3d Virtual Worlds as Learning Resources

3D Virtual World can a be good resources in learning Math and Science concepts. According to Keith Devlin, Executive Director of H-STAR Institute, students need to learn mathematics in meaningful context which means putting students in a context where they actually had to do mathematics in order to achieve goals. Research conducted at the H-STAR Institute indicates that video gaming where mathematics is required to succeed might be one way to improve learning because children encounter real life scenarios where mathematics is necessary.” (Role Playing Mathematics). Dr. Tony O'Driscoll in Virtual Social Worlds and the Future of Learning said that Virtual Social Worlds offers seven advantages to the learners; the sense of self, the death of distance, the power of presence, the sense of space, the capability to co-create, the pervasiveness of practice, the enrichment of experience. He contended that these advantages provide us with freedom (which stands for flow, repetition, experimentation, engagement, doing, observing, motivation) to create true experiential learning opportunities. The World of Miamiopia is a virtual world, where children of all ages can create characters and then use these characters as they explore, play educational games, and solve puzzles and other challenges. As children play the over 300 educational games, their characters earn "coins". These coins can be used to purchase accessories, such as virtual clothing, wigs, jewelry, belly stickers, homes, and home decor.

Another Virtual World that can be used for learning is Second Life.  Second Life offers role playing that teaches Math and Science in the process. Second Life can definitely enhance the learning process. Students can explore objects and places that are replicas of the real world from a first person perspective. Students can visit historical sites, galleries, museums and natural parks that would not be possible in real life because of distance, cost or historical period or era. Second life offers a different experience than traditional virtual tours because students can go back in time and explore historical sites as it was before not as it is of the present. The scavenger hunt, the guided tours and sloodle as mentioned in Educational Uses of Second Life can be really great interactive tools for learning. Students interact with their environment and even each other. At present students are immersed in animated TV programs and interactive computer games at home that sloodle’s combination of the Moodle learning management system with the interactive multiuser experience of Virtual Life does not only enrich students’ learning experiences but also offer a way of keeping their interest in the lesson. They explore the virtual environment and do educational tasks like answering questions and get simultaneously graded in Moodle.  

While studying Unit 3 Latin America, in 5th grade Social Studies, I can take the whole class on a virtual tour of Ancient World Art Mayan, Aztec, Pyramid, Mexican, 2012, Inca, Dynasty Land in Second Life, The students can virtually experience going up and down the steps of the pyramids as well as discuss with each other the objects and art works inside and outside the pyramid. This way the class would be immersed in the two objectives of the unit, Latin American Art and architecture (NY City Scope and Sequence p. 18). Second Life make the lesson interactive and fun as the student virtually explore the place like they are actually there. The students will be engaged and I can easily keep their interest in the lesson. A related destination will be the UW Project: Maya Island 3D project by University of Washington students about Mayan civilization which include a Mayan medical village, a science and astronomy center and an explorer's cove.

Another example will be taking the whole class to GREAT WALL OF CHINA - World Heritage Site, China Sichuan which is under the Real Life categories in Second Life, while studying Unit 2-7 of 3rd Grade Social Studies (NY City Scope and Sequence p. 11) . The students can explore by walking around in the replica of one of the seven Wonders of the World. Second Life provides the students three dimensional perspective of the Great Wall of China, an experience not possible by just showing videos or pictures of it and all without leaving the physical classroom or going through the hassle of traveling or the cost of a foreign trip.

Second Life can also be used to enhance science lessons.A fourth grade  class can teleport to NOAA Virtual Island, an Education/Nonprofit destination in Second Life, while studying  UNIT 4 INTERACTIONS OF AIR, WATER, AND LAND (K-8 Science Scope and Sequence p. 5) when students are supposed to investigate the negative and  positive impact of extreme natural events (earthquake, volcanoes, etc.) on living things.  Aside from learning facts from virtual field trip, using Second Life enhances this project because students can virtually experience being in the center of a hurricane or tsunami  without dealing with the dangers of being in a real extreme weather condition. It gives them a sense of being there as well an opportunity to observe in an engaging learning space that will not be feasible in the classroom because teachers can’t manufacture weather conditions to coincide with curricular units. In a way, Second Life let the class get around nature’s time table and experience learning opportunities on demand. The following are good Second Life destinations for science learning.

•      Virtual Mine an educational 3D environment and game that teaches about mountain top removal, coal fired power production, alternative energies, and the amazing music and culture in the Appalachian Mountains.
•       Inspire Space Park – SL residents can explore the stars, galaxy and the universe
•      MoonWorld a simulation of lunar geology field work funded by NASA, this project lets SL residents explore the lunar surface to closely observe the terrain and collect samples
•      NASA eEducation Island provides support for teaching about NASA in the classroom This education resource center has a marine research station, underwater habitat and even an Antarctic outpost
•    The Abyss Observatory A museum of ocean science and technology which let visitors travel 2,000 meters down into the dark depths of the ocean floor
•   The Frontier Project is a 14,000-square-foot demonstration building that educates consumers, commercial builders, and sustainable advocates regarding the latest methods and technologies in water, energy, and site conservation.
•      Synthetic Biology Interactive (SBI) an educational resource and interactive learning area about synthetic biology.
•      Genome Island - SL residents can study microbiology by stepping inside a rotating plasma membrane, check out elaborate dioramas, and play interactive games designed to teach students and scholars alike more about the micro world.
•     Astronomy Island offers a tour of a digital planetarium, listen to podcasts, and learn all about astronomy at this SL science destination, which is sponsored by the American Astronomical Society
•      Spaceflight Museum offers a series of exhibits and events about real-world space travel hosted by the International Spaceflight Museum

Sources:

University, S. (n.d.). Role Playing Mathematics. Retrieved from Science 360: http://science360.gov/obj/video/1e1f14ec-ed83-4266-8e8a-e57b645ed1c5

Enriching the Learning Process with Video Games

Video Games can be used to teach concepts so even the students who are not interested in learning unknowingly learn something. They are interactive and engaging. They engage both the learners sense of seeing, and hearing. According to NYU Child Study Center (Video Games: Pros and Cons), they enhance students’ motor coordination and ability to think quickly and analyze a situation. HealthNews claims that “games need simultaneous task execution, which helps improving concentration, cognition, as well as improve multi-tasking skills, focus, and agility (Video Games in Increasing Brain Power, 2009). Though using video games has disadvantages, these can be avoided through proper guidance and support. For instance, games provide a high level of quick gratification. Students are almost constantly being rewarded and, when they lose, they get to easily start over to work on their goal (Video Games: Pros and Cons). However, in real life, students cannot be rewarded for every right thing that they do. Here are some sources of educational games.

1.     PHYSICS GAMES.NET  offers games on physics

2.      Learning Games for Kids.com also offers educational math and science as games that are excellent to present the vocabulary or term that students need to know about the lesson

3.      Fun brain offers Math games
4. Learning Games for Kids offers Art Games, Music Games, Math Games, Logic Games, Geography Games, Memory Games, Science Videos and so much more!

5.      Prongo offers interactive quizzes

6.     The Magic School Bus/Games and Activities offers interactive Science games and activities

7.     Curious George Games offers Math related games

8.     The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That offers Science and Math games

      9.     Team Umizoomi Games offers Math games for preschool children


Sources:


Center, N. C. (n.d.). Video Games: Pros and Cons. Retrieved from education.com: 
        http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Video_Games_Cons/?page=2


HealthNews. (2009, May 26). Video Games in Increasing Brain Power. Retrieved December 2011, from health news: http://healthnews.ebookroute.com/mental-health/1400-video-games-in-increasing-brain-power/


Xerri, R. A. (2011, September 29). The role of video games. Retrieved from skola:http://elearning.skola.edu.mt/2011/09/the-role-of-video-games

Video as a Learning Tool

Video is a good learning tool. Using video enable teachers to reach the visuals and auditory learners. We can use video presentations to teach math and science so students “can pause, repeat, at their own pace, at their own time. But the more interesting thing is – and this is the intuitive thing when you talk about technology in the classroom – by removing the one size fits all lecture from the classroom and letting students have a self-paced lecture at home, and then when you go to the classroom, letting them work” (Salman Khan: Let's use video to reinvent education) A lot of free science and math lectures or explanations done in video are now available in Khan Academy. Another source would be bright storm, they film actual teachers teaching high school math and science concepts and the Math and Science videos on Algebra, Geometry, Precalculus, Trigonometry, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry and Physics are free. This websites is geared more on students who are doing their homework or preparing for tests. Gamequarium also offers teaching videos on Math and Science.

We can also use videos to demonstrate processes in math and science to students. Using videos support different learning styles. Videos support both the visual and auditory learners. In addition integrating digital and/or video also reinforce reading material by providing visual context and imagery thus bridging the gap between students from different economic backgrounds or even from different cultures or different geographical area.  In other words student’s common general knowledge is improved. Presenting lessons using videos also motivates the students better than just showing presentation with plain text.

1.      neoK12 offers educational videos as well as well as quiz games not only on Science and Math but other subjects

2.      science 360 The Knowledge Network offers high quality videos on Mathematics, Astronomy and Space, Chemistry, Earth and Environment, Life Sciences, Physics among others

3.      WatchKnowLearn has free educational Math and Science videos among others

4.      KidsKnowIt Network also has free Math and Science movies with interactive quizzes at the end of presentations

5.      Learning Games for Kids.com also offers educational math and science videos BrainPOP/Science/Free Movies –free Science movies from BrainPOP
6.   BrainPop Free Stuff – free Math and Science movies from BrainPOP

7.     Teachers Domain -offers free videos, interactive activities and lessons plans in science, math, social studies and the language arts provided teachers or students register for the website.




Here are other sources of educational videos:

Reference:

Khan, S. (n.d.). Salman Khan: Let's use video to reinvent education. Retrieved from TED Ideas Worth Spreading: http://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education.html

Video Production As a Learning Tool

Even in today's technological world, nothing would replace doing more of the actual hands on activities to teach the concepts. As Aristotle said "What we have to learn to do, we learn by doing." To make hand-on activities more interesting, students can take a video of themselves while doing the hands on activities and upload it on the class website or class blog. Not only do they have online portfolio of classwork, other students from other classes even from other places can learn from them. Integrating video production in the learning process with the students as the actors is very motivating for students simply because it gives them the feeling of being a star or gives them exposure just like their favorite star in their favorite TV programs. ZOOM sci offers a lot of science hands on activities as well as some videos of kids actually doing the activities. 


To learn something about video production for student's projects visit Kid's Vid. 

Using Google Earth in the Classroom

“Google Earth provides startling clear satellite views of the globe in an interactive 3D environment.  Beyond the visual, users can add place marks, annotations, photos, and models, as well as measure distances and draw paths”. (Real World Math - Using Google Earth in the Math Curriculum) With Google Earth, students can use the Line and Path measurement tools to find distances that are challenging to measure. They can use the ruler to measure distances. Thomas J Petra from RealWorldMath.org provides some math lessons using Google Earth (Real World Math - Using Google Earth in the Math Curriculum). Kevin Smith uses Google Earth to teach area, perimeter, geometry, and many other mathematical concepts (Teach Area and Perimeter Using Google Earth), and so do a lot of other people. These lessons are aligned to NYS Math Standards: 4.R.1 Use verbal and written language, physical models, drawing charts, graphs, tables, symbols, and equations as representations. Here are other videos showing how to use Google Earth to teach Math concepts:

      1.      Finding Perimeter with Google Earth by Luis Manuel Morais

    2.  Technoliciously Using Google Earth for Teachers shows “How to find the perimeter of a building on Google Earth.

     Google Earth can be used to teach different subjects. For example Google Earth can used for a fourth grade science class while studying  UNIT 4 INTERACTIONS OF AIR, WATER, AND LAND (K-8 Science Scope and Sequence p. 5) when students are supposed to investigate the negative and  positive impact of extreme natural events (earthquake, volcanoes, etc.) on living things. Students can plot the locations of the extreme weather conditions in the US that happened in their lifetime. First they have to do a little research where those extreme weather conditions happened. Then they can type those places in the box under the tab Fly to. They can click the Add Placemark icon to save each location where those extreme weather conditions happened then add description as well as pictures for each location. Then they can record a tour to the different locations where those extreme weather conditions happened. Google Earth can also be use to teach a fourth grade Social Studies lesson about the strategic role of New York City and New York State in the Revolutionary War (geography, battles, key figures, etc.) under Unit 3 Colonial and Revolutionary Periods (New York City K-8 Social Studies Scope and Sequence p. 15). They can mark or add Placemark where the events happened, add descriptions of the events as well as pictures of the key figures then record a Google Earth Tour. 

     Sources:

     Morais, L. M. (2008, September 30). Finding Perimeter with Google Earth. Retrieved from You         Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my2in0GnmSE

     
     Petra, T. J. (n.d.). Real World Math - Using Google Earth in the Math Curriculum. Retrieved from RealWorldMath.org: http://realworldmath.org/Real_World_Math/RealWorldMath.org.html

Runescapefantasyinc. (2009, June 8). Technoliciously Using Google Earth for Teachers. Retrieved from You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFbVY60p_5I

Smith, K. (2006, December 13). Teach Area and Perimeter Using Google Earth. Retrieved from You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHwrehm6HO8

Using Google Maps in the Classroom

Students can use Google Maps during Physics class. Dale Basler use Google Maps to map out different bus routes in his class neighborhood. He asked students to map out the route with a line (this gave them the route’s distance) find the average time needed for the bus to make a complete loop calculate the average speed of the bus and display the results on the map. Students with extra time could earn more points if they placed a pin at each stop and entered the arrival times in each stop’s description. They could also calculate the average speed from stop-to-stop. (Bus routes and Google Maps help teach physics). This lesson is done in an engaging way as well as aligned to NYS Math Standards S3.4 Adjust their explanations and understandings of objects and events based on their findings and new ideas. Jeffrey Branzburg shared that the Planimeter, a feature of the Google Maps connects any three points you clicked on a map into a triangle and computes the area, not only that, as you click on additional points, the area of the triangle adjusts too as the triangle expands into a many-sided polygon (Use Google Maps Mashups in K-12 Education). This lesson is aligned to the NYS Grade 4 Math Standards 4.R.4 which is: Use standard and nonstandard representations with accuracy and detail.

When seventh grade students are studying distance (Mathematics Scope and Sequence  p. 10 -7.M.1* Calculate distance using a map), they can use Google Maps  to calculate the distance from their house to the different places in their community. To take this further, they can use GMap to create a map of their favorite places in the community, their last vacation or their dream vacation. They can add comments and pictures to make the tour interesting. Since they had just studied area in the previous quarter they can also find the area of their yard, the school yard, and other places in the community like their favorite mall’s parking lot using Planimeter, a feature of the Google Maps  or they can go to http://maps.google.com/maps?showlabs=1&ftr=misc.distance to enable the measurement tool on their Google map. 

Sources:

Basler, D. (2007, October 23). Bus routes and Google Maps help teach physics. Retrieved from Dale Basler: http://www.dalebasler.com/2007/10/bus-routes-and-google-maps-help-teach-physics/

Branzburg, J. (2006, May 15). Use Google Maps Mashups in K-12 Education. Retrieved from Tech&Learning: http://www.techlearning.com/article/use-google-maps-mashups-in-k-12-education/43534

Using SketchUp in the Classroom

SketchUp is a FREE, fun, and engaging 3D modeling program. Students can use SketchUp to produce colorful and interesting geometric models. Videos: SketchUp in Action shows videos how SketchUp can be used to teach Geometry. SketchUp can also be used to make puzzles as shown by bonnieroskes in 3DVinci:Puzzles(SketchUp Projects) so teachers can load a picture of a plant from the 3D warehouse then make a puzzle out of it for students when second grade students are studying Unit 3 Plant Diversity, where they are supposed to identify and compare the physical structures of a variety of plants parts (seeds, leaves, stems, flowers, roots) (K-8 Science Scope and Sequence) p. 3, they can download different plant from the 3D warehouse label them then divide them into parts as a puzzle. Teachers can also use SketchUp to demonstrate concepts such as area. The students can create shapes and SketchUp automatically give them the measurement of the sides of the polygons they created so they can use this information to determine the area of the polygon they created. They can use the Label Tool to add annotations which in this lesson would be the area.