Getting the trainers ready

Get the trainers ready -

An introduction to Second Life

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Some background

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Training VITA trainers

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Checklists

An introduction to Second Life Second Life (www.secondlife.com) is an online, 3-D Virtual World, sometimes referred to as a Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE), imagined and created entirely by its residents. In 2010 there are over 50 million user hours a month and over $500 million user transactions each year. It is a huge world!!… filled with people, entertainment, experiences and opportunities. Users become virtual personalities, known as Avatars1, individually featured, that can move, communicate, shop, join in groups, learn and make business in a digital world.

To participate in Second Life (SL) it is necessary to download the program to the computer and create an account for your avatar. Then, you are ready to discover another world.

Once you enter SL world, you arrive to the Welcome Island, an area designed to introduce you to the basic virtual action, including: walking, zooming with your camera, chatting, standing/sitting, flying, and teleporting. Following this guide is a good way to get started on the simple competences you will need as trainer: single and group communication, manage resources (inventory), setting the learning environment and deliver/show materials…

―In a virtual world, an avatar is a digital persona that you can create and customize. It's you — only in 3D. You can create an avatar that resembles your real life or create an alternate identity.‖ (http://secondlife.com/whatis/avatar/?lang=en-US ).

1

Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation VITA - Virtual learning for the management of successful SMEs in Europe

Ref. nr. 2008-1-PT1-LEO05-00411

Continuing your exploration, you will find that SL hosts educational activities. In fact, some of the world's most prestigious universities and academic institutions have settled virtual campus and classrooms there. Those allow for online collaboration, learning simulations as a cost effective solution to distance learning. Following such experiences, VITA project also developed a virtual campus, specially dedicated to the project aims: to deliver specific training for the management of successful European SMEs. Take a tour on that educational campus and read more at http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Second_Life_Education to get an overview about how learning happens in SL. 2

Some background In 2002, Gilly Salmon3 proposed a model for the design of Second Life educational activities (SL-tivities). The five-stage model shows the progress of the participating group in the learning activities: ↗ Stage 1 - Access and Motivation The aim is to welcome and encourage the participants. This might be done by sharing useful information/resources/ links about Second Life; proposing questions if students have no experience of SL; motivating the participants to learn how to: log in, choose an avatar name, create an avatar, teleport, move and communicate‖.

At the end of this stage students can decide whether they want to proceed or not. ↗ Stage 2 - Online Socialisation.

Second Life Education is the place to learn about what educational institutions are doing in Second Life. The education directory provides a listing of educational organizations who are active within Second Life.

3 Salmon, G.(2002). E-tivities: The key to active online learning. London: Routledge Falmer.

2

Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation VITA - Virtual learning for the management of successful SMEs in Europe

Ref. nr. 2008-1-PT1-LEO05-00411

The aims are: to familiarize and provide bridges between cultural, social and learning environments, and to create a virtual micro-community though active and interactive sl-tivities. Activities in this stage focus the acquisition of the specific movements and gestures, navigation, camera control, communication in local chating and by private message. ↗ Stage 3 - Information Exchange The aim is to facilitate tasks and support the use of learning materials. Here happens ―interaction with the course content and interaction with people, namely the emoderator(s) and other people.‖4 SL- tivities will imply participants to work together to solve problems by sharing information and discuss documents. ↗ Stage 4 - Knowledge Construction The aim is to engage the participants to take control of their own knowledge construction in new ways. The role of the trainer or e-moderator is to facilitate this process by build and sustain the working groups, what includes managing the interaction and controlling the dynamics of the group. ↗ Stage 5 - Development The aim is that participants get responsible for ―their own learning, and that of their group. They build on the ideas acquired through the e-tivities and apply them to their individual contexts. By now, both participants and e-moderators will stop wondering how they can use online participation and instead become committed and creative. They also become critical and self-reflective.‖5

Training VITA trainers If trainers are newbies in the educational use of Second Life, it is very important to turn them confident enough to use SL educational potential in the best way, before they start the sessions with the participants. Therefore they might use some training sessions on their own, not only focusing SL features but also the transformation of the learning content (whatever it might be: either mathematics or gardening) to the virtual environments.

Therefore, VITA trainers started to start by being learners. They were introduced to SL educational environment with the same curricula their participants would go before starting the specific learning curricula – we called it Module 0.

4

Salmon, G. All Things in Moderation, http://www.atimod.com/e-tivities/5stage.shtml.

5

Salmon, G., All Things in Moderation, http://www.atimod.com/e-tivities/5stage.shtml.

Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation VITA - Virtual learning for the management of successful SMEs in Europe

Ref. nr. 2008-1-PT1-LEO05-00411

If you explore the Module 0, you will find that it shows the training session as a protocol.

In fact, to be a trainer in Second Life requires the preparation the protocols and actions (gestures, movement of objects, use of resources, …) in a time plan.

In VITA project, the Curriculum was supported by a set of technological SL tools, which enabled the pedagogical dynamics of each module and allowed the trainers to make full use of the virtual learning environment by interacting with the groups in games, demonstrations and simulations of management situations.

Trainers benefit from learning how to use those tools with the developers. VITA trainers were supported with Tools and individual assistance of the technical team during the preparation of their sessions.

You can find more about the experiences and practices of VITA trainers in the leaflet ―Training in Virtual Environments – Guide of Good Practices‖, available at http://vita.bitmedia.cc.

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Checklists

For the preparation of each session, it was useful to verify if all the conditions were set and everyone was ready. Therefore, in the scope of the project, it was developed a set of checklists to support the trainers:

Leonardo da Vinci Transfer of Innovation VITA - Virtual learning for the management of successful SMEs in Europe

Ref. nr. 2008-1-PT1-LEO05-00411

MODULE 0 - SL FOR TRAINERS

by Leonel Morgado, UTAD, 2010

Sequence TEXT Welcome!

We are waiting until everyone is here.

I believe we may start.

Please let me know you are noticing this "chat", by saying "Hello".

I would also like to test you availability to hear my voice.

Please type - in your own language - the word I'm about to say by voice.

For instance, if you hear "dog", type "cão", "koira", "Hund", "câine", "cane" or "σκύλος".

Thank you.

It's good to know that you can hear voice.

But to avoid problems with feedbacks and the like, we'll start the training in text chat.

OK? Great.

If something interrupts you during this training session

Comment|Action Wait until more people arrive. Invite avatars the group.

Wait for "hellos."

Say "table."

If someone doesn't answer, address him/her.

Wait for answers.

since it's text chat you can read the chat history to understand what's going on.

Try it now: click on "Local Chat", a button on the bottom left of your screen.

Pause.

You may click again on "Local Chat" to close the history window.

OK, let's proceed.

First let's move to an open space.

Please follow me.

Pause.

Wear "Follow me" sign Move west. Stop before the descent.

Don't be afraid. Just one step ahead...then anooooooooother.

Go downhill. Zoom out, wait for trainees to gather, then move on.

Ah, this is a better location... sand and grass.

Let me get rid of this "follow me" sign.

Actually the sign was an example.

Detach sign.

A group may get lost travelling. The sign helps them track you as an instructor.

It's just as if it was piece of clothing... You "wear" it... ...and unwear it. In Second Life terms... You "detach" it.

You'll use it for your first assignment.

For that, I need 4 or 5 volunteers.

Great. Would you like to know how to volunteer more lively?

Wear the sign.

Detach the sign.

Volunteers only: please type / followed by "hey" (no spaces) and press Enter: /hey

Wait for /hey and help if needed

Thank you.

(These were "gestures".)

(You can find more at the right side of the blank text entry line, in the "Gestures" dropdown listbox.)

(But you can try them later.)

Volunteers only: please walk and place yourselves behind me.

All others: please sit down (right-click on the floor and choose "Sit").

Very well.

I will now give each volunteer a "follow me sign". Please accept it.

Here's your task, voluteers: Your job is to lead a team.

I want you to persuade your colleagues to join your team.

To do that, you must make a sales pitch for your team.

But be respectful! Try not to talk too much! Let other people speak.

Go ahead, try it!

OK, that's enough.

Those seating can get up, now (click on the "Stand up" button).

There are 5 poles around us.

I want each volunteer to wear the "follow me" sign I gave you, now.

/bow

Wait for volunteers. If too many, choose the first 5.

Wait for answers.

Wait until moves are completed.

Give them "Follow me" signs.

Wait for pitches. While they pitch, place markers. /clap Wait for people to stand up.

Wait for them to wear - teach how, if necessary.

OK, now echo a rallying call, like "Members of the ACME team, follow me", and take Wait and help, if necessary. your team to one of the poles.

Very well.

Can you see the other groups?

You can zoom out, for a better perspective.

To do that, rotate your mouse wheel, until you see all groups. (You can press Esc to return to normal zoom.)

Let me just take a picture of you.

Take picture.

Take a picture, too. Go to the "File" menu and select "Snapshot to Disk".

Wait for pictures.

Volunteers, you may detach your "Follow me" signs, now. :-) I have a better symbol for your post as leaders. Please accept it and wear it.

Give Dr. Susse Hat to each leader.

And I have some hats for team members, too.

OK. Now please change the color of your hats. I want each team to have a different color.

To do that, right-click on your hats and choose "Edit".

Give Cowboy hats to all other trainees.

Then, select the "Texture" tab, and you'll see a "Color" area. Click it to change.

Wait for colors to change.

You may zoom out to check the color your team leader is choosing.

When you are ready, simply press "Esc" to end editing.

OK, back to chat: noticed how you all "hear" one another?

How text chat from a group mixes with text chat from another?

Text chat reaches 20 meters from your position.

OK! ...until you no longer "hear" me. Then stop.

Wait for teams to be ready.

Start saying: "testing...1,2,3..." Until all are away. Then shout "OK! Come back!"

Moving teams away allows them to chat and discuss without bothering each other.

But team can communicate up to 100 m away by shouting.

To shout, simply press Ctrl+Enter after typing, instead of just Enter.

All give a huge shout now!

Very well.

This is the power of team communication.

Shout: "Shout!"

Clap. /muscle

Now you're going to make a team list by your poles, using boxes with pictures.

For instance, here's a box.

I'll put my picture on it.

I can do it has you did for changing the color... ...or I can simply drag a picture ("Texture") to the desired face of the box.

I just placed a different picture on the side that is facing me.

This is your next task:

Apply texture "Leonel, 12 de Marco de 2008".

Drag texture "Leonel with headpiece"

you need to see the picture on the side facing me - WITHOUT WALKING OR FLYING.

Pause for a moment.

It was one of the skills I asked you to practice beforehand.

Keep the "Alt" key pressed. Click and drag the mouse on the box. You will move your camera.

You can press "Esc" at any time to go back to your normal camera position.

Try it. Find the hidden picture.

Did everyone find it?

To prove it, I want you to take a snapshot of that hidden picture ("File" - "Snapshot to Disk").

And send me that snapshot by e-mail after the class.

In that snapshot, I want to see 1) the hidden picture and 2) your avatar, standing right where you are now.

Any questions?

OK, back to the creation of a team list by your poles.

You need to pile up boxes with your faces alongside your poles.

For that, you need to upload a photograph of yourself.

And that costs L$10 (about 0,025 euros: 2,5 cents).

So I'm offering you L$20 each.

You can use it to upload 2 pictures.

For that, use "File - Upload - Image".

Do it now with any picture, and you can come back after this session to upload your real photograph.

Done?

To create a cube, simply click on "Build" and then on the ground.

Create a cube.

Wait.

Give L$20 to each avatar

Wait.

Wait for acknowledgement.

Try it. Create a cube.

And now apply the photograph you uploaded, just like you changed colors on your hat.

Very well.

This is your homework: a) put the cubes of your team on a pile, near your team pole.

The end result should be like this.

Each cube with a different photograph - of a team member.

OK? b) Decide on a "Flag" or banner for your team, by e-mail. Create it an put it up on your team pole.

OK?

Wait for cubes.

Wait.

Create a pile of cubes.

Apply textures to cubes.

Wait for acknowledgment.

In this session, you have experienced group activities with chat and building.

And learned about communication and navigational techniques.

In the next session, you will learn about using educational tools (More useful than the "Follow me" sign, I promise.)

Are there any questions or requests before we finish?

Thank you for your time. See you tomorrow at 9:00 GMT, 10:00 CET, 11:00 EET. For those unavailable, I suggest we schedule an alternative time today by e-mail.

Goodbye!

Wait for questions and answer them.