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The Science Circle Presents;

Title: “3D Virtual Field Trips in Science: Opportunities and Challenges”
Facilitators: Shailey Garfield / Shailey Minocha (Open University) UK
& Corro Moseley / David Burden (Daden Limited) UK
When: Tuesday February 3rd
Time: 9 AM PST
Location: Lecture Hall

Voice/Text: Voice
PDF & Inworld Book Available Afterwards: Yes
Machinima Afterwards: Yes

 

 

Abstract

 

In 2013 The Open University and Daden Limited worked together to create a virtual geology field trip based around Skiddaw in the UK Lake District. Since then Daden and the OU have been looking at how to make such virtual field trips more widely available, and we now have UK Government funding to look at the feasibility of a national/global Virtual Field Trips service. This discussion workshop will introduce the Virtual Field Trip concept, and then work with attendees to identify the key features, advantages, potential and challenges of creating a virtual field trip service.

 

In 2013 The Open University and Daden Limited worked together to create a virtual geology field trip based around Skiddaw in the UK Lake District. Virtual Skiddaw was well received, and a part of the Open Since Lab initiative which won the Times Higher Education Outstanding use of ICT Award in 2014. Since Virtual Skiddaw Daden and the OU have been looking at how to make such virtual field trips more widely available, and in late 2014 we secured funding from InnovateUK (a UK Government agency) to look at the feasibility of a national/global Virtual Field Trips service based on Virtual Skiddaw – effectively an MMO/virtual world designed to support physical world field trips and to extend their potential into the virtual domain. Organisations with sufficient technical skill would be able to add their own sites, and almost any organisation would be able to add new lesson plans to existing locations.

 

If you are not already familiar with the concept of virtual field trips you may wish to read more about the project and watch the Virtual Skiddaw video

 

The session will start with a short overview of the virtual field trip concept and of the proposed virtual field trip system. Since we are still at the early stages of the design phase we are very interested in attendees views about what such a service should do, it benefits and the likely problems in getting it used by institutions, educators and students. The second half of the session will therefore be given over to an open discussion based around some or all of the following questions (final copy on event slides):

 

Does the Virtual Field Trip as a Service concept sounds like something that would be useful to you and your school/college/university/students?

What do you see as its biggest attractions?

What do you see as the biggest challenges to deployment (i.e. getting it into the school)?

What do you see as the biggest challenges to getting student value from it?

What payment model would be most acceptable to institutions?

 

 

In comparison to Second Life/OpenSim:

– What are the most important elements to bring across into any new system?

– What are the key things you would like to leave behind in SL and not have to deal with in a new system?

– What are the key things missing from SL that you would like to see in a new system?

 

We look forward to seeing you at the session.

Shailey Garfield / Shailey Minocha (Open University) UK

Corro Moseley / David Burden (Daden Limited) UK


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