Ahmer Iqbal

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Ahmer Iqbal

• PhD student at
• Department of Mathematical Information Technology
• COMAS Graduate School
• Agora Game Lab

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Pedagogical Facilitation in Multi-User Virtual
Environmnets (MUVEs)

• The aim of this research is to understand the
  possibilities of learning in multi-user virtual
  environments (MUVES).
• Making them suitable for teachers and learners so
  that they can be used in both formal and informal
  settings.
• To conduct an in-depth study about the
  opportunities that MUVEs have for collaborative
  learning and self-regulated learning.

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What are MUVEs

• Three dimensional
• objects have x, y and z coordinates
• Interactive
• users can interact with objects, environment and
  other users
• Dynamically rendered
• the view of the environment and sound depends on
  the position of the user in three dimensional
  space
• Navigate able
• users can move through the three dimensional
  space
• 
  
  
  (Dalgarno, 2002)
• 
  
  

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What are MUVEs

• Constructed by users
• users are allowed to build in them
• Persistent
• objects created by users exist there for a long
  time
• For example
• Second Life
• ActiveWorlds
• There.com
• Forterra
• Open Croquet
• Introduction to SecondLife (Video)

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Characteristics of MUVEs

• Notions of distance or time hold no significance.
• Divided into different virtual spaces or worlds
  (called island in Second Life and world in
  ActiveWorld)
• The users can move from one world to another
  world through teleports.

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Characteristics of MUVEs - Avatars

• Users of MUVEs are represented by avatars.
• Users can define different appearances for their
  avatar.
• Avatars can interact with other avatars or with
  objects or artifacts placed in the environment.
• Communication with other avatars is typically
  done through text chat or voice chat.
• MUVE defined gestures.
• Users can make their own gestures.

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Characteristics of MUVEs - Interaction

• Interaction with the objects is mostly click
  oriented which is predefined by the owner of the
  environment.
• Clicking on an object (or options defined on
  object) results in
• an activity like displaying media (pictures,
  presentations, videos, simulations, audio)
• or can result in an action in-world (like
  opening of doors or changing positions of objects
  or interacting with the interfaces of the
  objects).
• can cause activity in the browsers as well.

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Characteristics of MUVEs - Building

• MUVEs are coupled with modeling tools which make
  it possible to create objects.
• Use of scripting and programming languages.
• Needs some experience.

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Economic aspects of MUVEs
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Economic aspects of MUVEs
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Economic aspects of MUVEs in-world

• SecondLife (1 USD 273 Linden Dollar)

Source http//secondlife.com/whatis/economy-graph
s.php
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Uses of MUVEs in different fields -Education

• Educational Institutions in SL
• Harvard University
• Princeton University
• New York University
• San Diego State University
• Stanford University
• Texas State University
• In-world courses
• Lectures
• Discussions
• 3D exploration

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Uses of MUVEs in different fields -Education

• River City (Harvard University)
• deals with the health science issues that are
  rising in a virtual world called River City
• Quest Atlantis (Indiana University)
• deals with mostly ecological issues and
  characteristics of different habitats and causes
  of problems in them

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Uses of MUVEs in different fields Sociology

• Digital natives Online society
• Hangouts
• IMVU
• Kaneva
• There.com
• Sharing feelings
• Dance parties, music evenings, sex, movie
  theaters, gaming.
• Impact on real life.

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Uses of MUVEs in different fields Economics

• Sell real life products.
• Hold in-person meetings without leaving the
  office, using real-time 3D collaboration.
• Construct product and process simulations so
  employees and business collaborators from all
  over the world can test new designs and concepts.
• Conduct employee training especially one-on-one
  training.
• Meet with global partners at your virtual
  headquarters.
• Receive product feedback from clients.
• Build community around your brand.
• Sell virtual products.

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Uses of MUVEs in different fields Politics

• US election campaigns in SL
• Obama and McCain Speeches
• Obama avatar in SL
• Political SL

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Uses of MUVEs in different fields Culture

• Japans Geisha district in SL GION
• Twinity - Virtual Berlin
• Bolywood Island in SL The Desi destination

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Uses of MUVEs in different fields Arts

• Machinima making films in MUVEs
• Art exhibitions.
• Non-realistic art

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Uses of MUVEs in different fields Other

• Music
• Religion

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References and resources

• Dalgarno, B. (2002). The Potential of 3D Virtual
  Learning Environments A Constructivist Analysis.
  Electronic Journal of Instructional Science and
  Technology, Volume 5, Issue 2.
• ActiveWorlds. http//www.activeworlds.com/
• Forterra Systems Inc. http//www.forterrainc.com/
  
• Quest Atlantis. http//atlantis.crlt.indiana.edu/
  
• Second Life. http//www.secondlife.com
• There.com. http//www.there.com/
• The Croquet Consortium. http//www.opencroquet.org
  /index.php/Main_Page
• The River City Project. http//muve.gse.harvard.ed
  u/muvees2003/

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• Thankyou