MUVES+and+Professional+Development

Online Learning Community: Leading Technology Change The one Multi-User Virtual Environment website that I found that would be beneficial for elementary students is [|www.olpglobalkids.org]. Since 2002, Global Kids has been a leader in the use of online games to promote global awareness engaged citizenship, and 21st Century Learning Skills. Through //Play for Keeps,// Global Kids trains urban youth to think critically about digital games and design games about important social issues. On this website under professional development, they offer several different trainings. **Games-based Education 101** This one-day training will prepare educators to incorporate into their curriculum games that directly or indirectly address core literacy and content areas and free web-based tools to support youth in designingtheir own games. **Playing 4 Keeps Capacity Building Program** This three-day training, combined with ongoing phone-based and online support, will prepare educators to lead their own, 20-session serious game design program. The curriculum focuses on supporting youth to think critically about digital games, understand global issues, and design their own serious game.
 * MUVES and Professional Development**
 * Lori Backen**

If you would like more information on Global Kids, visit the website for any information you are more interested in.
MUVE's and Professional Development Professional Organizations Not surprisingly, the majority of the educational organizations I found, which utilize MUVE's are technology organizations. I did focus on Second Life as I searched for this information, only because I am not familiar with any of these virtual environments. The first organization I found is the Association for Educational Communications and Technology [] The second organization I found is one with which we are all familiar, the International Society for Technology in Education [].

Personal Learning Network Education Arcade [] provides a wealth of information on gaming in education.

Emerging Technologies Whyville is another virtual environment in which one can participate. In this MUVE, there are resources available with information on new and emerging technology.

I do not know that I would be able to convince my colleagues that MUVE's are a valuable source of professional development. I am also not sure that I could be convinced of this. I think this type of interaction is focused on people who enjoy gaming, and this is something I truly dislike. It would not surprise me if this "trend" in educational development disappeared in the future.

Amy West

Response to Amy: I too feel that I may have a hard time convincing my colleagues to incorporate MUVE's in their teaching. I did find a virtual environment that would be fun to elementary students and believe that because it looks very user friendly teachers may be willing to try it. You should check it out. [|www.brainnook.com]. You as a teacher could set up your class to go in and participate. They go through virtual worlds and compete with other students online. JOY

Sadie's responseto Amy,

I understand why you feel that way. A lot of teachers are stuck in their ways and are not eager to change things. All I can say is that if you have research to back up what you are saying people will listen. Don't give up.

Sadie

Professional Organizatations:
==== One of the professional organizations I found was Tapped In []. Tapped In is an online workplace for eduational professionals. Tapped In has a calendar of online trainings for the month of December. These trainings revolve around helping teachers incorporate technology into the classroom. This organization has a page the is directly related to including K-12 students into the program and ideas to get started with student pages. I sturggled with finding MUVE's that focused on Elementary students. One site I found that is a great virtual site for elementary students is BrainNook [|www.brainnook.com] this site is for 1st through 5th grade. It offers students an alternative engaging learning environment filled with practical world experience. BrainNook helps kids develop Math and English skills, while exploring the Earth and playing safely with others. It contains over a hundred educational games based on fundamental concepts in Math and English Grammar. ====

Personal Learning Network:
==== The site I found that will help keep me abreast of new and emerging technologies is the blog []. This blog has helpful websites, free tools and resources, notable articles in the media of interest to educators, and so on. It has up to date information on new technologies that can be included in lessons for your students. ====

Engaging Colleagues in Professional development workshops:
==== As I began this Master's Program my administraitor has been very supportive of the technology I have included in my classroom. She has set aside several staff meetings so I could introduce and explain the technology I have learned and used in my classroom. I have had many supportive teachers and those who feel I am pushing too much on them. I believe lots of them would have a hard time incorporating MUVE's in their classroom. It would be important for me to find a supportive workshop that is easy to follow. Some of the sites mentioned above are very user friendly. I do think my teachers would like the site BrainNook because it is something that can easily be monitored in the computer lab. ====

Response to Joy
==== Joy, I also believe that MUVEs are a form of technology that some teachers would have a hard time incorporating into their classrooms. If we introduce it to our teachers, I find that those that are interested would experience for themselves how they can use MUVEs in their classrooms. As like with other forms of technology, those that are not willing to use technology, will just bypass it as something they are not interested in doing. I think that by introducing an MUVE, like BrainNook, that can be monitored in the computer lab, more teachers are more apt to give that a try as opposed to trying to find time in their busy schedules to fit something else in. Great job on your research. ====

Sadie's MUVE Professional Orgainzation search
EdTech Leaders online provides online workshops and webinars that can be helpful when it comes to MUVES.The url is: []. This site offers great online professional development of administrators and teachers. This site also provides for workshops that target specific subjects and grade levels. Online readings and interactive activities are also available. Another organization that I found was the Center for Learning in VIrtual Environments. The url is: []. This organization offers community projects, professional devlopment, research and information on virtual worlds learning. Collaboration is risk free and allows for interdisciplinary collaboration. There are free matierials available and many other resources. My district has allowed for one day a month where teachers can run a cohort to share information learned with other teachers. The first year my district did this I ran a cohort on intergrating technology into the classroom. I could suggest having a cohort based on MUVEs. There are a lot of teachers that are not aware of the benefits or professional development opprotunities available to them.

Gina Dewey Professional Organizations: Second Life is a MUVE that has so many different additional sites that you can use in the classroom. One that I would like to look into more is [|A Second Life for Your Museum.] This site includes interviews with designers and developers of museums in Second Life. This site is an international conference for culture and heritage online. [|Quest Atlantis] is another MUVE that is designed for children ages 9-12. They are to complete activities with social and academic merit in both formal and informal learning settings. This is one that I look forward to exploring more and beginning to use in my classroom. Personal Learning Network: A site that I found, [|Multi-User Virtual Environment for Teaching and Learning] through Harvard University, portrays various MUVEs that help teachers keep abreast of new and emerging technologies. With the variety, teachers are able to use what they feel will best fit their classroom. New and Emerging Technologies: [|CITEd Research Center] is a site that provides background and examples of MUVEs and related game formats, early research findings, and provides links to online resources where you can learn more. There are also educational MUVE projects that are available for teachers to research.

Professional Development Workshops: MUVEs are one type of technology that I still do not have a complete understanding of yet. In order to engage my colleagues in professional development workshops, I myself, need to become more familiar with how they are used. Quest Atlantis is one MUVE that I find is very interesting and would also interest colleagues in my building. As the year progresses, this one tool that I would like to begin to use in my classroom and then take my experience to my colleagues.