Transcript of the Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable: April 21, 2022
Topic: Open Forum
Photo by Beth Ghostraven
Anyone may pose a question or discussion related to virtual worlds education.
Sheila Yoshikawa: Hi everyone, and welcome to the Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable. VWER meets on Thursdays at 12 noon SLT for an hour, in the UK 8pm, 3pm EST. VWER is a forum to educate and inform the community about issues that are important and relevant to education in virtual worlds.
Sheila Yoshikawa: This is a public meeting, so we will be keeping and publishing a transcript. The transcripts can be found at https://vwer.info/. The VWER continues to develop a community of educators from around the world.
Sheila Yoshikawa: Please join the VWER group here in SL. If you are on Facebook please join our group there http://www.facebook.com/groups/159154226946/
The topic for this week’s meeting will be: Open Forum!
Sheila Yoshikawa: As usual we will be in text chat for the whole session. Let’s start as we normally do and introduce ourselves. Just type into text chat as much or as little as you want.
Jamie Jordan (jwheels.carver): I’m Jamie and I work with Selby on many virtual world projects. Most of our current focus is on https://3dwebworldz.com/
PI (pi.illios): PI Illios Virtual Reference medical Librarian & Library Website Content Developer & Manager Conrado F. Asenjo Library University of Puerto Rico’s Medical Sciences Campus https://www.upr.edu/biblioteca-rcm FB https://www.facebook.com/PicaraPI Twitter @PI_illios
Beth Ghostraven: I’m a retired teacher-librarian in RL and owner of Ghostraven Professional Attire, classic clothing for educators in SL (http://bethghostraven.com). I also own the Book and Tankard Pub in Victoria City, Caledon, in SL.
My outreach and communications activities include:
– Communications Chair for the VWBPE Conference http://vwbpe.org ;
– Transcript editor for VWER http://vwer.info
– VSTE Facilitator (Virginia Society for Technology in Education)
– Uunofficial liaison between education groups in SL (AKA Spam Queen)
For information on events for the educational virtual world groups that I work with, see the Virtual Worlds Edu Events Calendar at https://tinyurl.com/b5rr2fj5
I’ll be taking photos to publish with the transcript; if you have any objection, please IM me.
Sheila Yoshikawa: I am a faculty member in the Information School, University of Sheffield, UK and I’m leader of VWER. I blog at http://information-literacy.blogspot.com
Meryl McBride: Professor, Colorado State University
Sheila Yoshikawa: Hi Taylar, we’re on introductions
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): I am Shiloh, trained in anthropology, interested in museum exhibit building in virtual worlds… and working on a project to bring the UN initiative into Second Life. Background is also in ethnographic art of Southwestern Indigenous people …. among other things.. Here in Santa Fe …
Taylar Ray (rayt2): Hello everyone sorry rezing
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken) is an individual on the bandwagon for collaboration, cooperative, neutral languaged “selling” of 3D Virtual worlds and non-3D virtual being to the general populace of the physical world. Volunteers and works with nonprofits, not-for-profits, trainers, advocates and activists.
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): Selby Evans, Fort Worth, blogger, retired prof. of psychology
https://virtualoutworlding.blogspot.com/
Pionia Destiny: Dr. Doris Molero (Ed.D) a.k.a Pionia Destiny combines teaching as a way to learn, education technology, and teaching for peace. She’s an EFL professor at Universidad San Pablo Tucuman. http://pioniadestiny.blogspot.com
Sheila Yoshikawa: Thank you all!
Sheila Yoshikawa: Do introduce yourself if you haven’t already
Beth Ghostraven: Hi Marly!
Sheila Yoshikawa: So, today it’s “Open Forum” which means people can raise any questions or issues that they want, related to education in virtual worlds
Marly (marly.milena): Hi all!
Sheila Yoshikawa: Hi Marly
Taylar Ray (rayt2): Hello I am Taylar, returning to SL after some time away with new avi. I have desire to meet new people and learn new things. Glad to be here.
Sheila Yoshikawa: Has anyone a topic or question for discussion?
Beth Ghostraven: Hi Suemoon!
Beth Ghostraven: Welcome to VWER, Taylar!
Sheila Yoshikawa: Hi Sue
Pionia Destiny: Welcome Taylar. 🙂
Suemoon Magic: Hello ㋡
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): I could suggest a broad one.. but it might be best for another time when educators can prepare….
Marly (marly.milena): Niela Miller, www.peoplesystemspotential.com. I combine many arts, education and psychology
Sheila Yoshikawa: try us!
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): I sent you that curriculum piece…..
Suemoon Magic: I have been trying to spread the word about the VWEC Eduverse move to educators I know who left SL.
Beth Ghostraven: Pionia didn’t say it, but she’s this year’s VWBPE Thinkerer Award winner! Congratulations, Pionia!
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken) cheerz and tromplez for Suemoon!
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): as educators, do you develop your own curriculum for your classes you teach? and how can virtual worlds enhance that learning, what would be the 3 best features you would focus on …
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes, congratulations, so well deserved Pionia
Suemoon Magic: I saw a talk by one the other day and she said that there was no educator community here and she was advocating for Open Sim.
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): congratulations Pionia
Sheila Yoshikawa: Thanks @Shiloh, an interesting question!
PI (pi.illios): Yeah I read the piece in the newspaper in Argentina right?
Sheila Yoshikawa: So I suggest talking about Shiloh’s question first
Marly (marly.milena): I put one in your IM, Sheila
Sheila Yoshikawa: and then we could return to the advocacy issue?
Sheila Yoshikawa: Thanks Marly
Sheila Yoshikawa: So starting with Shiloh’s “as educators, do you develop your own curriculum for your classes you teach? and how can virtual worlds enhance that learning, what would be the 3 best features you would focus on …”
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): Dae often talks about the need for creativity.. and collaboration… How would you implement this, and use VW to your best capacity …
Pionia Destiny: Keeps on blushing.. Thanks. Muchas gracias.
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Shiloh, so would it be the 3 features to enhance creativity & collaboration?
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): Maker spaces
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): well, what do you see is the primary focus of your educator position …?
Sheila Yoshikawa: So – yes I do create my own curriculum – with colleagues – also influenced by employers, our accrediting body & of course students
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): A library makerspace, also named Hackerspace or Hacklab, is an area and/or service that offers library patrons an opportunity to create intellectual and physical materials using resources such as computers, 3-D printers, audio and video capture and editing tools, and traditional arts and crafts supplies. In the field of library science, makerspaces are classified as a type of library service offered by librarians to patrons.
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes @Selby there is a good deal of application and interest in makerspaces in libraries
Sheila Yoshikawa: but I don’t use them as part of the parts of the curriculum I teach
Marly (marly.milena): Using internal tools for recognizing what is needed and what one is capable of for responding to perceived needs. Less dependence on a particular practice, tool or process
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): We have them in virtual worlds — sandboxes
Sheila Yoshikawa: I think my guiding principle is thinking about the learning design and how the learning teaching and assessment all fit together and are sequenced
Sheila Yoshikawa: whether that’s in virtual worlds or in the physical world, 2D online
Pionia Destiny: I try to work on projects inviting my students to collaborate through different platforms. Most of them can’t come since they don’t have a proper computer or internet. I try to use SL to display their work. They join through Zoom. With the ones that can come in world, we go on tours and have lots of language practice
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): so, Sheila, has how you assess changed? there seems to be some talk or critique on how things are assessed these days …
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes @Selby from that point of view “making” played a FAR bigger part of my pedagogy when I was teaching students in SL – it is SO much easier to make interesting things here!
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): (that is: how learning capabilities are assessed…)
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Pionia that sounds a really good strategy – very good to help the learners get the most out of the experience – but it also takes up more time for you in preparing the alternatives!
Marly (marly.milena): I want to know that a learner can be resourceful no matter what s/he has at hand….and that has to do with how the available data —sensory, emotional, rational, logical, etc. can be well processed
PI (pi.illios): I like this book Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes @Pi
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): ooh thanks for sharing, PI
PI (pi.illios): You are welcome Works curriculum in other perspective
Sheila Yoshikawa: Well @Shiloh I haven’t set an exam for years and years
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): no exam? interesting…
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): research project then?
Sheila Yoshikawa: We have a variety of assessment types – a lot of reflective writing, some practical development, some reports, an infographic in one class, and so forth
PI (pi.illios): Usually in graduate schools there are no exams
Suemoon Magic: Hi Jamie
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): yes, true, PI (which was a relief)
Sheila Yoshikawa: we assess, but don’t have time-limited exams, it’s all coursework
PI (pi.illios): Research, essays , critical thinking
Pionia Destiny: Yep, Since my students have different interests and different purposes. I try to invite them all to work in a common subject and each one collaborates with what they are interested in. The results are different artifacts that are adapted to different levels.
Sheila Yoshikawa: also sometimes presentations, or creating a video
Jamie Jordan (jwheels.carver): crash 🙂
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): wb Jamie ..
Marly (marly.milena): What percentage of your teaching choices is controlled by you and what by the institution if you are in one?
PI (pi.illios): wb Jamie
Sheila Yoshikawa: or there was one class where groups had to present a poster, it got assessed by their classmates and a large number of people in the iSchool, like at a conference
PI (pi.illios): Projects are another way to assess
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Pionia that sounds stimulating
Sheila Yoshikawa: you also get less plagiarism and more motivation
PI (pi.illios): nods
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): can you share an example or two, Pionia, sounds interesting?
Pionia Destiny: Venezuelan Diaspora is one project.
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Marly you have to identify the learning outcomes and form of assessment in advance, there is a word-count-per credit guideline for the assessments, you have to specify what the contact time will be – then once all that’s approved (at the university level) you have to stick to it
Pionia Destiny: My Face for Peace was another nice project we worked with back in Vzla. Students joined a project of a German couple. They wanted to make a book with faces and messages for peace.
Beth Ghostraven: Pionia, is your exhibit about that still up? The VWBPE regions are still open through tomorrow (about the Venezuelan Diaspora)
Pionia Destiny: Yes! It’s still there! I have to pick it up..lol
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): sounds like an interesting exhibit
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes it’s excellent!
Sheila Yoshikawa: hopefully it will survive somewhere
Sheila Yoshikawa: somewhere
Sheila Yoshikawa: OKKKKKK
Sheila Yoshikawa: Marly also had a question
Sheila Yoshikawa: “How does the state of the world currently affect peoples’ teaching and learning motivations?”
Sheila Yoshikawa: that might tie nicely with the reference to Peace!
Sheila Yoshikawa: so what are people’s reactions to that Q of Marly’s?
Marly (marly.milena): And to any of the other comments I shared above (didn’t see any)
Sheila Yoshikawa: I could speak to that but will hold back for a moment!
Marly (marly.milena): They are related
PI (pi.illios): By state of affairs you mean war? I have been reading a lot about that
Beth Ghostraven: war and the pandemic, I would think
Sheila Yoshikawa: I assumed it meant war – and other situations in your country?
PI (pi.illios): Nods
Sheila Yoshikawa: also the pandemic
PI (pi.illios): two big issues
Marly (marly.milena): War, climate disaster, gender variant suppression, sickness, more than a trifecta of difficulties!
Sheila Yoshikawa: which in the UK is meant to be over
PI (pi.illios): I am typo queen today, sorry
Beth Ghostraven: I’m sure we would all *like* it to be over, Sheila :o)
Sheila Yoshikawa: but 3 of my colleagues had COVID in the last few weeks, and I currently have COVIDy symptoms although I’m testing negative
PI (pi.illios): I am sorry That is really disruptive
Marly (marly.milena): I am saying that there is a pile-up of serious events occurring throughout the world which could affect education
PI (pi.illios): I agree with you Marly
PI (pi.illios): I am sure of it
Sheila Yoshikawa: my impression is that I and my colleagues are … tired
Beth Ghostraven: I retired in November, but in talking with people at my school, the students’ behavior is the worst it’s ever been – that has a serious negative impact on instruction and teacher morale
Marly (marly.milena): One of the most disturbing to me is fake news (or the inability to even get accurate news about stuff occurring all around us)
Beth Ghostraven: Marly, yes – distrust of everything
Meryl McBride: (Great conversation, but I need to sneak out.)
Beth Ghostraven: tc Meryl!
PI (pi.illios): Be well Meryl
Suemoon Magic: I have a librarian friend who I am trying to get to speak here and do her talk about how public libraries can help combat fake news.
Sheila Yoshikawa: getting angrier and more upset about some issues (e.g. the increasing disconnect between the university’s rhetoric about caring for staff and students, and the actions it takes which make everyone more stressed and overworked, for example, part of a wider issue to do with higher education in the UK)
PI (pi.illios): Sue that’s so important
Marly (marly.milena): That is why I think it is so important to help students, clients, learners recognize their internal abilities to solve problems, to be proactive, to think rationally, to sort feelings and use the data for progressing, to be creative.
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Suemoon – yes also there are opportunities, ways in which you feel that you could contribute
Sheila Yoshikawa: especially in helping to raise awareness and take action for information literacy
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Suemoon it would be great if you could attract your friend here!
PI (pi.illios): I have outreach Covid-19 information in my library webpage (in Spanish)
Suemoon Magic: We got into SL together in 2008 and I am trying to get her to come back.
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Pionia your VWBPE exhibit was highlighting issues of forced migration, so it seems like you are taking a positive view of reflection & action in response to some of the issues?
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): there have been a couple efforts here in SL to create discussions on current events, but it is difficult to encourage people to tease out what is verifiable truths vs fake information. Even adults do not try to grasp the full ramifications of a problem discussed in the news…
Marly (marly.milena): I am still waiting for responses to the idea of strengthening internal ability to problem-solve
PI (pi.illios): I have to log out, 3 medical students need to meet with me for a meta analysis
PI (pi.illios): Be safe everyone
Beth Ghostraven: tc Pi
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): tc PI
Sheila Yoshikawa: happy meta-analysing
PI (pi.illios): lol thanks Sheila
Pionia Destiny: Chao Pi!
Marly (marly.milena): Part of the rise in suicide, mental health issues, aggression etc. is the inability of many people to be self-reflective problem solvers rathere than reactive
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Marly, doing that poses different challenges depending on the learners, that it certainly a goal I and my colleagues strive for
Marly (marly.milena): I do think it is part of a teacher’s responsibility to help students with this
Beth Ghostraven: Marly, it’s probably necessary for any learning to take place, too
Marly (marly.milena): Unless it is rote memorization, or focusing only on an outcome and not supporting the process of figuring things out as equally (if not more) important
Marly (marly.milena): I know that many of you do pay attention to this stuff
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Beth @Suemoon as librarians/ex librarians do you think a librarian can also develop these reflective /proactive capacities in learners?
Zo (zotarah.shepherd): When I taught I encouraged critical thinking skills.
Beth Ghostraven: When I’ve had the chance to teach, I use daily reflections by students as part of their assessment
Sheila Yoshikawa: great @Beth
Beth Ghostraven: @Sheila, as far as they are able to do instruction, definitely
Marly (marly.milena): If a learner trusts “their” own ability to figure stuff out, separate wheat from chaff, know trusted sources, have a good support system…then there is less strife, acting out, etc
Beth Ghostraven: Marly, that makes sense
Beth Ghostraven: it’s hard for teachers to take time for it with the current climate of “covering the material” for standardized testing
Marly (marly.milena): Yes, Beth, and that is an egregious flaw in the formal educational system IMHO
Sheila Yoshikawa: @Marly though there is also the problem which I know that librarians have encountered – that people trust their own judgment, say they are doing the “research”, but they are operating in a filter bubble
Beth Ghostraven purposely unclenches her teeth
Beth Ghostraven: Marly, that’s my opinion too
Suemoon Magic: I taught library skills and used the English/Language arts standards and tried to have them evaluate, especially Web pages to determine which ones had real value
Sheila Yoshikawa: and they may stoutly defend the way in which they are searching for information and evaluating, citing authorities which are important to them, but which I might say are not trustworthy
Suemoon Magic: I used a web page that had pretty kwanzaa candles and a nice picture of MLK but when you drill down you see that it was put up by a White Pride hate groups
Marly (marly.milena): Antioch (my alma mater) has a very different model. Students design their own learning path, create projects for “improving the world”. Very inspiring to read the reports of what they accomplish!
Marly (marly.milena): Teachers help them achieve their goals, know where to look, help with networking, all sorts of stuff
Sheila Yoshikawa shouts: BTW – there’s about 10 minutes left – if anyone has ANOTHER topic or question to address
Sheila Yoshikawa: and I only just noticed that if you touch Beth’s wings you can get a pair of wings like them 😉
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): ty
Pionia Destiny: smiles
Shiloh e. (shiloh.emmons): I must head out early today… community event … everyone.. thank you as always for sharing your thoughts. Stay well…. and Namaste
Sheila Yoshikawa: bye Shiloh!
Sheila Yoshikawa: I was going to introduce a much less significant and niche topic
Sheila Yoshikawa: which is 360 degree photos
Sheila Yoshikawa: I meant to mention it whilst Pi was here
Taylar Ray (rayt2): Thank you 🙂
Sheila Yoshikawa: but I use Firestorm and now can take 360 degree photos on that
Jamie Jordan (jwheels.carver): I can
Sheila Yoshikawa: has anyone else taken them, and can you think of a use for them other than the purely ornamental?
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): There is a difference in usability of the FS 360 and the LL 360.
Beth Ghostraven: AI Austin kindly took one at the opening ceremony of VWBPE, which we used for publicity
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): I cannot remember what it is at the moment, however, I do have it in my notes somewhere.
Marly (marly.milena): Pi I did some really nice ones
Pionia Destiny: For language classes is useful
Sheila Yoshikawa: ah Shaerken hadn’t realised that!
Sheila Yoshikawa: This is one I did on one of my parcels https://flic.kr/p/2ncjXPH
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): One (the LL) I belivee is usable in world and the other FS is usable out on the internet as well.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): but I could be wrong on what I”m remembering.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): It was mentioned before VWBPE when FS issued their newest iteration.
Sheila Yoshikawa: that’s on Flickr, which enables you to see it properly when you click on the individual photo
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): it’ll take me some time to dig up the exact issue between the two.
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): I don’t want to disseminate the wrong nfo.
Sheila Yoshikawa: I thought it might give people more of an idea of 3D-ness than a normal photo
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken): I do know there was diatribe about it.
Pionia Destiny: I took some of the biomes at the VWBPE
Sheila Yoshikawa: and also unlike a video you can choose your own view
Shaerken Changeheart (changeheartshaerken) nods
Beth Ghostraven: oh, I need to visit those biomes today – I keep forgetting, and they’re really well done
Pionia Destiny: I loved that event. It’s a great way to teach vocabulary and talk about nature, animals, plants, the weather.
Sheila Yoshikawa: yes I also need to visit!
Pionia Destiny: l just create a story.
Sheila Yoshikawa: have you got a slurl? That would be a nice recommendation to end with!
[Ed. note: The VWBPE regions are offline as of this publication. Stay tuned for next year!]
Suemoon Magic: Bye y’all. I have to get back to my physical world job.
Pionia Destiny: Besitos Sue
Sheila Yoshikawa: It is time anyway
ThinkererSelby Evans (thinkerer.melville): Bye all
Sheila Yoshikawa: thank you all for participating
Taylar Ray (rayt2): Thank you for this discussion. Everyone enjoy the rest of your day
Sheila Yoshikawa: great to see you!
Beth Ghostraven: Time to go to Fantasy Faire!
Pionia Destiny: Thanks for the session
VWER Meeting Transcripts by Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://vwer.info.
VWER - Virtual Worlds Education Roundtable 