Merle P Hearns

"Engaging with Second Life; Real Education in a Virtual World" is a project funded through the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission's Encouraging and Supporting Innovation Fund, that commenced in July 2008. Foundation students at Manukau Institute of Technology are the first students to utilise a build on the island of Kowhai in Second Life, designed and constructed as part of this SLENZ (Second Life Education in New Zealand) project. Foundation students follow a variety of pathways, but it is assumed that all of them need to develop interview skills. This assumption is based on the proliferation of claims such as, “Whether it is the first interview or the 20th, everyone needs to know how to handle all three parts of an interview…” (Choices Professional) or “Everyone needs to learn how to approach interviews. “ (Society of Human Resources Management). Research such as that conducted by Loyalist College in SL (see under Second Life) has suggested the potential effi...

Virtual worlds continue to be used in Australia and New Zealand higher education institutions although the hype has settled. Whilst some higher education institutions continue to use virtual worlds as they have done for some time, other institutions are trialing different virtual worlds and some are opting out altogether. An overview of how 46 authors from 28 institutions see virtual worlds as an opportunity to sustain the future of higher education is presented. The positives and negatives of using virtual worlds are discussed.

The adoption and pedagogical use of technologies such as virtual worlds to support teaching and learning, and research in higher education involves a complex interplay of technical, organisational and personal factors. In this paper, eighteen educators and researchers provide an overview of how they perceive a virtual world can be used in education from the perspective of themselves as individuals 'me', their educational organisations and as members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group (VWWG) community of practice 'us', as well as the complex technology that underpins this learning environment 'IT'. Drawing on Linstone's (1981, 1984) Technical, Organisational and Personal (TOP) multiple perspective concept as the framework for analysis, the authors discuss their perspectives of how the personal, organisational and technical aspects of teaching through the use of virtual worlds have impacted on their teaching and research in highe...

The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations about its potential for transforming pedagogical practice and improving student learning outcomes. A critique of the rhetoric accompanying the evolution of 3D virtual world education reveals a similar pattern, with the initial hype based more on rhetoric than research demonstrating the extent to which rhetoric matches reality. Addressed are the perceived gaps in the literature through a critique of the rhetoric evident throughout the evolution of the application of virtual worlds in education and the reality based on the reported experiences of experts in the field of educational technology, who are all members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. The experiences reported highlight a range of effective virtual world collaborative and communicative teaching experiences conducted in members' institutions. Perspectives vary from those whose reality is the actuati...

This paper examines the use of a MUVE (Multi-User Virtual Environment) to train foundation students in interviewing skills. Foundation students at Manukau Institute of Technology are the first students to utilise the build on Kowhai in Second Life, designed and constructed as part of the SLENZ (Second Life Education in New Zealand) project. Research has suggested the potential efficacy of Second Life for education and that interview skills can be enhanced through virtual training in role-playing scenarios. Academic engagement and social engagement have already been displayed in early sessions in Second Life. The educational gains of using Second Life for interview skill development will be demonstrated through this pilot study and in future the build on Kowhai can be further developed and offered to many departments in institutions throughout New Zealand where interviewing is an essential part of the professional training package.

Description Virtual worlds (VWs) continue to be used extensively in Australia and New Zealand higher education institutions although the tendency towards making unrealistic claims of efficacy and popularity appears to be over. Some educators at higher education institutions continue to use VWs in the same way as they have done in the past; others are exploring a range of different VWs or using them in new ways; whilst some are opting out altogether. This paper presents an overview of how 46 educators from some 26 ...

There continues to be strong interest among established, experienced academic users of 3D virtual environments for educational purposes. Consistent with global trends, they plan to further develop and optimise existing applications, reuse s kills and experiences gained to develop new applications, and to share and reuse existing virtual resources. This is against a background of varied support from institutions, colleagues, students, funding bodies and also changing understanding and awareness of virtual environments and virtual reality by the general community as a result of consumer developments such as the popularity of multi-user online role playing amongst both children and adults, and the acquisition of technologies by companies with deeply entrenched technologies. At the same time, the ongoing development and availability of new multiuser virtual environment platforms, associated eripherals and virtual reality technologies promise new and exciting opportunities for educators ...

The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations about its potential for transforming pedagogical practice and improving student learning outcomes. A critique of the rhetoric accompanying the evolution of 3D virtual world education reveals a similar pattern, with the initial hype based more on rhetoric than research demonstrating the extent to which rhetoric matches reality. Addressed are the perceived gaps in the literature through a critique of the rhetoric evident throughout the evolution of the application of virtual worlds in education and the reality based on the reported experiences of experts in the field of educational technology, who are all members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. The experiences reported highlight a range of effective virtual world collaborative and communicative teaching experiences conducted in members' institutions. Perspectives vary from those whose reality is the actuation of the initial rhetoric in the early years of virtual world education, to those whose reality is fraught with challenges that belie the rhetoric. Although there are concerns over institutional resistance, restrictions, and outdated processes on the one-hand, and excitement over the rapid emergence of innovation on the other, the prevailing reality seems to be that virtual world education is both persistent and sustainable. Explored are critical perspectives on the rhetoric and reality on the educational uptake and use of virtual worlds in higher education, providing an overview of the current and future directions for learning in virtual worlds.

The emergence of any new educational technology is often accompanied by inflated expectations about its potential for transforming pedagogical practice and improving student learning outcomes. A critique of the rhetoric accompanying the evolution of 3D virtual world education reveals a similar pattern, with the initial hype based more on rhetoric than research demonstrating the extent to which rhetoric matches reality. Addressed are the perceived gaps in the literature through a critique of the rhetoric evident throughout the evolution of the application of virtual worlds in education and the reality based on the reported experiences of experts in the field of educational technology, who are all members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. The experiences reported highlight a range of effective virtual world collaborative and communicative teaching experiences conducted in members' institutions. Perspectives vary from those whose reality is the actuation of the initial rhetoric in the early years of virtual world education, to those whose reality is fraught with challenges that belie the rhetoric. Although there are concerns over institutional resistance, restrictions, and outdated processes on the one-hand, and excitement over the rapid emergence of innovation on the other, the prevailing reality seems to be that virtual world education is both persistent and sustainable. Explored are critical perspectives on the rhetoric and reality on the educational uptake and use of virtual worlds in higher education, providing an overview of the current and future directions for learning in virtual worlds.

The adoption and pedagogical use of technologies such as virtual worlds to support teaching and learning, and research in higher education involves a complex interplay of technical, organisational and personal factors. In this paper, eighteen educators and researchers provide an overview of how they perceive a virtual world can be used in education from the perspective of themselves as individuals 'me', their educational organisations and as members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group (VWWG) community of practice 'us', as well as the complex technology that underpins this learning environment 'IT'. Drawing on Linstone's (1981, 1984) Technical, Organisational and Personal (TOP) multiple perspective concept as the framework for analysis, the authors discuss their perspectives of how the personal, organisational and technical aspects of teaching through the use of virtual worlds have impacted on their teaching and research in higher education. The potential of employing the TOP framework to inform future research into the use of technologies such as virtual worlds in teaching and learning is explored.

3D virtual reality, including the current generation of multi-user virtual worlds, has had a long history of use in education and training, and it experienced a surge of renewed interest with the advent of Second Life in 2003. What followed shortly after were several years marked by considerable hype around the use of virtual worlds for teaching, learning and research in higher education. For the moment, uptake of the technology seems to have plateaued, with academics either maintaining the status quo and continuing to use virtual worlds as they have previously done or choosing to opt out altogether. This paper presents a brief review of the use of virtual worlds in the Australian and New Zealand higher education sector in the past and reports on its use in the sector at the present time, based on input from members of the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group. It then adopts a forward-looking perspective amid the current climate of uncertainty, musing on future directions and offering suggestions for potential new applications in light of recent technological developments and innovations in the area.

A look at history is a look at the journeys made by individuals, groups, and societies. 
Back in 1972, the food processor was seen as the answer to the problems faced by all home chefs. However, the decision to purchase this new and expensive kitchen appliance was fraught with challenges. It was often difficult to use. There was a lot to learn in order to get the results you wanted. But once accustomed to this new appliance, slicing, dicing, kneading, shredding, could be so much more efficiently executed.
From 2005, many educators were faced with a challenging decision, whether to take a strange new road into virtual worlds or to watch critically while others made this journey. By 2007, virtual world learning and teaching was seen by many as an educational panacea. Seven years later, the hype has died down, but there is now a large body of experience and research that indicates that virtual worlds are versatile, efficient, and productive educational resources.
This presentation will deal with a personal journey as an educator: a hesitation at initial crossroads, a tentative journey leading into Second Life, and then a far more confident venture along alternative routes. This journey includes a movement from institutional shock to acceptance, from personal inadequacy to professional competence. Students now expect to engage in virtual worlds. This participation is seen as a natural part of regular classroom practice. What has been achieved and continues to be achieved is efficiency in learning and enthusiasm for the process.

Multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) are growing in popularity with the emergence of faster broadband Internet access and more powerful computer technology. Virtual worlds are used extensively for social networking, business, and education. The virtual world (VW) of Second Life has 12 million residents (a resident is a person represented within the VW by an avatar). The 3D Art Challenges started at the University of Western Australia in Second Life (SL) in 2009. Since that time, UWA has rapidly emerged as a central hub of art activity in SL. A survey was conducted in SL by UWA to understand the demographic who are regular participants in the Art Challenges. It was hoped to determine virtual age, ethnicity, experience, education, insights into virtual art, and opinions regarding the Art Challenges from as wide a sample as possible. It was hoped that the information obtained would further enlighten researchers regarding the role of large social networks and communities in achieving...

ABSTRACT Art and design students in SL experience the advantages of a visually rich environment where they can take a leading role in their own learning, have the opportunity to create objects that defy real world limitations, are immersive and interactive, and where they are able to collaborate with a community of global art practitioners. The 3D Art Challenges started at the University of Western Australia in Second Life in 2009. Since that time, UWA has rapidly emerged as a central hub of art activity in SL. The story of UWA’s journey into Second Life and a recent survey of past and present participants of the UWA Art Challenges indicate that the environment of a virtual world is well suited to the teaching of art and design skills. The UWA Art Challenges have the potential to be valuable resources for educators and students.

Literacy is vital for success in life.  In New Zealand, particularly in South Auckland, there are high literacy needs. Developing the literacy levels of enabling students will allow them a much greater chance of achieving the academic goals to which they aspire. At Manukau Institute of Technology, the virtual worlds of Second Life and OpenSim are now used to provide students with engaging and stimulating learning activities. Literacy activities, designed and carried out in Second Life, with students from a Māori cohort of pre-degree nurses, resulted in significant improvements in writing and reading progressions, and digital literacy. A second, current project is underway to create a Literacy game in OpenSim. The game will be set in early New Zealand and contain elements of Māori mythology. The delivery shift to a virtual world provides a unique opportunity for educators to promote integrated literacy development geared to the needs of individual learners.

"Engaging with Second Life; Real Education in a Virtual World" is a project funded through the New Zealand Tertiary Education Commission's Encouraging and Supporting Innovation Fund, that commenced in July 2008.  Foundation students at Manukau Institute of Technology are the first students to utilise a build on the island of Kowhai in Second Life, designed and constructed as part of this SLENZ (Second Life Education in New Zealand) project.  Foundation students follow a variety of pathways, but it is assumed that all of them need to develop interview skills.  This assumption is based on the proliferation of claims such as, “Whether it is the first interview or the 20th, everyone needs to know how to handle all three parts of an interview…” (Choices Professional) or “Everyone needs to learn how to approach interviews. “ (Society of Human Resources Management).  Research such as that conducted by Loyalist College in SL has suggested the potential efficacy of Second Life for education and that interview skills can be enhanced through virtual training in role-playing scenarios.  (Linden Lab)  Academic engagement and social engagement have already been displayed in early sessions in Second Life.  The SLENZ Foundation Pilot has aimed at providing the safe scaffolding of students in SL by encouraging collaboration between educators and sound instructional design.

This paper examines the use of a MUVE (Multi-User Virtual Environment) to train
foundation students in interviewing skills. Foundation students at Manukau Institute of
Technology are the first students to utilise the build on Kowhai in Second Life, designed
and constructed as part of the SLENZ (Second Life Education in New Zealand) project.
Research has suggested the potential efficacy of Second Life for education and that
interview skills can be enhanced through virtual training in role-playing scenarios.
Academic engagement and social engagement have already been displayed in early sessions
in Second Life. The educational gains of using Second Life for interview skill development
will be demonstrated through this pilot study and in future the build on Kowhai can be
further developed and offered to many departments in institutions throughout