| Catherine began the
presentation..
Thank you everyone for being here. We are
first going to introduce ourselves quickly, and then we will move right on
to our goals and objectives. There is no voice or video being used during
this presentation. Just text and slides. Our contact info will be
available in the end along with the works referenced.
My name in RL is Catherine Parsons, CURRENTLY
I am a K - 12 curriculum specialist at DCBOCES, a regional education
agency in NY serving 8000+ teachers, 49,000+ students in 14 Public
Districts and 38 non-public institutions. Today I signed my contract to
become the Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction and PPS for
the Pine Plains Central School District starting July 1, 2007 ( ;-) ). On
the side, I teach in the Graduate School of Secondary Education at SUNY
New Paltz, and am working on my EdD from UoP in Educational Leadership -
Curriculum and Instruction. My doctoral research is currently slated to be
focused on the adult learning process in communities of practice during
the process of adoption of Emerging Technologies (namely MUVEs and the SL
Project at Ramapo Islands in the Teen Grid). KJ and Maggie are part of my
affinity group. Both people who I met in SL, both people (along with many
others) who have had fundamental impact on me as a learner, and as a
friend.
The ladies let Kevin get a word in...
My "day job" is as a K-4 Technology
Facilitator at an elementary school in southern NJ, where I have taught
for four years. I walked away from a business career in I.T. consulting in
2002 to become a teacher and haven't looked back since. I also teach
online, part-time at Walden University's Graduate School of Education. I
received a grant in March to take 4 to 6 months off teaching and explore
SL from both the adult and teen learner perspectives. I have been
learning, exploring, and blogging since then, with my colleague and former
Walden student, Clare Lane. I have also been actively involved with ISTE's
SL "Docent" (aka volunteer) program. I have made incredibly powerful
personal and professional relationships in SL, starting with the two
amazing people with me today. I'm here to talk about something called the
Center for Advanced Virtual Education, aka The C.A.V.E., which was created
by Ryan Bretag, Ferdi Serim, Kathy Schrock and me. It is a group for
facilities designed to support exploration of SL, which counts among its
"residents" some of the true "rock stars" in education!
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
SL brought Maggie KJ and Victoria together. Ultimately, our lives and
careers are fundamentally different because of the connection we made
here. And yes, KJ and I are mentors on Ramapo Island in Teen SL, and we
are all involved on that side of the grid. Maggie is presenting directly
after our talk about the Ramapo Project in detail. Our focus for this
presentation is different. We are here collectively today to take a look
at the creation of Affinity Groups, and how this concept applies to the
Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) - including but not limited to SL.
We will take some time to explore the theories and practice behind them,
and speak about some examples that we witness in this MUVE, Second Life.
Our goal is to highlight the theories as they are seen within the
examples, and to give you a chance to ask questions that you may have in
mind. FYI - the complete reference list will be available at the end of
the presentation, along with our contact information and blogsites.
Overview of research and constructs
Amazingly today we saw many of the other presentations, and each
eventually turned to talking about the relationships formed here in a MUVE.
Bill Moseley in his Q&A talked about the relationships and interactions in
world. Sarah Robbins also addressed this concept. It is community
creating, yet one step beyond.
Affinity groups are groups of like minded individuals bonded together by a
common objective, not by “race, gender, nation, ethnicity, or culture” as
outlined by James Paul Gee. What you see here today, actually. The SLBPE
brings together educators focused on a common goal, regardless of ace,
gender, nation, ethnicity, or culture.
Mark Prensky looks at simulations (for our purposes today we are
classifying MUVEs as simulations inclusive of SL) and he notes that in
simulated spaces learners, “cooperate... collaborate... make effective
decisions under stress... take prudent risks in pursuit of objectives...
make ethical and moral decisions... employ scientific deduction... are
quicker to master and apply new skills and information... think laterally
and strategically... persist and solve difficult problems... understand
and deal with foreign cultures... and manage businesses and people.” Note
the cooperative and collaborative that caps this statement. Affinity
groups evolve as a community and by their very nature are cooperative and
collaborative.
In simulated environments users seek out the social connections while
applying identity and self knowledge principles that allow one to examine
"self" within interactions. These interactions happen parallel to the
principle of “cultural models about the world” dealing with how the user
comes in direct contact with the need to reflect on their assumptions
about their cultural context when interacting in a global society.
Cognitive dissonance emerges as the network of individuals (in this case a
global network) allows for extended interactions. Users then take risks
through the “psychosocial moratorium” principal. The real world
consequences are lowered in simulated environments, allowing learners to
extend their barriers of personal risk and adult learning. All of these
concepts feed into the desire for an individual to seek out like minded
individuals and groups: affinity groups, because none of the principle
mentioned can happen in isolation.
Modeling is a motivational factor, and part of the concept of affinity
groups. Sullo points out to us that others seek out positive examples of
behavior and look to replicate these applied to our own purposes. In order
for modeling to take place, one needs to be involved in a community where
interactions related to their objectives are available. So "people seek
people" FOR and AS examples, for testing theory, for trying new ideas and
looking at outcomes. Affinity groups provide a basis for this modeling
behavior.
Constructs of relationships in online environments
One phenomena we see is the manner in which
relationships evolve at an accelerated rate in Second Life. This in one
way can be explained by looking at other text based learning environments
such as online courses. There is a level of intimacy involved in the
written word. Drost and Drost note that “It may seem ironic that an online
course could quickly become a very tight "community" of learners -- given
the virtual nature of the community; but it makes sense. In order for
people to be willing to share the written word with each other, they need
to have attained a certain comfort level with their peers”. So our need to
share the written word increases the rate in which we find ourselves
comfortable with our peers, leaving us open to bonding relationships. Now
what pushes the MUVE to a different level that Online classrooms, IM, IP
video, blogs, or Skype? The chat room space or flat point to point video
connection does not allow for a user to experience an environment from
their own perspective. One that they can manipulate, can control, from
ones own perspective, both visually and physically. We are also
introducing body language and facial expressions into the mix that are not
accessible through emoticons. As for blogs and other Web 2.0 technology:
although we know there are millions of others out there on myspace and
Ebay at the same time, do we really KNOW they are there, can we "speak"
with them F2F? Philip Rosedale made that argument at VW2007 in March
saying that the metaverse allows us to “BE with the millions of others”.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The International Society for Technology in
Education is a professional organization that many, if not most, of us are
very familiar with. They established their presence in SL Winter 06/07
lead by Kittygloom Cassidy.
In early 2007, they invited members to join
their SL group which quickly grew to over 1,200 members in the span of
about four months. In the process, they have created a vibrant, living
community that continues to grow rapidly and organically, and is the
common thread that ties the three of us together. This growth taxed the
sim so heavily that ISTE decided to commission its own island, which is
now under development.
This growth taxed the sim so heavily that
ISTE decided to commission its own island, which is now under development.
ISTE has created a true virtual community,
starting with their headquarters, which has a collection of links to
web-based RL resources, information about the group, meeting and chatting
space, as well as a "SkyPark" for regularly scheduled gatherings and
presentations. Don't forget the free T-Shirts! Everyone loves freebies,
and educators entering SL for the first time often choose ISTE as their
first location to visit once completing their orientation.
To make that new-experience as pleasant as
possible, and to promote the organization as well as its work in SL, ISTE
initiated a 'docent' (guide) program that places volunteers at HQ during
various times of the day. The docents are users like everyone else, some
experienced in SL, some nearly brand-new, but all of whom committed to
making the community vibrant, useful, and relevant by providing guidance,
support, encouragement and direction to people that happen by. In doing
so, they promote SL as well as the organization, increasing RL membership
and positioning the organization favorably in the minds of educators
worldwide.
ISTE also helps build community through its
weekly events - the famous "Thursday Night SkyPark Socials" are where many
of us got to meet each other for the first time, and although they can be
chaotic, confusing, and intimidating to some (30+ people in a single chat
can get somewhat unwieldy), the immersion and sensory overload is an
inescapable part of SL, and people quickly learn how to manage and process
the information, or retreat to a quiet corner of the sim with a few people
they want to get to know personally.
More on Affinity Groups
The C.A.V.E
The Center for Advanced Virtual Education is
a loose collection of four facilities (private homes essentially) located
on EduIsland II. The C.A.V.E. leaders are Ryan Bretag, Ferdi Serim, Kathy
Schrock, and myself. The group is dedicated to fostering exploration of
and reflection on SL's potential in K-20 education.
One day in SL, I discovered that Ryan Bretag
had leased a goregous home on a new sim, EduIsland II. He quickly showed
me around and I decided I wanted one just like it (not sure why, but I
learned that envy is very real in SL!). I missed the first opportunity, as
an identical house near him was snapped up by Ferdi Serim. Ryan was kind
enough to let me stay in his house for a few days; we became roomates.
Soon thereafter the developer contacted me to say he made room for another
house. I leased it but by that time Ryan and Ferdi had already outfitted
their homes with all the coolest stuff for meetings, collaboration and
exploration. I wanted to be different...and thought...what could *I*
contribute? Then it hit me, the missing thing was PEOPLE, and the best way
I could contribute to the community would be to bring PEOPLE that I know
(or that I could contact) into the SL conversation. But WHICH people?
As it turns out, Ferdi had already contacted
his friend Kathy Schrock about SL and was discussing its potential when I
realized that she and I had met at Alan November's Building Learning
Communities conference in July 2006. Those of you who have met Kathy in RL
know how approachable and open she is. Amazingly, she actually remembered
sharing breakfast with me that day, and we began talking about SL. Her
enthusiasm was clear, driven by the environment's potential, immersive
nature, and just plain fun - and then I realized that her rolodex could be
the key to attracting some of the greatest names in EDTECH - the "rock
stars" of our world - into SL. I presented her with the premise: what if
we created a residence in SL where these people could live, get
acclimiated, provided with support, and encouraged to explore? Would they
be interested? Her enthusiastic answer made it clear we were onto
something, and with a flurry of emails, invitations went out, and people
started signing up. Among them:
* Andy Carvin
* Hall Davidson
* Doug Johnson
* Ian Jukes
* Annette Lamb
* Sylvia Martinez
* Brian Mull, Chris Turek and Alan November of November Learning
* Will Richardson
* David Warlick
* Jeff Utecht
And so, my facility, Carl F. Spackler Hall,
was born. Although it is still a work in progress, as all the members have
not fully moved in yet, it has already sparked amazing interest,
discussion and and exploration of SL, pro AND con, which was precisely the
intent. Soon, the US blogosphere began to see these edtech leaders talking
about SL and their experience. Their substantial readership encouraged
many more - thousands, easily - to look more closely at SL's
possibilities. Many of these people started blogging about SL themselves,
and some even leased residences on EduIsland II (which is now full), and
an amazing confluence of learners has emerged.
Goals/Philosophy
1) GET IN THE GAME - you can't learn if you
don't play (you have to experience SL firsthand to judge it fairly)
2) SHARE - blog about it!
3) HELP OTHERS - Pay It Forward
4) GROW IT - attract and retain more
like-minded educators (Meg Ormiston, Jen Wagner, etc.)
Activities
Coming soon - socials like ISTE, general
talks, more. For now we've just been getting people into SL, getting them
oriented and equipped with tools, sending them to must-see SL sites,
introducing and connecting them to others - then just sitting back to
watch the magic happen, and it is. Examples - Hall Davidson/Dembo
Discovery Network; blogging by Will and David and Ryan as T&L blog
correspondent; connections made to the outside world
What we see happening with the CAVE, what we
can all witness is the "Wisdom of the Group" evolving. Douglas Reeves
talks about Leaders who collectively make more accurate decisions when the
conversation and decision making is entrusted to a diverse group rather
than a single individual. Reeves contends that Leadership is not a heroic
and solitary enterprise, but one of community inclusion that leads to
organizational and collaborative success. The conversations we see
happening in the CAVE are pieces of evidence of this (NOT the ONLY
evidence of this). The educators in SL are working to find out how this
emerging genre of technology can and will be applied best in the education
setting, and collectively will make a better choice - moving forward a
better decision because of the collective decisions of a bonded community.
Ramapo Islands
When I developed the proposal for Ramapo
Islands, I didn't make a move without flying it by my mentor, James Yap
(Director of Instructional Technology and Data management). I asked for
three sims, and I asked for a year's maintenance for them. I then
presented the virtual world to my Superintendent, Dr. Robert MacNaughton,
and to the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Mrs. Judy Barbera, via
keynote with "borrowed" clips and stills I had taken from the main grid.
I didn't need to explain 21st century
literacy to my Superintendent as he is already "all over it". This is a
man who asked that the faculty read The World is Flat by R. Friedman over
the summer break! He also has instituted a 6th grade Chinese language
curriculum. He gets it ---he really does! But even he foresaw the
potential problems we could face with security issues were we not able to
guarantee our student's safety.
Around the same time we were grappling with
the finer points of our development, Second Life was receiving a great
deal of press, and much of it addressed the adult content. Dr.
MacNaughton must have called me a half dozen times inquiring about the
articles. Each time I would reiterate the difference between the Main
Grid and the Teen Grid, as well as the difference between being open on
the Teen Grid and being completely private -- as Ramapo is.
I remember when the article, My So-Called
Second Life by J. Stein published in Time Magazine on Dec. 16, 2006. My
students had been in SL for about two months and Dr. MacNaughton came
striding into the library holding the magazine up and said to me, "Just
tell me this isn't going on around our students!"
Once again I reassured him and happily I was
able to start countering the negative press with the positive. In
January, School Library Journal ran its cover story on Second Life and
featured Ramapo Islands.
Then ISTE delivered a great piece entitled
”There have been numerous articles and
favorable blog entries that I am able to direct him to , and other well
respected educational institutions were getting on board.
I talk about all of this process at great
length because I feel that unless you have an administrator on board you
are headed for disappointment. So many teachers have written to me of
their frustration with their district's policy. Many have SL blocked so
the teacher can't even present a case in school!
From day 1 in Ramapo, the kids instinctively
explored the interface as well as the islands. They didn't wait for
instructions in how to use the tools - for the most part they just started
clicking! I had selected a group of about a dozen students who were into
computers and games.
They were easy to spot as they spent every
lunch hour in the lab accessing any game that they could. I gave them
Ramapo Island accounts, went over the community standards and set them
loose.
In one week, of 45 minute daily encounters,
they had far exceeded my knowledge base and I made them the first "Peer
Mentors" Then the classes arrived, and we started out very simply with
project- based tasks connected to lessons delivered in the real world.
At this point in time the kids were merely
demonstrating knowledge. But what we value so much as educators, the
analysis and synthesis that so often alludes us in our lessons was a
natural result of student evolution in the virtual world, and the level of
engagement was remarkable.
Curiosity returned to the curriculum and the
students started to stretch the boundaries -to construct new meaning, to
apply concepts and theories to new situations, to collaborate and
communicate and, most importantly to reflect.
We truly fit into that semi-synchroniuous
category Catherine defined, as some instruction goes in in real life and
some is conducted in world. But I watch the kids interact and I have
learned that the virtual platform instills some measure of confidence in
my students who would normally hold back in their participation.
Middle school is such a fascinating, if not
difficult time for students who are struggling to "find themselves", to
develop self-worth and self-identity.
I always like to say that my students "try on
new personalities every day” - grasping for one that will yield
acceptance, or status, or even anonymity in some cases.
Not only is this a period of adjustment in
terms of educational expectations, but peer pressures begins to escalate,
and an emerging sense of independence surfaces in addition to their
pubescent hormonal changes! In real life in school, the kids are very
aware of social constraints, and the boundaries between cliques and groups
are pretty well defined. But once in the virtual world, a new construct
develops.
New partnerships begin to form, and these are
based on shared experience and interests both in real life and virtual
life. We, the teachers have witnessed a great deal of peer to peer
instruction, collaboration between students who would not necessarily
"meld" in real life, and a much deeper and more meaningful level of
discussion, reflection, and self-expression.
Perhaps it is the sense of anonymity,
perhaps it is the "level playing field" in terms of appearance
possibilities. Some kids were surprised to discover how much they had in
common with kids they met in world, with whom they had never interacted in
real life.
Bringing it All Together...
Affinity groups support the theory of motivation. Experience creates
success, success creates motivation. Simulated environments allow for the
experience. In order for students to obtain an authentic education, they
must discover, think, act, make mistakes, and live. One core belief
regarding education is educational institutions are accountable for a
design that allows processes to take place in order for students to learn
to be learners and become motivated through experiences. Part of this is
the concept of contribution as the ultimate goal. Will Richardson notes
that social networking technologies allow for students AND teachers to
contribute their own ideas and work to the larger body of knowledge. This
collaboration fosters a level of motivation for learning that we as
educators crave to uncover in our students. This is a concept that was
abundantly clear when interviewing students from Ramapo who noted
specifically that they were motivated to participate in their mock trial
activity due to the platform it was conducted in. Students who contributed
to the evolution of knowledge and the learning process based on a common
goal.
Dewey noted in Experience and Education,
“…every experience should do something to prepare a person for later
experiences of a deeper and more expansive quality. That is the very
meaning of growth, continuity, reconstruction or experience”. Affinity
structures provide the scaffolding for learning to adhere to for adults
and K - 12 students alike. If learning can be seen as a building or
physical structure - the architecture and design of it are constructed by
the individual, creating a unique visual manifested in the way knowledge
attained is applied to the setting it relates to. However, the strongest
of learners are the ones that know the building came to be as a
collective. These learners seek community, seek conversation, seek debate.
They seek all the experts - each one of us - who bring their knowledge to
the building process. They seek affinity. An ongoing learning process and
regime of competence. It is our hope that we have shown you examples of
the affinity group concept in a MUVE, provided constructs for the theory
that supports their evolution and importance, and opened the door for
inquiry and further development of these ideas.
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