Simulations Virtual Reality

Course Description

Simulations Virtual Reality explores the role of multi-user virtual environments and simulations (MUVES) in education. Using Second Life, students will identify and use the pedagogical methods, virtual tools and content resources for creating and teaching in a virtual reality.

Learning Outcomes

• Design and build a learning environment (simulation) in a virtual world
• Conduct and evaluate teaching sessions in a virtual world.
• Evaluate and analyze the educational utility of a game, simulation or virtual reality environment
• Analyze and synthesize recent research relevant to teaching and learning in virtual world simulations
• Conduct individual and group projects in a virtual reality environment.

Requirements

Acquire an account in a virtual world and complete avatar orientation. Edit personal avatar’s appearance from its default settings. Navigate to National University Island and Escribir House and submit a document that contains (a) the contents of any virtual world notecard, the XYZ coordinates of a visited sim, and a snapshot image of created avatar. Read, watch and listen to virtual world materials provided in the Discussion Board area. Write a short essay in response to the Discussion Board topic and respond to at least two classmates on the Discussion Board. Join a social network related to virtual worlds. Participate in Live Chat or watch video archive of it. Visit the virtual world Educator’s Tool Shed on National University Island. Read tool notecards use their landmark links to acquire at least two tools that might be used in building the final project simulation. Navigate to the National University sandbox and set up a virtual world teaching tools for operation. Write a short essay in response to the Week 2 Discussion Board topic on Virtual Worlds Best Teaching Practices and respond to at least two classmates on the Discussion Board. Watch the instructional video on hypergriding and hypergrid to at least other worlds and compare them to Second Life. Find and review three examples of in-world lessons and simulations created in chosen subject area. Provide the XYZ coordinates in a Word document. Submit the final version of your final project’s storyboard to the dropbox provided. Create and revise a formal lesson plan for teaching in a virtual world of your choice using the models provided. Set up and operate teaching tools in-world for a lesson in a virtual world. Troubleshoot teaching tools based on feedback from classmates and instructor. Participate in Week 3 Discussion Board by posting a written copy of a complete lesson plan and critique the lesson plans of at least two other classmates using the rubric provided. Post final lesson plan as Word document in drop box provided in Final Lesson Plan.

Prerequisites

Recommended: Prior completion of

• EDT600A
• EDT601
• EDT605
• EDT607
• EDT609