VWBPE

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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: normal; font: normal normal normal 2.4em/normal Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif; letter-spacing: -0.02em; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px; text-decoration: none;"> [|4TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE – MARCH 17-19, 2011] --- [|Blog] ===== =[|VIRTUAL WORLDS – BEST PRACTICES IN EDUCATION] =

LEGO Universe developer, Chris Brubaker joined Marianne in Second Life
to share game background, and explore common goals with educators. media type="youtube" key="8dK-kegjlns?rel=0" height="390" width="480"

=Post Conference Notes: = March 31, 2011

It was a treat to have Chris meet with us in Second Life. He did a great job of explaining the development of LU. It was fascinating the learn how the game came to be and encouraging to discover how many of LEGO's objectives are inline with our own.

I'm so appreciative to Fleet Goldenbergfor agreeing to record the session at the last minute as the audio on my capture failed. His fast work made it possible to have this machinima documentation of the event. Thank you, Fleet!

In Second Life, conversations are complex with both voice and text chat happening simultaneously. Attached is copy of the text chat from the event (email addresses removed).

The Q & A session that followed Chris's presentation was productive and feedback from the educators positive. Several teachers took advantage of a special preview offer LEGO extended for this event. Yay LEGO! The outcome of the session was the formation of a group that will continue the conversation. Thanks to Rurik Nackerud for taking the initiative to collect names and form the group! we have formed a google group to keep the conversation going. Please feel free to contact me (knowclue at mac.com) if you would like to join us.

The most important aspect of this event is that it marks the beginning of what we hope will be an ongoing conversation between LEGO & educators. Perhaps it we will be possible to work together to bring dynamic learning environments into our schools. Together, if we can't "Save the Universe", perhaps it will be possible to save education! :D

I would like to thank Kae Novak, Rurick Nackerud and all of the other volunteers who work tirelessly to host the VWBPE conference.

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge three people whose ground breaking work paved the way for me to make the after school program, "Saving the Universe", a reality.

Lucas Gillispie is breaking traditional barriers by showing us that commercial gaming and education are not mutually exclusive. His vision to start "WoW in School " inspired this project. Thank you, Lucas!

Peggy Sheehy is making her mark by advocating for students by giving them voice and removing obstacles from their learning. Peggy not only introduce education to the value of learning in virtual spaces, she challenged our thinking by showing us the correlation between good game design & effective learning strategies. Her fearless challenge of the status quo has inspired me to also be fearless. Thank you, Peggy!

Anne Collier is working tirelessly to understand the realities of online safety issues through the perspective of hard research rather than fear-based cultural. Her international work has lead her to strongly advocate working with students using participatory technologies to develop global citizenship prepare them for the world in which they live. Anne's research and reporting on this topic has shaped my own understanding of why it is imperative that we embrace these technologies in school and introduce them at an early age. Thank you, Anne!

~ Knowclue