CLTI Conf. - Let's get real about the virtual

This session is on virtual worlds for learning by Steve Mahaley from Duke Corporate.

Take people out of their comfort zones and drop them into a virtual learning experience.

Learning occurs when we use our senses. Recess as a learning experience. Games, working together, creating.

New tools bring new uses - Can we build it? Yes we can (but should we)

Design for humans on the adoption curve - Can they build it, Yes they can (within limits.)

Links for learning in a virtual world
http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZUNAhzwZkdU - Berkman Island, Harvard Law School
http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/ - in Education
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN1028324920071011 - in Business

Problems:
Can be expensive to develop
Difficult for users to navigate around 2nd life
2nd Life blocked by many corporations
Learning required just to use the systems.
Hard to hold on to participants. Too many distractions.

Benefits:
Private land allows you to control and have invitation-only events
Public land - data gathering, running a SL business, interviewing
Building tools - team exercises, prototyping objects
No RL Physics - No need to support a bridge because no gravity, etc
Avatar appearance - different from self, role playing, gender issues, diversity
Inventory - evidence collection, treasure hunts
Groups - set up and maintain relationships between individuals in a group
Chat vs. Voice - structuring conversations, capturing histories