Journal 3

Journal 3

yoder, m.b. (2009). Walk, fly, or teleport to learning. Learning & Leading with Technology, 37(2), Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=September_October_No_2_3&Template=/MembersOnly.cfm&NavMenuID=4381&ContentID=24200&DirectListComboInd=D

Major MUVES or multi virtual environments originally created for adults have allowed teens in high school and middle school an opportunity to create and manage virtual settings. One site called Second life has established an area dedicated to teens and their teachers to create campuses and cities to allow students another means of social interaction and learning.
Global Kids is a site that that promotes global understanding in a virtual context. Skills and opportunities from the site include identity information and networking skills.
Global Aid was created by Global Kids and GamePill to provide socially conscience games. One of the games created is Ayiti: The Cost of Life where students must plan how to manage a family’s finances, social decisions and education to allow the family to make it in their impoverished Haiti home. Players can play multiple times and increase their score has they gain a better understanding of the needs that families have.
Many students who have become involved with these sites have been able to link their virtual worlds to the real world. Students have become more involved with both social situations in the world as well as looking at science through a global eye.
Many of the site offer resources for teachers to use the sites as parts of their lessons. Along with lessons also is support for the teachers who may be new to the virtual world experience.

Can a teacher justify the use of MUVES in a standards based, content course?
I think with some in depth planning and some creative wording a teacher could incorporate them. I think the trouble would lie in the schools that are under the microscope for test score improvement. If the virtual world simulation could be tied directly to increased test scores then the teacher will look like a genius, if not than they are probably looking for another school to work at.

Do you think a pre-teaching lesson on the difference between Global Kids and World of Warcraft is necessary?
I do not think a lesson dedicated to looking at the difference between the two is needed. I do think that part of having students engage in the process of learning about the software or the reasons they are being used the topic should come up. In simulations where students are tackling social justice, I do think they need to see why they are doing it and how it is different from the “shoot’em” games the may play.