Monday, January 17th, Inge Qunhua & Severin Nordenskiold from the second group in my current SL course, “milis” did their presentation and analysis of SL as teaching and learning environment. The theme for Inge & Severin’s presentation was various types of remediation, and we started off in a respectful remediation of a classroom on the Innovative Learning Island.
All seated in the classroom on Innovative Learning.
Here Inge and Severin asked us to reflect upon our experience with being located in such type of setting. The notions of avatar-friendly and innovative design were also discussed. After this we were asked to go outside and ride the school bus to the next location.
Severin was driving, and in mouse-look it felt like being on a roller coaster ;-)
Next stop was on the island Danish Visions,where we were asked to enter a flying tea-cup to transport us to the next location.
For unknown reasons – avatar-overload ;-)? – the tea-cup refused to fly!
Inge & Severin then sent us tp’s to the next location that turned out to be quite a surprise …
The MIL-group located somewhere in white space!?
Being immersed in what seemed to be infinite space was really a peculiar experience – the lack of orientation struck me as being both appealing and frightening. In this space Inge & Severin now asked us to co-create our own classroom. First off we had to build “chairs”, and Inge instructed us.
For some of the features in the building menu, Inge & Severin had prepared slides.
And so the “chairs” ended up being colorful building blocs with illuminating glow.
All seated in a NpIRL classroom.
Subsequently we were asked to turn our settings to “midnight”, Inge turned off additional light, rezzed a Mega-prim presenter, and then we were all set to listen to Severin & Inge’s presentation in what turned out to be a very intimate, powerful and truly radical remediation of a “classroom” setting.
Inge talking in the dark …
Severin talking …
Inge & Severin’s analysis of Genome Island.
For their analysis, Inge & Severin had chosen to look closer at the teaching and learning potential of the Genome Island, since Severin works as teaching associate professor in the field of Medical Biochemistry. Professor Mary Anne Clark of Texas Wesleyan University (Max Chatnoir in-world) created the island with a special focus on teaching genetics – the video below gives a short introduction to some of the possible activities available.
In preparation for their analysis, Inge & Severin had managed to get an interview with Max Chatnoir, and so were able to share some interesting insights gained from student feedback on the use of the island. Their presentation also focused on different pedagogical strategies underpinning different fields/subject matters, and Severin finished off by explaining the next steps where we were to go to the island to try out some of the activities. When their presentation ended Inge turned on the lights, removed the texture from the space, we had been located in, and much to our surprise, we had actually been inside a wooden box!
Our classroom setting turned out to be the inside of a wooden box
Exploring molecular structures …
and mating cats.
Back on Inge’s island we were introduced to some of her learning designs, and this was also where we had the feedback process. Inge & Severin had organized a packed program based on different examples of both respectful and radical remediation, and thus succeeded in bridging theory and practice very well. I found the fact that we had to build our classroom from inside a to be an especially clever detail, and they also succeeded in demonstrating that a playful approach to learning can be very efficient, something that truly resonates the nature of SL.
Uh, and big thanks to Max Chatnoir for taking the time to talk to the students :-)
/Mariis
Additional resources on Genome Island:
Dr. Mary Anne Clark on Genome Island in Educase Review
Dr. Bertalan Meskó’s interview with Max Chatnoir
Mariis' digitale refleksioner 