Life: The case of SecondDMI, Computers & Education, Volume 52, Issue 1, January 2009, 220-233. Retrieved Nov.11, 2012 from http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2008.08.001
DukeSchoolofNursing (2008, Dec. 18). Duke School of Nursing in Second Life. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL3D-59MbnY&feature=youtu.be
Learningrevolution (2009, Nov. 24). Second Life Language Learning Video. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdkz59vfn3g&feature=youtu.be
Marino, P. (2004). 3D Game-Based Filmmaking: The Art of Machinima. Scottsdale, AZ: Paraglyph Press.
MaryAnnCLT. (2007, Aug 10). Educational Uses of Second Life. [Video File] Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HA&feature=youtu.be
Payne, M.T. (2011). Everything I Need to Know about Filmmaking I Learned from Playing Video Games: The Educational Promise of Machinima. In Lowood, H. & Nitsche, M. (Eds.) The Machinima Reader (pp. 241-256 ). Massachusetts, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
SECOND LIFE. (2012).In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved Nov. 1, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Life
Ziemsen, E. (2012). Theorizing Educational Technology: The Use of Machinima in Online Film Production Education. Unpublished manuscript, University of British Columbia.
advanced instructions on making machimima
Tools you will need:
1. Second Life account set up
2. Internet connection (fast)
3. Screen Capture software - recommended IShowU
4. Non-Linear Editing Software such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, or iMovie
5. Hard Drive Space
6. Optional: a 3D navigation mouse such as 3D Connexion
Preparation:
1. Write a script using screenwriting software such as Celtx (optional to write a script if you are filming 'documentary style')
2. Scout and plan your shoot locations. **Note that most all locations are the copyright of others. In other words, unless you bought land and created your own location, you cannot be sure you will 'own' the copyright to the locations you film.
3. Practice using the controls and the shots you wish to do.
4. Schedule your fellow avatars to be at a location at a certain time to start shooting
5. Ensure your settings are correct and that your recording will capture both video and audio. There is a very lengthy video, SL Machinima PRO Tutorial to help you set these up.
6. Activate IShowU and start to capture what is happening. Once you click abort, you will have your video saved.
1. Second Life account set up
2. Internet connection (fast)
3. Screen Capture software - recommended IShowU
4. Non-Linear Editing Software such as Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, or iMovie
5. Hard Drive Space
6. Optional: a 3D navigation mouse such as 3D Connexion
Preparation:
1. Write a script using screenwriting software such as Celtx (optional to write a script if you are filming 'documentary style')
2. Scout and plan your shoot locations. **Note that most all locations are the copyright of others. In other words, unless you bought land and created your own location, you cannot be sure you will 'own' the copyright to the locations you film.
3. Practice using the controls and the shots you wish to do.
4. Schedule your fellow avatars to be at a location at a certain time to start shooting
5. Ensure your settings are correct and that your recording will capture both video and audio. There is a very lengthy video, SL Machinima PRO Tutorial to help you set these up.
6. Activate IShowU and start to capture what is happening. Once you click abort, you will have your video saved.