September, 2012 Chris Dede
Chris Dede is the Timothy E. Wirth Professor in Learning Technologies at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education. His fields of scholarship include emerging technologies, policy, and leadership. His funded research includes seven current grants from NSF, Qualcomm, the Gates Foundation, and the US Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences to explore immersive simulations and transformed social interactions as means of student engagement, learning, and assessment. In 2007, he was honored by Harvard University as an outstanding teacher, and in 2011 he was named a Fellow of the American Educational Research Association. His presentation slides can be viewed by clicking the link. Blending Virtual and Augmented Realities for Authentic Simulations
Link to Video http://vimeo.com/49773202
Link to Video http://vimeo.com/49773202
October 16, 2012 - Ilan Tochner
CEO of Kitely, shared the state of his "Virtual Worlds on Demand" platform and plans for this Israel-based platform's further growth and development, as it unfolds as a popular tool for educators!
www.kitely.com
Link to the Broadcast here: http://sigve.weebly.com/1/post/2012/10/october-16-2012-ilan-tochner-kitely.html
www.kitely.com
Link to the Broadcast here: http://sigve.weebly.com/1/post/2012/10/october-16-2012-ilan-tochner-kitely.html
November 20, 2012 Lucas Gillespie
What if school were more like a game? What if students unlocked new lesson activities as they mastered old ones? What if we brought games into the classroom and encouraged our learners to immerse themselves in them, while writing and reflecting on the experience? These are the questions we're exploring in SAGA, Story and Game Academy. Along the journey, students are writing stories, creating art, and even building their own game worlds!
Lucas Gillispie, Instructional Technology Coordinator for Pender County Schools in North Carolina shared this exciting new elective course he and teachers in his district are developing. The learning is in the game! Lucas Gillispie, an avid gamer, is an Instructional Technology Coordinator for Pender County Schools in southeastern North Carolina.
Lucas Gillispie, Instructional Technology Coordinator for Pender County Schools in North Carolina shared this exciting new elective course he and teachers in his district are developing. The learning is in the game! Lucas Gillispie, an avid gamer, is an Instructional Technology Coordinator for Pender County Schools in southeastern North Carolina.
December 18, 2012 Beverly McCArter
Beverly Gay MvCarter is a Certified architect/designer of virtual worlds (University of Washington) and a certified facilitator of self organizing systems for complex environments (Human Interactive Dynamics). While working at the National Defense University in Washington, DC, she helped coordinate and executethe efforts of the federal Consortium for Virtual Worlds' to bring the Federal Government into virtual worlds. Ms. McCarter is an architect of virtual world environments focusing on psychology of the avatar and virtual worlds, as well as the complexity and impact of the aesthetics of 3D immersive environments on complex human systems. She is a solution provider for Linden Labs' Second Life Virtual World.
January 15, 2013 - Mikhail Fominykh
Mikhail Fominykh is a PHD research fellow at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management, NTNU and studying as a PHD candidate at the Faculty of Information Technology, Mathematics and Electrical Engineering, NTNU. He has defended his thesis under the title “Collaborative Work on 3D Educational Content” in 2012. Mikhail is working as a postdoctoral research fellow at NTNU. Mikhail work involve designing environments for educational activities in 3D collaborative virtual environments, conducting such activities and conducting research into the use of 3D collaborative virtual environments for learning. He will share Vacademia's remarkable platform, where educators can record teaching lessons for replay at a future time as a "Virtcast".
HTTP://WWW.VACADEMIA.COM
HTTP://WWW.VACADEMIA.COM
FEBRUARY 19, 2013 - JOHN PATHFINDER LESTER
John Lester is Chief Learning Officer at ReactionGrid, a software company developing 3D simulations and multiuser virtual world platforms. His primary focus is on collaborative learning and instructional design, working with academic and business clients to develop immersive education environments.
From 2005-2010, John worked at Linden Lab, the creators of Second Life. At Linden Lab he led the development of the education and healthcare markets while evangelizing the innovative use of virtual worlds in research, training and distance education. John has a background in neuroscience research and a deep interest in how to best design and use virtual world technology to enhance education, build collaborative communities, and augment the human mind. John is currently focused on virtual world research and development using Unity3d, Opensimulator and Jibe. He also works with organizations on strategic planning in knowledge management and creative learning.
From 2005-2010, John worked at Linden Lab, the creators of Second Life. At Linden Lab he led the development of the education and healthcare markets while evangelizing the innovative use of virtual worlds in research, training and distance education. John has a background in neuroscience research and a deep interest in how to best design and use virtual world technology to enhance education, build collaborative communities, and augment the human mind. John is currently focused on virtual world research and development using Unity3d, Opensimulator and Jibe. He also works with organizations on strategic planning in knowledge management and creative learning.
March 19, 2013 - Arthur Conan Doyle (Tom Layton)
Tom Layton has taught in various cultures and environments including the Navajos in Arizona, Yupik Eskimos in Alaska, Mexicans, H'mong , Chinese, Lao, Vietnamese in Newberg and Eugene Oregon.
In 1978 Tom saw an Apple computer and it changed his life. In 1984 he was selected as Electronic Learning Magazine's Educator of the Year. The following year, his students created the first high school yearbook on a CD and the year after that those same students founded Southtech, a student run multimedia production company. Many of those students now work for companies like Pixar, Apple & INtel or have started their own companies. In 1994 Tom founded Cyberschool, the first Internet-based public high school distance learning program. In 2001 Tom retired and is currently developing teacher training courses in Second Life for The Center for Advanced Technology in Education (CATE) at the University of Oregon.
April 16,2013 - William Schmachtenberg
William Schmachtenberg (Dae Miami in SL) has degrees in geology and paleontology from Cornell University(BA) and the University of Chicago(MS and Ph.D.). He has taught for 25 years at Franklin County High School in Rocky Mount, Virginia, USA, and for 17 years at Ferrum College. He has been actively involved in Virtual Worlds since 2009 in second life, Uru Online, and most recently, Unity 3d. Virtual world software can be used for collaboration, simulations, team building, problem-solving, and reviewing for state tests. Discussions from online meetings with educators lead to the publishing of a science paper a year ago in the Smithsonian Journal Paleobiology. From 2010 to 2011, I worked on a team of 5 educators and scientists to develop an online Mars Colony Simulation using Uru that was used in the NASA educational program VASTS at the Langley Research Center(See: http://www.idoodlesoftware.com/news-07262011.html). I have also published four white papers on how Uru can be used in schools (See https://sites.google.com/a/frco.k12.va.us/william-schmachtenberg/resources for free downloads of all my work). Uru was especially effective in helping my students score well on unit tests based on the new rigorous science standards in Virginia. Although Uru is effective in the classroom, it is limited in that it only runs on pcs, and requires a rather large download of the client program. Unity 3d allows educators to develop virtual worlds for pc, mac, or on the web for free! Virtual world software is a powerful tool in the twenty-first century classroom. Students as young as high school freshman have created wonderful worlds in Uru and Unity 3d.
MAY 21, 2013 - ROSIE AND ROBERT VOJTEK
Bob Vojtek (RL), BJ Gearbox (SL) is currently the Director of Technology for Avon Public Schools in Connecticut. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in Education Policy and Management. Bob has worked as the Director of Instructional Technology for Harvard Law School and Chief Information Officer at Concordia University and the University of Hartford. He was also Dean of Vocational Education at College of the Redwoods and a consultant for Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Studios. Bob (BJ) is the Chair for the ISTE SIGVE and Artistic Director of the Virtual Education Journal (VEJ).
Rosie O’Brien Vojtek (RL), Roxie Neiro (SL) is currently the Principal of Ivy Drive Elementary School in Connecticut. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in Curriculum and Instruction. She has worked as a teacher, Curriculum Director, and principal in several districts in Oregon and Connecticut. Rosie has served as the National Staff Development Council President (2000), National Association Of Elementary Principals (NAESP) State Representative and currently serves on the NAESP Resolutions Committee. Rosie is involved with the Connecticut Association of Schools and was awarded their highest Award of Commendation (2013). Rosie is also the Chair/President of the ISTE SIGAdmin Group and Editor of the Virtual Education Journal.
Rosie O’Brien Vojtek (RL), Roxie Neiro (SL) is currently the Principal of Ivy Drive Elementary School in Connecticut. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Oregon in Curriculum and Instruction. She has worked as a teacher, Curriculum Director, and principal in several districts in Oregon and Connecticut. Rosie has served as the National Staff Development Council President (2000), National Association Of Elementary Principals (NAESP) State Representative and currently serves on the NAESP Resolutions Committee. Rosie is involved with the Connecticut Association of Schools and was awarded their highest Award of Commendation (2013). Rosie is also the Chair/President of the ISTE SIGAdmin Group and Editor of the Virtual Education Journal.
