Virtual+Worlds+(Tues+1pm)

media type="custom" key="3615251"__Virtual worlds:__ Danny Tan Julian Tregellis Yianni Conomos (yianni.conomos@student.uts.edu.au) Samira Mashal ( Miheria.Mashal@student.uts.edu.au)

A virtual world is a computer based extension of the real world. It is an interactive multimedia environment which is usually depicticted textually or 3 dimensionally, with users being represented by an 'avatar'. Most virtual worlds are open to a multitude of users, and generally take place online, or over local networks (Wagner 2008; Wikipedia 2009).

There are lot of technologies which are useable in virtual world, one of the main one is the "Edusim3d". Edusim is a whiteboard tool that incorporates a virtual, 3D learning environment for teachers and students, k-12. EduSim whiteboards support images, music, videos and documents, there built on the open source virtual world software Croquet. Documents that are pulled into EduSim can be read and edited by participating members of a merged whiteboard session, which is great for learning environments. There are also drawing tools, so you can create some free-form images, mark up images, Its an open source of virtual world which is designed for use with classroom interactive whiteboards. Edusim is 3D multi-user virtual world, it has been tested and works on Activeboard, Interwriter, Mimio, polyvision, eBeam and smartboard. It can connect their interactive whiteboards for collaborative learning session's. It’s a good platform for interactive virtual learning, and as we’ve seen with things like Second Life, virtual worlds can be used for a wide variety of activities. With EduSim’s inclusive whiteboard interaction, however, it can be used for a variety of activities as well, including team meetings for small businesses. Edusim is basically to link the video on their website, so it can speak by it self.(edusim.tec.com)
 * Describe the use of the particular technology(By;Samira)**

The use of a virtual world in Edusim context is beneficial when It provides a powerful way to engage students by bringing a 3D immersive environment that allows the direct manipulation of the 3D virtual learning objects directly from the whiteboard. This technology seems to be is fun, engaging, and highly interactive.([|Second Life Eduscape Blog] )
 * The context of the learners and where learning is situate**

Edusim can be very useful for the kids, the kids probably learns lot from the game’s without realizing it. Through the you tube I have seen many video’s of Edusim and have figured out how much this system can be an excellent teaching tool for the children’s especially the interactive boards, the teacher’s can teach students through lot of ways by this technology. It's a touch screen board where u can feel your self inside the system where you can explore, imagine or create. It can be give lot of knowledge to the students.
 * The benefits of the technology in this context**


 * The challenges, disadvantages or any issues of the described technology in the example’s context**
 * 1) Cost- Whilst the upfront, initial set up costs, can be high.
 * 2) Remote/rural learning facilitation
 * 3) Confidence- Many students who consider themselves to be 'shy' have found virtual classrooms to be far less intimidating than actual lectures. Therefore they are far more likely to contribute, and ask questions.
 * 4) Consistent delivery- can be an issue in tradition learning environments. Often students can't hear or understand their lecturer/teacher, or are being disrupted by fellow students.Source : []

__IBM's virtual worlds__ By Yianni IBM has been experimenting with virtual worlds and have set up an interactive 3D world in //Second Life//. The aims of the game are many: to promote this new product by showing how virtual worlds can be used, to facilitate learning, to conduct meetings, to enhance employee collaboration, and to increase social interaction. In the use of IBM’s virtual world, certain guidelines must be followed (see domino.watson.ibm.com, 2006). Contextually, learners are situated in IBM’s virtual world. They have constructed several areas for both employees of the organisation and areas open to the general public. In these spaces people can build 3D objects and interact with each other. In terms of business, “IBM has been experimenting on extending virtual worlds in…three key areas: virtual commerce and work with clients to apply virtual worlds to business problems; driving new kinds of collaboration and education; and experimentations on pushing the limits with a broad community on what might be possible in virtual worlds.” Their clients range from large, multi-national corporations, to educational institutions, to medical research facilities! Benefits of the technology in this context includes, more effective collaboration, reduced costs (besides initial costs) and it's appeal (being a new technology it draws a great deal of attention). There are many challenges, disadvantages and issues in described technology's context. This includes: inappropriate behaviour/use, participation levels, technological barriers, some projects unsuited to virtual environments, lack of People skills (face to face not practiced in virtual worlds) and copyright/digital knowledge issues.

The most widely used and useful of the simulators is the flight simulator, which the Air Force, army and navy use to train their pilots. Training and education virtual reality simulations can vary from, how to fly in battle, how to recover in an emergency, or how to coordinate air support with ground operations. The VR simulators sit on top of an electronic motion base or a hydraulic lift system that responds to user‘s input and events within the simulation. Programs such as Flight simulators create a virtual would to travel through which are operated with realistic controls similar or even exactly the same as the real thing. The flight simulator is designed so that when the pilot looks around, he or she sees the same controls and layout as he would in a real aircraft. (Strickland, 2007) The use of a virtual world in a military context is beneficial when training and educating a soldier, as it gives the soldier a sense of experiencing things and making mistakes that would otherwise be too costly to practice as well as dangerous and life threatening. (Strickland, 2007) · Experiencing live Synchronous feedback from the simulator and its virtual environment · While the development of virtual reality hardware and software is very expensive, in the long run it's much more cost effective than putting soldiers into real military vehicles. (Busch, 1998) · Compared to learning by user manuals and books which is asynchronous, the learner is learning experientially by doing it in a virtual synchronous environment · Learners can practice emergency situations repeatedly; as such events can be simulated over and over and in a safe virtual environment (Busch, 1998) · Time efficient for the learner, in the fact that they don’t need strict clearance to operate a simulator compare to a real live vehicle · Initial Cost of the Simulators, hardware and software · Simulators becoming out of date due to technological advances such as faster processor speeds, higher grade graphic cards, memory and storage space. · Limited Simulators for learners, one at a time learning or smaller number classes · Full motion Simulators are a limited resource for example maybe only 2 to 5 per class unable to cater for a full class · Full motion simulators take up a lot of resource space; large facilities are needed to store them · The learner may not associate real live danger in the virtual world training and hence missing out that experience in real life training (Busch, 1998) · Learners need a coach or instructor with them in the simulator
 * The US Military Use of Virtual Worlds and Simulator Training** : **Danny's**
 * Describe the use of the particular technology**
 * The context of the learners and where learning is situated**
 * The benefits of the technology in this context**
 * The challenges, disadvantages or any issues of the described technology in the example’s context**

=[|Whyville] by Julian TREGELLIS=

__Description & Context__

Whyville is a virtual world website with a focus on education at a primary to junior high school age group. Access to Whyville is through a web portal. Whyville aims to engage their users through a broad range of learning experiences, primarily through a simulation environment. Learning is available in fields such as; science, business, art and geography. Whyville was launched in 1999, by Numedeon Inc. Whyville is regarded as one of the most popular virtual worlds with a base of more than four million users. Whyville was one of the first virtual world platforms to use an internal virtual currency (Wikipedia 2009). "Whyville was one of the first virtual worlds for children, and is one of the few virtual worlds whose purpose is primarily educational" (Wikipedia 2009).

Whyville state the following as the purpose and format of their interface: "Whyville is a virtual world where boys and girls from all over the real world come to chat, play, learn, and have fun together. You design your face, earn clams by playing games, hang out at the beach, and go to town events at the Greek Theater. You can start your own business, buy a car and give your friends a ride, or write for the town newspaper" (Whyville 2009).

__Benefits of Whyville__

Whyville has won numerous awards, including a prestigious award recommending it as 'the best website for kids' and another for its safety features (Wikipedia 2009).

Whyville makes a concerted effort to embed internet safety in the learning experiences of its users, and does not allow users to freely 'chat' until they have passed a test on online safety. They also have 'City Workers' who are adults employed by Whyville to maintain order and security (Whyville 2009).

Whyville also creates leadership opportunities for users, enabling them to become 'Newbie guides' and 'Ymail helpers' to help maintain order and guide newer users around the online environment.

__Disadvantages & Challenges__

Despite Whyville's specific efforts to encourage online safety there are still a number of problems in this area. Firstly, the online test is quite rudimentary and could be easily passed without the learner having a solid understanding of how to conduct themselves online. Secondly, the online test is a 'one-off' test, therefore users are likely to forget what they 'learned' since they are not being re-trained in this area. Finally, Whyville places the majority of the responsibility for online security with the individual user to 'dob in' other users who are not abiding by the rules (Whyville 2009).

Other challenges that Whyville is likely to face include server demand, especially during times of exceptionally high demand such as online 'concerts' which sometimes occur in Whyville (Whyville 2009).

Finally, educators may find a number of challenges within Whyville as the environment works only in very prescribed ways, and only supports a very limited amount of 3D rendered images (Whyville 2009).

__References:__

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Whyville blog [|http://kafai-whyville.blogspot.com]

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[|http://www.whyville.net]

Strickland, J. 2007 'How Virtual Military applications work', View 26 March 2009  Strickland, J. 2007 'How Virtual Military applications work', View 26 March 2009  Busch, M. 1998. 'Simulator-Based Recurrent Training for Piston singles and Twins', Viewed 26 March 2009 Busch, M. 1998. 'Simulator-Based Recurrent Training for Piston singles and Twins', Viewed 26 March 2009