Early demographic data hints at what type of student takes a MOOC | Inside Higher Ed

Massive open online courses, or MOOCs, are popular. This much we know.

But as investors and higher ed prognosticators squint into their crystal balls for hints of what this popularity could portend for the rest of higher education, two crucial questions remains largely unanswered: Who are these students, and what do they want?

Some early inquiries into this by two major MOOC providers offer a few hints.

via Early demographic data hints at what type of student takes a MOOC | Inside Higher Ed.

 

Virtual Vignettes Take Two: Realism vs. Surrealism – Part 1 | The Metaverse Tribune

Part 1 – Realism

Building virtual environments is a three dimensional branch of visual art. Within art there are ideological constructs. I find it fascinating that as virtual reality interprets reality we can explore those constructs here; particularly realism and surrealism.

“In general, realists render everyday characters, situations, dilemmas, and objects, all in a “true-to-life” manner. Realists tend to discard theatrical drama, lofty subjects and classical forms of art in favor of commonplace themes.”[1]

via Virtual Vignettes Take Two: Realism vs. Surrealism – Part 1 | The Metaverse Tribune.

via Virtual Vignettes Take Two: Realism vs. Surrealism – Part 1 | The Metaverse Tribune.

Virtual Worlds Timeline: Origins & Evolution of Social Virtual Worlds

In the summer of 2006 to mark the tenth anniversary of the first Contact Consortium conference Earth to Avatars Allan Lundell and Bruce Damer (that’s me!) started to digitize all the video taken of that and other significant events in the virtual worlds community of the mid to late 90s. This archive quickly grew to over 3000 hours of material and gave us a renewed understanding of the importance of those pioneering days and the people who made it all happen. As we spread the word about this effort, an expanding group of people emerged and offered to help us chronicle the birth and evolution of social virtual worlds (worlds in which the main activity is creative or social versus structure game play). This group of people included the pioneering inhabitants of the spaces; employees and developers from the original companies; and the designers and artists who crafted the first generation of avatars and environments. We then started to realize the unique opportunity (and the size of the task) before us: that we had the means, the materials and the people contacts to make possible a comprehensive history of the medium of “social virtual worlds”.

via Virtual Worlds Timeline: Origins & Evolution of Social Virtual Worlds.

 

5:1 – Assembled 2012

Virtual worlds research, it appears from the papers in this issue, is still in its infancy. As these five papers highlight that role of virtual worlds in student experience, identity in virtual worlds, and use of virtual worlds by people with disabilities are some of the areas that require further investigation, experimentation, analysis, and discussion.

via 5:1 – Assembled 2012.

 

Study supports using virtual environment to teach mind/body techniques « Lickity Splits Group Blog

A small study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers found that online virtual communities may be an effective way to train patients in meditation and other mind/body techniques. The ability to learn and practice approaches that elicit the relaxation response – a state of deep rest that has been shown to alleviate stress-related symptoms – in a virtual environment could help surmount several barriers that can restrict participation.

via Study supports using virtual environment to teach mind/body techniques « Lickity Splits Group Blog.

 

SLACTIONS 2012 | SLACTIONS – Life, imagination, and work using metaverse platforms

The metaverse is emerging, through the increasing use of virtual world technologies that act as platforms for end-users to create, develop, and interact, expanding the realm of human cooperation, interaction, and creativity. The conference focus is scientific research on applications and developments of these metaverse platforms: Habbo Hotel, IMVU, Second Life, OpenSimulator, Open Croquet, Activeworlds, Project Wonderland, and others, including MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, and virtual worlds based on social networks, such as *-ville and others, providing a forum for the research community to present and discuss innovative approaches, techniques, processes, and research results.

via SLACTIONS 2012 | SLACTIONS – Life, imagination, and work using metaverse platforms.

 

Experience with using second life for medical education in a family and community medicine education unit

The application of new technologies to the education of health professionals is both a challenge and a necessity. Virtual worlds are increasingly being explored as a support for education.Aim: The aim of this work is to study the suitability of Second Life (SL) as an educational tool for primary healthcare professionals.

via Experience with using second life for medical education in a family and community medicine education unit.

 

It’s Not a Game … « Mariis’ explorations of 3D remediation

Even though my PhD-research has focused exclusively on Second Life, I will in one of my theoretical chapters examine the concept and evolution of Virtual Worlds in general. As a prelude to a discussion of several Virtual World definitions and typologies, I have chosen to look closer at what two prominent figures within the field have to say about Virtual Worlds. Richard A. Bartle (co-creator of MUD1, which by many is considered the first computer-based (albeit text only) Virtual World) and Cory Ondrejka (co-creator of Second Life) both agree that Virtual Worlds are not games. However, what’s interesting is that Bartle and Ondrejka seem to reach this conclusion based on very different arguments.

via It’s Not a Game … « Mariis’ explorations of 3D remediation.

Report: Barriers to the rise of artificially intelligent tutors at traditional universities | Inside Higher Ed

The machines are rising. Soon they will be sophisticated enough to fill certain faculty roles at traditional universities. But to make this revolution work for students, academic leaders at those traditional institutions will need to broker a peace between artificially intelligent teaching programs and their human counterparts, according to a new report written by the former presidents of two prominent traditional universities on behalf of the nonprofit Ithaka S+R.

Online education has enabled many colleges to transition into the prevailing modern medium while adding new sources of revenue in times of scarcity, according to the Ithaka report. However, these innovative colleges have shown less interest in using the novel medium to curb tuition charges and measure learning outcomes.

via Report: Barriers to the rise of artificially intelligent tutors at traditional universities | Inside Higher Ed.

 

Tiny robotic wheelchairs could help impaired babies develop – msnNOW

This touching video outlines an effort at the University of Delaware to build biotech robots for babies with mobility impairments. The idea is that exploring, touching, crawling and grabbing are all critical pieces of learning for infants and that movement helps them form “important neurological connections.” Yet kids with conditions like cerebral palsy, spina bifida and forms of autism often miss out on that cognitive and socialization potential, and wheelchairs are not typically available until they are at least 5 years old. The U of D teams hopes to change that. The devices, which act like powered mini-wheelchairs, are not yet for commercially available; however, they are working hard to soon make them accessible to the public.

via Tiny robotic wheelchairs could help impaired babies develop – msnNOW.

Although off-topic, this one is of important, general interest.