SESSION ABSTRACTS

PANEL 1 - 10am to 11am PDT
Gaming and Virtual Learning Environments
Chair, Andrew Phelps, Rochester Institute of Technology
Daphne Economou, Department of Computing and Mathematics, The Manchester Metropolitan University, England
Virtual Location: VLearn

From Multi-Player Dungeons to Educational Environments - Andrew Phelps
For most of human history, games have been invented and used to aid in teaching concepts and abstractions, logical thinking and planning, memory techniques and pattern recognition. Games provide a way to "make learning fun" and to increase interactivity and therefore heighten awareness. Recently, a new form of gaming has begun wide-spread use, the so-called "Multi-Player Dungeon" or MUD. MUD's have been around for quite some time, and in fact have been used to some degree in education, however only recently have the technologies become available to represent a MUD as a persistent, three-dimensional space complete with sound, embedded media, and avatar representations. Additionally the technology is making these worlds available on ever more ubiquitious hardware and network configurations. Already these spaces are being used for commercial entertainment purposes with great success, but educators around the world are now taking a very serious look at these worlds as teaching tools. What are the pedegogical and social issues involved with using these worlds as learning centers? Can the virtual classroom replace the physical? Are there specific technological requirements to overcome when using these spaces? This discussion will include review of worlds previously used for on-line learning and a look at what the next generation of worlds may offer

Building design guidelines for the use of virtual actors in CVEs for learning based on user and application needs - Daphne Economou
Daphne will discuss the methodology developed for requirements gathering related to the use of Virtual Actors in Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVEs) for learning. The methodological approach involves the development of a series of learning environments of increased sophistication, in three main phases described below. These were observed in use by parents, children and teachers. The focus of study is on the interactivity and social communication issues that arise in the learning situation. The research uses as a case study the work of the Manchester Museum Education Service with children at Key Stage Level 2 (9-11 years old) of the National Curriculum. The particular learning situation is based on senet, an ancient Egyptian board game from the Museum's collection of artefacts from the pyramid builders' town of Kahun. Results based on observations with real users. The first phase formed a 2D single display groupware system where interactions took place face-to-face in the 'real-world' (external to the CVE). The second phase was a conventional 2D multi-user groupware environment in which the users were remotely located and interactions were internal to the CVE. Observations of these two phases formed design guidelines that shaped the third phase of the study. This was build on the Deva CVE system, a 3D multi-user groupware environment in which the users are remotely located and interaction are internal to the environment.

PANEL 2 - 11am to Noon PDT
Multi-Cultures/Multi-Schools - Intercultural Communication in Virtual Worlds
Chair, Beatrice Ligorio, Katholieke University of Nijmegen, Netherlands
Chris Corsbie, Universidad Americana in Asuncion, Paraguay
Virtual Location: EUROLAND

Euroland: a cross-national European community - M.B. Ligorio
Euroland (http://www.garamond.it/euroland) is a virtual Italian-Dutch community. Some ideas have been used to foster collaborative learning and communication:a) Strong theoretical guidance: the project design and implementation is based on the idea of building a community of learners and practice; b) Genuine interdependency: students were forced to take the partners' point of view by building 3D houses containing cultural information about the other country; c) Attention to the partner perception: some moments and activities were specifically addressed at making conscious the perception of the distance partners; d) Tutoring on line to improve the communication: the efficacy of communication is considered important to overcome cultural differences. Different collaboration strategies and several communication tools (http://pluk.wau.nl/Euroland/SharedFolder/Communication_Formats.doc) are needed. To improve cross-national communities into virtual worlds it is suggested to have: a) Cognitive Avatars: Avatars able to express thoughts aimed at improving the communication, such as "I did not understand", "I have an idea", "I need more information"; b) Emphasise visual communication: a large part of the communication goes through not verbal communication. Specific 3D objects could be designed for this purpose; c) Tutor's training: tutorship can be improved by specific chat analysis and selecting example of good practices; d) Atomised translations: short translation can be provided to the students when speaking different languages by supplying translation systems.

Avatar Worlds for Foreign Language Education - Chris Corsbie
This presentation will a brief survey and discussion of some issues involved in using avatar worlds and other immersive environments for the purpose of foreign language education. Topics that will be presented will be a brief report on an informal case study conducted by Adriana Vilela of Columbia University and Chris Corsbie of the University of Texas at Austin and two groups of foreign language students, a group of Spanish as a Foreign Language students from James Bowie High School in Austin, Texas and a group of students of English as a Foreign Language at the Windlands Academy in Patagonia, Argentina. Some subjects that will be addressed include the suitability of avatar worlds for providing rich extra-linguistic context to assist in foreign language learning, the relative desirability of text based chat and audio chat for language learning, and the logistical and technical challenges facing foreign language educators and students who wish to take advantage of these types of language learning environments. Input will be solicited from the audience about what would characterize an ideal language learning environments in an avatar context. All members of the audience are invited to contact the researcher, Chris Corsbie, about participating in some exploratory case studies, especially if they are studying Spanish as a foreign language.

PANEL 3 - Noon to 1pm PDT
MUDs MOOs and 3D MUVES - Case Studies and Collaboratory Exemplars
Chair, Kevin Ruess, George Mason University
Mark Schlager & Judi Fusco, TAPPEDIN, SRI International
Vernon Reed, Sapient, Inc. University of Texas, Austin
Dr. David Gill, Watson School of Education, University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Virtual Location: BABEL

The MUVEsim Experiment - Kevin Ruess

The MUVEsim experiment studied whether people could gain understanding of and empathy for cultural Others (people of different cultural/ethnic identity) by experiencing cultural Otherness virtually. The design used experiential learning theory (a role-play simulation) as a pedagogical framework, with the simulation portion consisting of a job-interview within a MOO. The experiment also used e-mail and a discussion list. Participants played either personas of their own culture, cultural Others, or were "cultural informants" to those playing cultural Others. Roles were not disclosed to other role-players until debriefing. The simulation framework was generally effective, though learning varied among participants.

Pushing the Limits: Cyberspace at the ACTLab - Vernon Reed
During 1997-1998 the Advanced Communication Technologies Laboratory (ACTLab), U of Texas, hosted a 3D virtual world, Utopia, on the Traveler platform. We ran this world as a rule-free, unmoderated zone, to see what kinds of behaviors would manifest. Ultimately, we shut down the world, due to the selfish and malicious behavior of a few users. Additionally, we created another VRML world, LegionWorld, running on the Sony CommunityPlace platform. This world was designed to instantiate the concept of distributed identity in cyberspace, and it provided some interesting insights into embodiment and subjectivity.

Online Learning in the Virtual School of Education - Dr. David Gill
The VSE, Virtual School of Education (on world DrGill), is home to a pilot program in online learning. The VSE was created in an attempt to blend aspects of distance education with modes of learning that generally can only be found in the classroom. The VSE acts as a virtual meeting place for classroom discussion, as well as a physical space for posting web-based lessons which use the Eduprise tool set, a third party application. In time, the VSE will house several online and ‘blended’ university classes, as well as meeting and gathering spaces for partnership programs.

Establishing an On-line Community of Education Professionals - Judith Fusco
TAPPED IN, is an online community of about 7500 educators. As Community Director of TAPPED IN for the past three years, Judi will share the knowledge-building issues and findings that have emerged in this work. Questions that it has raised are: what form of governance and facilities are needed to support cooperation and group work; how can people with similar interests find one another; how are the benefits and costs of the system shared equitably; and how to foster cooperation and trust.

PANEL 4 - 1pm to 2pm PDT
Science Education in Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVE's) - Science Museums, Ecoworlds and 3D GIS
Chair, Margaret Corbit, Cornell Theory Center, Cornell University
Omar Khan, Cornell University
Dr. Cinzia Gandini, Medico Veterinario, Spec. Clinica dei Piccoli Animali
Greg Steltenpohl, LifeLearn Davenport, Chaordic Alliance
Chad Rooney & Patrick McKercher, University of California, Santa Cruz
Virtual Location: SCICENTR

Introduction - Margaret Corbit
Online virtual worlds provide a unique system for interfacing with information and with simulations online. In addition to the visual 3D environment, they allow for social interaction among the users of a particular space. We will present several different approaches to developing science worlds ranging from virtual hands-on informal science simulation exhibit to classroom environments for teaching environmental science.

Vetunimi: Medical Education in a Virtual World A Preliminary Investigation - Cinzia Gandini
The Vetunimi project explores the effectiveness of the Active Worlds Technology and its impact on the veterinary medical field as a new technological approach to information and education. This study is focused on the evaluation of significant and innovative features (3D object building, modeling, object actions and bots) to achieve a powerful educational Virtual Environment (VE). The resulting interests, contacts and collaborative work arising from this VE are evaluated over a period of one year. The most relevant characteristic of the Active Worlds Technology is its unique online programming environment. This allows rapid changes to be made to the VE giving great flexibility in presenting information and providing support. Ongoing work includes: the support of isolated areas, the conservation of regional (agricultural and breeding) traditions and the need for a reference point to achieve a homogeneous cultural development. This study emphasizes the presence of an ancillary support inside the VE based on real people, to facilitate user communication. These preliminary results seem to be very encouraging and a further investigation is in progress.

SciCentr - Informal Science Education in a Virtual World - Omar Khan
Omar will discuss the development cycle and unique potential of virtual hands-on science simulation exhibits as they relate to three exhibits in SciCentr: Fourier Fountain: A multiuser, "singing" fountain that will serve as a focal landscape for an area that presents exhibits on wave science. Gene House: A multiuser exhibit where elementary plant genetics is explored through simulated cross-breeding of plants. GridBot: A bot that generates explorable exhibits in Virtual Worlds. These exhibits are surfaces that are geometric interpretations of data sets, interpretations that can be explored and analyzed by users in the Virtual Environment.

ECollegE - Development and Pedagogy in an Envrinmental CVE - Patrick McKercher and Chad Rooney
Many educators intuitively and from experience know that hands-on learning can be very powerful, but we often lack the theory and pedagogy to convince traditional colleagues, administrators, and funding agencies. Patrick will offer a quick overview of such pedagogical foundations and point out sources for further investigation. Patrick McKercher and Chad Rooney will discuss the design and development of eCollegE, an immersive environmental world created to serve as a bridge to the public schools. They will discuss pitfalls to be avoided, as well as the potential for educational virtual worlds.

2pm to 3pm PDT, 5pm to 6pm EST
Vlearn3D SPECIAL KEYNOTE Panel
Cyberforum@ArtCenter Fall 2000
Avatecture: Merging Physical and Virtual Spaces
Chair, Mike Heim, Art Center College of Design
A special kick-off for Cyberforum@ArtCenter Fall 2000
Guests To Be Announced
Virtual Location: ACCD

Avatecture is the interplay of physical and avatar structures. What is the current state of avatecture? Do virtual worlds inform physical life? Are physical structures becoming interactive installations? Can physical structures morph into virtual realities that generate online avatar communities? Is the avatar world separate, parallel, or tangential to the physical world? Through topic nodes and ritual movement, this panel, led by Mike Heim in ACCD world, will explore the new modes of construction and discuss the future of the 3D Net. This panel will continue in a parallel universe, Active Worlds, on October 15 as part of Avatars 2000.