Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Therese Weel -
Number of replies: 14

Through the miracle of Skype we had an impromptu conversation with Margaret Corbit today. Margaret's online profile is here  http://www.tc.cornell.edu/~corbitm/

She has been involved with long running projects such as The VLearn3D Initiative which began in 1998 as part of the Contact Consortium to address the current trends and needs of educators who are developing, adopting and pioneering virtual environments for education.

http://www.vlearn3d.org/collaboration/schools.html

Margaret shared her experiences with her projects which are focused on K-12 learners of science and social studies.  We are delighted to tell you that her team has a demonstration site set up using Active Worlds and she has offered to take us exploring!

We will be embarking on our journey April 16th

8:00 Am PST

11:00 AM EST

4:00 PM  GMT


Watch this thread for updates and instructions for accessing the world.



 
In reply to Therese Weel

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Margaret Corbit -

Thanks, Therese, for the introduction. I will be bringing folks into CTCUni, Cornell University's Active Worlds Universe. To join us you will have to install our customized browser. You will be downloading a 3MB browser for Windows computers from our Web site at:

http://www.scicentr.org/Participants/ITSupport/

This site is password protected, you will need a Login and Password that you will get from me. Because this is a K-12 environment, please include your full name and contact information and affiliation for our records in your email.

Please send me email at

corbitm@tc.cornell.edu

Before next Monday, you will only be able to test your connection. Your account will not work. I apologize for this, but again, we support a closed community of people primarily under the age of 18.  Your accounts will go live at 9 am EST on Monday, feel free to log in and test things.

(The Active Worlds Educational Universe (AWEDU) browser is available for free download at http://www.activeworlds.com/edu/awedu_download.asp. If you are not familiar with the software and would like to get your flippers wet, then I recommend you install this and explore on your own. VanGogh world is always fun. This browser will NOT give you access to the tour on Monday.)

Our tour will feature 4 kinds of worlds: a prototype game environment, a laboratory, exhibit worlds, and SciFair worlds built by teams of teens and teachers.

Active Worlds has a browser Web window built in. I will provide a Web page that will load when you enter Welcome world. It will have links that will teleport you to the worlds we will visit. If you get lost, go back to Welcome, select the link for the next world in the list.

See you Monday,

Margaret

 

In reply to Margaret Corbit

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Tia Carr Williams -
SCoPE: 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies with Margaret Corbit
Monday, 16 April (08:00 AM)
 

Margaret Corbit has been involved with long running projects such as The VLearn3D Initiative which began in 1998 as part of the Contact Consortium to address the current trends and needs of educators who are developing, adopting and pioneering virtual environments for education.

Margaret and her team has set up a demonstration site set using Active Worlds and will take us exploring.

We will be embarking on our journey April 16th. Check back for details!

This session is organized as part of the Serious Games and Virtual Worlds seminar.

Just a quick reminder for Margaret's excursion into Active Worlds tomorrow for those who would like to participate.

Tia

In reply to Tia Carr Williams

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Therese Weel -
I'll be there with bells on.

Getting a tour of a virtual world is a real time saver.  Especially when your tour guide can provide some insight into what you are experiencing. 

I've downloaded the client and will be there bright and early. 
In reply to Therese Weel

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Corinne Brooks -
hi
i sent Margaret an email, but received no reply as yet

angua@industryplayer.com
In reply to Corinne Brooks

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Tia Carr Williams -

Could everyone who is attending today please post their emails into this thread so we can have a head count?

So far we have:

Corinne Brooks  -  angua@industryplayer.com

Therese Weel   -  therese@datadesigns.ca

Tia Carr Williams -  tia@tycoonsystems.com

......

In reply to Tia Carr Williams

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Sylvia Currie -
I'll have to pass on this one. I look forward to hearing all about it! If someone could report on the experience for the non-Windows folks in the crowd that would be great. :-)
In reply to Tia Carr Williams

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Salvor Gissurardottir -
I also intend to be there but I am having trouble right now logging in.
I can connect and log in as visitor but can not log in with th user name and password Margaret Corbit  sent me.

Salvor Gissurardottir  salvor@khi.is
In reply to Therese Weel

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Dan O'Reilly -

Hi,

I made it and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Thanks for the tour Margaret.

Dan

In reply to Dan O'Reilly

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Corinne Brooks -
I explored the maths area after the tour, was very good - even though I got stuck in a tunnel :)

The ease of moving around was good (much better than SL especially for users/schools with poorer connections), and was impressed by what could be built especially in the Egypt area. Was also good to see what one group could build to help teach another group - eg could see that high school students could build a world to teach primary kids.

Thanks Margaret for your patience as we trampled around like an unruly school party - and I hope I didn't scratch the police car by standing on it.
In reply to Corinne Brooks

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Nick Kearney -
There was no time to script graffiti I guess Corinne, or a parking ticket. :) That police car was right up on the kerb!!! Terrible parking!!!
In reply to Nick Kearney

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Margaret Corbit -
That's what happens when you let 12-yr-olds drive, Nick!
In reply to Dan O'Reilly

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Therese Weel -
I'll raise a glass to that senitment Dan and Corinne.

A snowstorm and fumbleing user fingers could not keep us from the tour.

I found this active worlds universe easier to navigate than second life. With the text instructions on the right  side of the screen and sizable windows.  The preloaded menu of places to teleport was also helpful.

A few of us were on a skype with Queenbee aka Margaret during the session mostly for extra helpin logging in.   So we also benefited from some insight the project  which I'll share with you.

First of all, much of the work was done by university students who were also learning as they created these worlds.  This project started several years ago.  Often the best  learning experience is finding out what doesn' t work. The pioneers who worked on this project over the years have gained that type of knowledge.

The area for the Ernie Davis middle school was developed for sixth graders who may be challenged or at risk.  The students  learn without realizing they are learning.

Thanks Margaret for showing us your worlds, and I hope you made it home safely with that April snowstorm on the East Coast.  ( Ah the joys of climate change)
In reply to Therese Weel

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Tia Carr Williams -

I would certainly like to thank Margaret who weathered the local storm to get to her office to honour her commitment to showcase Activeworlds for us, a very sincere thank you.

Clearly, you demonstrate a compelling belief that 3d environments bring something special to the learning curriculum and I was inspired by your dedication to developing environments that bring value and dimension to the future of education.

In reply to Therese Weel

Re: Margaret Corbit - 3d Environments for K-12 - Science and Social Studies

by Nick Kearney -
Thanks from me too (silver) for that tour, Margaret, I had explored Active Worlds before but found the exhibitions rather dry. I found it more fun running along the great wall over the green hills near the entrance space with someone who befriended me. (It was like losing oneself in tellytubby land - marvellous, though it needs some rabbits!!!).
This time was much more fruitful, and as much fun, I could have played for hours with that gene machine, and it was great to see things functioning rather than stills.
And for me, as someone with a slow connection, it was great to see what second life must be like for others, it seems to me that difference is very important. Digital divides, anyone?
Nick