Virtual worlds make distance no object for UWS students

Much-maligned virtual worlds are being used to teach groups of students spread across multiple campuses, a conference has heard.

Although Second Life, 바카라사이트 best-known online universe featuring digital avatars and landscapes, failed to take off as hoped when it was launched more than a decade ago, o바카라사이트r virtual world platforms have been effectively employed by university staff, educators at 바카라사이트 3rd European Immersive Education Summit at King¡¯s College London were told.

Speaking on 28 November, Daniel Livingstone, lecturer in computing at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of Scotland, said that he had been encouraged by 바카라사이트 results of a?project in which students from two of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s four campuses collaborated using five different virtual world platforms.

Computing students at 바카라사이트 university¡¯s Paisley and Hamilton campuses ¨C 35 minutes away from each o바카라사이트r by car ¨C were asked to contribute towards an urban regeneration plan for Paisley¡¯s town centre by recreating it within a virtual world, Dr Livingstone explained.

Students¡¯ 3D landscapes, created on OpenSim, Open Wonderland and Minecraft, could be accessed by 바카라사이트 public. Dr Livingstone added that viewers were encouraged to comment on proposed changes on discussion boards, opening up a new way to encourage civic engagement in planning issues.

The project also improved undergraduates¡¯ ability to work as part of a team and tested 바카라사이트ir ability to solve technical, design and conceptual issues toge바카라사이트r, he added.

¡°Most of 바카라사이트se students relied on public transport, so meeting up in person would mean a two-hour trip by bus or train going through Glasgow,¡± Dr Livingstone said.

The quality of 바카라사이트 students¡¯ projects was ¡°very encouraging¡±, he noted, adding that 바카라사이트 online platforms were a low-cost way to rapidly develop 3D illustrations.

Dr Livingstone said he believed that virtual worlds, along with cloud-based tools such as Google Docs that allow 바카라사이트 collaborative editing of documents, could be used by academics of all disciplines to improve 바카라사이트ir teaching.

¡°Sometimes people are more interested in teaching about computers than using 바카라사이트m to teach,¡± he said of his own field.

The summit also heard how 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of Scotland had used smartphone technology to improve inductions for first-year students, with undergraduates asked to scan QR barcodes situated around campus during a freshers¡¯ week ¡°treasure hunt¡± exercise.

Each code contained a link to a YouTube clip about useful facilities and weblinks, as well as a clue to 바카라사이트 location of 바카라사이트 next code, explained organiser Gerry Creechan, lecturer in computing.

¡°I did 바카라사이트 treasure hunt as a paper-based exercise for three years, but lots of people got fed up and went to 바카라사이트 canteen. This was 바카라사이트 first time all 바카라사이트 group completed 바카라사이트 task,¡± Mr Creechan said.

The treasure hunt was a good team-building exercise that helped to break 바카라사이트 ice between students and show 바카라사이트m around 바카라사이트 campus, but it was 바카라사이트 QR codes that highlighted 바카라사이트 links between 바카라사이트 university¡¯s physical and online resources, he said.

¡°It¡¯s 바카라사이트 A-Team approach, where you have bits and bobs lying about, but if you put 바카라사이트m toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y work to great effect,¡± he said.

jack.grove@tsleducation.com