PANEL 3

Session
Abstracts

PANEL 3
Multi-Cultures/Multi-Schools - Intercultural Communication in Virtual Worlds

Chair Kevin Ruess, George Mason University. Presenters: Dr. Judith Fusco, TAPPEDIN, SRI International Vernon Reed, Sapient Inc., University of Texas, Austin Dr. David Gill, Watson School of Education, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Kevin Ruess Introduction to the Session
Kev: Hi. I'm Kevin the chair. Would those of you presenting in session III please identify yourselves and join me on the stage?
Kev: Hello everybody. I'd like the presenters to step to the stage so we can begin.
Kev: I'm Kevin Ruess, an education researcher at George Mason University. I'm the chair for this session.
JudiF: Hi Kevin.
Kev: I'm studying the use of MUVEs in education.
Kev: I've studied adults, but right now my research focus is on middle school. . . .
mira20: wo there r too may miras here
Kev: I'd like everybody to switch to listening mode so our presenters can begin.

dorps: ok
Kev: For this session, each presenter will have about 10 minutes.
Kev: One way to organize your thoughts as the panelists present is to look for common themes.
Kev: I suggest focusing on how educators can get from where we are not to what I see as the next step in design for educational MUVEs.
Kev: Getting from "If we build it they will come" to "If they come they will learn".
Kev: Without further ado, let's begin.

Vernon Reed - Pushing the LImits: Cyberspace at the ACTLAB
Kev: Vernon, go ahead.
vr: alha y'all
vr: i have this paced, save ?s for later
vr: PUSHING THE LIMITS: CYBERSPACE AT THE ACTLAB
vr: ..
vr: The Advanced Communications Technology Laboratory (ACTLab) at the U of Texas is a place for pushing limits and smashing paradigms. While I was there, 1997-1998, I carried out experiments with 3D virtual worlds (Vworlds).
Vetunimi1: go for it vr!!!
vr: These experiments gave us some insights into how people inhabit, relate and behave in the new social reality of cyberspace.
vr: GOTTERDAMMERUNG AT UTOPIA-
vr: In 1997, OnLive! Inc presented the ACTLab with a Traveler Vworld, Utopia, and a server to run it on.
vr: The Traveler platform is VRML-based and employs sophisticated, spatialized audio techniques that allow lip-synched avatars to talk in their users' natural voices. The image behind the stage, which shows the "talking heads", is Utopia.
Vetunimi1: yeah lol
vr: Onlive! was trying to create a social reality in their worlds, and they largely succeeded. Even though most avatars were just heads, the ability to speak, combined with a menu of expressions, was striking.
vr: The 3D, spatialized nature of the sound led one of my students to create a world where visitors could make music simply by flying around through a constellation of objects.
vr: During Avatars98, I brought in some of Austin's best poets, to produce a spoken word event. They were changing avs, levitating and spinning, while reciting. A natural and beautiful extension of poetry into cyberspace.
v r: One of the poets became quite taken with Vpoetry and took it rather far.
vr: The ACTLab is highly committed to the idea that information just wants to be free, and we saw in Utopia (just gotta love that name!) an opportunity to set up a "free state" in cyberspace with few, if any, rules.
vr: We were mindful all along, however, that this freedom was the same freedom as the "wild west". We were curious if and when it might break down, absent the hand of the wizard
vr: While Utopia continued to attract idealistic and libertarian-minded users, it also became a haven for sociopaths and vandals, some of whom were determined to bring down the very server that enabled their activities!
vr: Go figure...
vr: We witnessed the creation of what could be termed cyber-gangs. Like their real world counterparts, many of these were harmless, but some were dedicated to causing trouble.
vr: The final straw came when we received reports of avatars bearing viruses. We had reason to think that our server had been crashed by persons associated with this madness, so at this point we simply pulled the plug.
vr: Thus ended our experiment with total freedom in Utopia. At least some people found new and meaningful ways to be free, if only briefly.

vr: DISTRIBUTED SUBJECTIVITY: BEING MULTIPLE
vr: During my stay at the ACTLab, I developed a theory of distributed subjectivity in cyberspace, based on Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), formerly and more popularly known as Multiple Personalities.
vr: To instantiate these ideas, I also created a multi-user VRML world, LegionWorld, running on the Sony Community Place platform.
Brainstorm: reboot EduVerse
vr: My basic premise was this: In cyberspace, the monolithic subject stance we normally assume is not required or even necessarily desirable.
vr: A more distributed self might actually be optimal, one that would enable and encourage fluid, multi-valent interactions.
vr: This distributed, cyberspatial self can be described using the theories and techniques of Dissociative Identity Disorder, especially if we de-emphasize pathology.
vr: My research into this subject showed that massive dissociation, resulting in the adoption of alternate personalities, typically results as an *adaptive* response to extreme situations beyond a person's control.
vr: The pathology comes from the fact that these alters are often isolated and unaware of each other.
vr: Some therapies for DID do not strive to fuse the set of alters into a single personality, but rather to establish a sort of "confederation of alters", which can act in concert or separately.
vr: That type of therapeutic outcome is the model I chose for my distributed, cyberspatial self.
vr: _LegionWorld_
vr: I created a VRML world as a test bed for these ideas, and then invited users to try it.
vr: To demonstrate my concept of distributed identity, I employed avatars that were more like a small gang or swarm than like a normal monolithic avatar. See these multi-avatars in the images to the right of the stage.
vr: This scheme made explicit the notion of fragmented and distributed self. For instance, a multi-av for an engaged/happy state would have the appropriate sub-avatar in the front center position, "on stage".
vr: clik the images
vr: Importantly, the other sub-avs would be present as well, albeit in the background and partially transparent. They were in a position to take over at any time, subverting the notion of monolithic self.
vr: I tested LegionWorld with a variety of users, and for the most part, users "got it". They understood they were dealing with representations of a more complex self.
vr: Obviously, this is a summary treatment of the theory and test bed. More information can be found at:
vr: www.actlab.utexas.edu/~vreed/LegionWeb/Legion.html
vr: In closing, I feel we were able to push some boundaries, to extend our knowledge about how we utilize the freedoms that cyberspace can afford.
vr: thanx
"akejay": whoa
spans1: very interesting
Kev: Thank you very much!
mira20: clap,clap,clap,clap,clap YEAY! clap,clap,clap,clap,clap
"remi": great!
"ling": fascinating!
Vetunimi1: EXCELLENT
"akejay": clap, clap
Brainstorm: Nice

Dr. David Gill - Online Learning in the Virtual School of Education
Kev: Now we're going to hear from DG, David Gill.
scifair22: Clap, Clap!
d orps: indeed - the concept of multiavatars interests me in its possible use with disturbed and disruptive adolescents
DG: Hi all
Vetunimi1: can we have urls and addies again plz?
mira20: clap,clap,clap,clap,clap
Brainstorm: Reminds me of the work of Sherry Turkle
"Timaeus2": An incredible idea - multiple avatars poised to reflect an individual's actions or moods.
DG: I teach at UNC Wilmington in NC, USA
"ling": Sherry Turkle from MIT
DG: UNCW offers online courses for distance and distributive programs.
"Timaeus2": Her idea is called distributed presence isn't it?
vr: /s late
"ling": her book: Life on the Screen
DG: We specialize in developing web-based courses using a team development approach.
DG: When I joined the web development team in the Spring of 2000, I set my sights on creating a new graduate course, Adolescent Literature, for programs in the Watson School of Education.
DG: Because I am a teacher who uses computers, not a technology guru, I was more interested in how I could create effective instruction using the tools at hand.
DG: I wasn't necessarily trying to recreate a brick and mortar classroom, realizing that online courses have their own paradigm of instruction.
DG: However, because this was a literature course, I knew it had to feature some sort of quality, synchronous discussion,
DG: which is the heart of any reading group--whether it is a university course or a casual get together at the local bookstore.
DG: While I was in the English Department at Ohio University, I had a colleague who used MOOs in his courses.
DG: I found several sites featuring MOOs in action.
DG: I enjoyed the (very) free-form conversations, but I still felt limited to a textual, and unfortunately, unsatisfying, experience.
DG: Further research led to a several avatar-based "worlds."
DG: Included in these are ActiveWorlds' AWEDU, The Palace, and Online! Traveler. I experimented with each format, and while all have their advantages,
DG: I found the AWEDU's worlds to be most suitable to offering an experience comparable to being in a "real" classroom.

DG: After securing a world (the name "DrGill" was an accident on my part, BTW), I spent the better part of Spring Break 2000 learning about building,
DG: using the technique I usually employ: dive in and read the directions when I get frustrated (you should see my children's swing set).
DG: A few constructions and demolitions later, I created the Commons area, which included a Lecture Hall and other buildings.
DG: One of those buildings was Legacy Hall:
DG: In the real world, the Watson School of Education is currently planning a new education building. I used the early architect plans of that building to construct Legacy Hall.
DG: My first idea was to use LH to house my online courses; however, the building is so massive,
DG: it slowed computers with slower chips, less memory, and a modem connection to a crawl (that pretty much summed up most of my students' home computers).
DG: After some thought, I decided to build each course a separate building. I started with EDN 540's home. The building is split into three levels.
DG: The first floor features the Course Lessons and Core Readings, which hang on the walls in the form of posters:
DG: I used the cover art of the novels' covers as art objects:
omar: 0
DG: Clicking on one of the images brings up the online course page, which was built using the Eduprise toolset, the provider UNCW uses for all online courses.
DG: The second floor is actually a catwalk (as is the third), which gives the area a feeling of openness.
DG: Orginally, this floor was enclosed, but students complained of feeling claustrophboic.
DG: Opening the floor up also made room for flying, a favorite diversion.
Brainstorm: what is the Password for that ?
DG: On the second floor's walls are posters of websites devoted to YA literature (I'm in the process of revamping this now: many sites have changed URLs).
DG: The third floor has posters linked to WebQuests and Author Studies done by students in the class.
DG: Once the space was ready, we began meeting regularly here, three nights per week at 9PM, as well as smaller sessions in afternoons for those who couldn't attend.
DG: Here's a classphoto:
Brainstorm: :-) very cute
DG: need to resize!
DG: the first two session went slowly, with most of the conversation being devoted to procedure questions.
DG: This a a scenario familar to brick and mortar classroom, btw. There was also the 'wow!' factor to centend with.
DG: As students became more comfortable, the conversations took off. The chat logs grew from an initial 2-4 pages to 25-28 pages per session. These sessions lasted well over an hour.
DG: Sometimes up to two hours. I have compared the comments to transcripts of classroom discussions,
DG: and I have found that they are of comparable quality, as far as depth and insight of analysis.
DG: Here are some other things that I discovered and am trying to study this semester with the EDN 356 class (a hybrid class which meets 'live' once a week and in VSE once a week).
DG: *there is more interchange among students than in a live class. At first, the discussion wouldn't start without me.
DG: After a couple of sessions, the class would start without me (I had appointed discussion leaders).
DG: *students were less dependent on my opinions than in a live class
DG: *students commented that the design and construction of the world was very important to them. The more familiar I made a space, the more likely they would be to use it.
DG: In all, the VR world far exceeded my expectations, both as a teacher and as a researcher. We are now looking at VR as a place
DG: to create mentoring components, online modules, and to conduct seminars for interns and partnership teachers.
DG: As a side note, I will be giving a tour of the world DrGill after this panel, if anyone is interested.
DG: thanks
Vetunimi1: ty David
spans1: Excellent talk, well presented with the web slide show! Thanks.
vr: ravo dg
scifair22: Clap, Clap!
dorps: extremely interesting
Kev: Thank you, David.
"guest1": very nice
"ling": wonderful!
"remi": thanks!
Brainstorm: nice project
"Quiddity": excellent presentation

Dr. Judith Fusco - Establishing an On-line Community of Education Professionals
Kev: I'd like to let Judy go next, and we'll save questions for later.
JudiF: Hello... I'm Judi Fusco and I'm a researcher and developer of TAPPED IN, a 3 year old community for education professionals.
Kev: Judi?
Derrick: Hi etraveller!
JudiF: In my presentation today, I'm going to tell you: What is TAPPED IN? Who's in TAPPED IN? The culture of TAPPED IN? The beliefs we have about professional communities. And anything else I can squeeze in to this ten minute period.
JudiF: Please let me know if I go too fast or slow.... First, what is TAPPED IN?
JudiF: TAPPED IN www.tappedin.org is a Multi-User Virtual Environment (MUVE) based on MOO technology. A quick explanation and history lesson MOO stands for Multi-user domain Object Oriented.
JudiF: thanks
JudiF: It was invented by Stephen White aka Ghond (in Canada) and then inherited by Pavel Curtis at Xerox Park about 10 years ago.
JudiF: He maintained the MOO server there and modified the language It's been used by many different virtual worlds. We've extended the technology in TAPPED IN....
JudiF: to include a web interface and easier object creation.
JudiF: It's a 2 dimension environment... When we started TAPPED IN, bandwidth nor computers within schools were sufficient to support a 3d environment, and still aren't the best for being as accessible as possible to as many folks as possible.
JudiF: TAPPED IN is home to over 7500 teachers and other education professionals. We have 17 partner organizations, and part of our research is to determine how to become a self-sustaining community.

JudiF: Just a little more about the numbers... about 10% (700-800) of our members logs in each month and spends an average of almost an hour online. 400-1000 guests log in each week too
JudiF: In 2000 about 1/2 of our membership has logged in, and we are looking to see how activity waxes and wanes through an education professional's life.
JudiF: If you are interested in knowing more see http://www.tappedin.org/info/research.html
JudiF: A teacher can join TAPPED IN through an organization or on their own. TAPPED IN is free for teachers, but organizations pay us to develop special technology features or for services.
JudiF: I'm going to skip some more of the description of the environment....
JudiF: But please feel free to visit http://www.tappedin.org
JudiF: and look around.
JudiF: Who's in TAPPED IN?
JudiF: We've always believed that a community should be diverse so that members can interact with others and learn and get new points of view.
JudiF: This is a different perspective than many communities take. Many focus on developing close relationships, or strong ties, among a small, homogeneous group of teachers (e.g., 50 middle school math teacher leaders).
JudiF: According to some social network theorists, this leads to neither an efficient nor effective professional network because each of the members is structurally equivalent and therefore redundant in terms of a source of new information.
dorps: agreed!!!
JudiF: Networks with more nonredundant contacts provide more benefits (Burt, 1992).
"ling": yes!
JudiF: Granovetter's (1973, 1982) notion of the strength of weak ties shows that the spread of new ideas most often comes through weak ties between people in separate social clusters.
JudiF: While we have sessions in TAPPED IN specifically for groups that are alike, we also try to get diverse groups together...
JudiF: For example, we are currently having an online science seminar sponsored by Lawrence Hall of Science (UC Berkeley) SEPUP program and about half of the participants are science teachers,
JudiF: a few elementary, several professors, and one "actual scientist," plus the leaders from SEPUP.
JudiF: I think this is a good diverse mix.
JudiF: We started TAPPED IN because we wanted to offer a new option for teachers and teacher professional development. K-12 teachers do not get time in the school day to interact with their peers.
dorps: too true
JudiF: I'm real... :-)
JudiF: We also knew that most teachers don't have a phone or fax in their classroom, but they do have computers.
Brainstorm: proove you are ;-)
JudiF: About 1/2 of our members are teachers... Many people who join TAPPED IN come in new to online interactions and staff and experienced members spend a great deal of time teaching collaboration skills. The environment is a "very friendly" place... we en
JudiF: ... we encourage new people to ask questions and learn from each other.
JudiF: (i made a mistake.... does that prove i'm real and human?)
JudiF: We spend a lot of time helping people get comfortable because we know you can't learn if you aren't comfortable. Members are assigned identities and they are persistent and tied to the real world.
dorps: what you are saying proves it Judi:)
JudiF: We've never had any issues of a member acting inappropriate or of the community making complaints against any member. It's a very professional environment
JudiF: That's in great contrast to VR's experience.
JudiF: How am I doing on time Kevin?
JudiF: We've started doing research on some of the benefits of membership in TAPPED IN ... Initial data from a survey administered in fall 1999 indicate that the more teachers participate in our community, the more they feel that TAPPED IN has had positive
Kev: You're OK. You can have a minute or so more.
JudiF: the more they feel that TAPPED IN has had positive effects on their professional growth and how they teach (Fusco, Gehlbach & Schlager 2000).
JudiF: Members reported positive impacts on the reduction of professional isolation, participation in professional discourse with other educators, professional relationships, and their attitude toward the profession.
JudiF: Respondents who reported logging in more often perceive a greater positive impact than those who had logged in fewer times.

JudiF: Contrary to conventional wisdom that most teachers who participate in online communities are young, we found that 50% of our teacher respondents have taught 14 years or more with half of those have taught more than 20 years, and our members have an a
JudiF: And Kevin just told me I need to wrap up soon..... I'll wrap up by saying.....
JudiF: We're just starting to understand these worlds.... and their uses....
JudiF: And what works and what doesn't...
JudiF: And different environments will have differnt uses.... it's veryimportant to explore different tools to determine what needs your needs best.
JudiF: ok... I'm done :-)
Kev: Thank you Judi!
Vetunimi1: *joins in
vr: wonderful- thanx a bunch
spans1: many hands...
bea: is interesting wht you said about teachers age
dorps: Thank you - I would love to know more
"ling": just visited TAPPED In last night it really was friendly for teachers!
JudiF: sure... log in anytime and I'll be glad to talk with you...there's a lot of information on our website.

Kevin Ruess - The MUVEsim Experiment
Kev: I'm going to give a quick overview of a project I did, then we'll open up to Q&A.
"Timaeus2": Sounds like a good format for professional development
"Eep": just imagine..infinite claps
Kev: I'm going to describe the MUVEsim experiment.
spans1: many hands...
bea: is interesting wht you said about teachers age
Vetunimi1: haven't got the time eep lol
dorps: Thank you - I would love to know more
"ling": just visited TAPPED In last night it really was friendly for teachers!
Kev: MUVEsim was conducted to explore the experiences of participants in a cultural role-play that took place in a shared virtual environment.
Kev: The experiment was based on applying experiential learning theory to a simulation run in a text-based synchronous environment (a MOO).
Kev: The project was inspired by James Howard Griffin's book, Black Like Me, . . .
"Eep": oh god..not role-playing..
"Eep": gor Kev: in which the white author describes his experiences after chemically altering his appearance to appear African American as he traveled through the American south.
Kev: I reasoned that the effect of experiencing Otherness could be simulated in a virtual environment.
Daph Knee: (to "Eep") geeze.. would you stop already!!..
Kev: The virtual environment consisted of the offices of Multinaco, a fictitious multinational corporation, a street, and a café.
"Eep": whaaat..sheesh
Kev: The office provided the setting for the job interview portion of the simulation, and the debriefing took place in the café.
Kev: Over the course of the simulation runs, the simulation and facilitator's role were modified in response to participant suggestions.
Kev: One participant for each simulation was assigned to play the role of a cultural Other, someone having a different cultural/ethnic identity than their own.
Kev: This aspect of the role-play was not disclosed to the other participant until the debriefing
Kev: Participants wrote their own character descriptions and chose character names for the experiment
Kev: The remaining five were run as trio simulations with an authentic Other acting as a secret helper to the person playing a cultural Other.
Kev: In these cases the cultural/ethnic identity of the Other-player was assigned based on the identity of the helper.
dorps: (to JudiF) thank you I wish you had been around when I was teaching lol
Kev: There were three types of debriefing activities.
Kev: One in the café after the interview, a post-simulation debriefing provided via email from participants, and a discussion list to which all participants were encouraged to contribute.
Kev: In addition, a follow-up reflection was requested after a time lapse of two weeks or more to ask if participants had encountered situations in their lives that brought the MUVEsim experience to mind and how it might have affected their behavior.
Kev: The debriefing activities showed that participants had experiences that forced most of them to deal with the concept of cultural Otherness, many of them in ways that made them feel uncomfortable and increased their awareness of stereotypical or under
Kev: under informed views they had of people of different cultures.
Kev: Though the research initially focused on the experience of Other-players, the self-players and helpers reported similar experiences.
dorps: (to JudiF) as I am retired I have all day and night too if necessary lol
Kev: Participants reported experiences that ranged from finding it a waste of time all the way to having intense, life-altering "aha" moments that changed their perceptions of and behaviors toward cultural Others.
Kev: That's it!

Kevin Ruess - Opens up Session to Q&A
Kev: I'd now like to open this up to general Q&A.
Kev: If you have a general question, just state it.
Kev: If it's for a specific person, please show their name.

Kev: If there are no questions, I have a couple for the panel to consider.
dorps: for Dr Gill - i was interested that your students liked a familiar environment
DG: the concept of VR was unusual enough
DG: they wanted something 'normal'
Brainstorm: 2 Kev: What if this brings us a step closer to a culture harmony ?
dorps: do you think the same criteria would hold for younger children
"ling": I'd like to read more about your research, Kev.
"ling": I am an elementary teacher and I think...
zg: its the best there is at the moment
"ling": something like this would work with kids cuz..
DG: dorps, it appeals to my 10 yr old son
"ling": kids naturally use puppets as transitional objects
DG: and his freidns, who use the world for conversations
scifair211: Dr. Gill - what advantages do you think your virtual class room offered than to a regular chat room set up to talk about the assignments.
dorps: LOL - and my 7 year old grandson
zg: correct eep you don't need VR to learn
DG: ling, I think you're right
zg: however, it widens the horizons for your learning experience
Kev: VR will become another tool in education that educators can use along with all the others.
bea: JudiF do you have an explanation why teachers age raised??
JudiF: Why our community's average age is 42?
bea: right!
"Quiddity": Eep I couldn't agree more
"ling": But most public schools cant handle 3d platforms very well...
"ling": ..does anyone think there is a possibility to use this in public schools?
JudiF: to Bea I think that our members are ready for something different... they've been teaching for a while.....
J udiF: to Bea and are ready to learn new things....
DG: VR also allows conferening and seminars with teachers in the field on a daily basis, if necessary
bea: are they dissapointed teachers?
JudiF: a new teacher is overwhlemed with new things.
JudiF: and sooooo many new things.
Kev: There is certainly room for VR use in Public Schools as school based computers are replaced with newer ones that are faster.
zg: there are no dynamic 3D games that I am aware of eep
Brainstorm: To all speakers : What will be after Virtual Communities ?
dorps: Kev I am trying to initiate such a project in England
JudiF: to Bea I don't think they are disappointed (i don't have any research) but most of the people we work with are quite amazing in what they do and what they have accomplished
zg: in the sense that if I change something in world you will see it change - you can not do that in any 3D game
DG: amen, zg
zg: for instance if I remove the sky - everyone will see it
DG: VR doens't have to be Diablo to hold a kid's interest
DG: the ability to converse, build, and
zg: yes if you blow someone up they notice
"ling": Kids naturally like to share
mira20: yep
DG: write are equally as exciting
zg: however that is destructive and not creative
DG: as killing things
vr: mira 20 is my 10 yr old son, here now
zg: which is a different thing altogether
"Nsae Comp": hey eep most kids if they knew about ActiveWorlds would spend may much more time in it than on the PS][ than anything else
Vetunimi1: he is just speaking now Eep
Vetunimi1: above
zg: did you say that aw was the best eep ?<g>
vr: hre 7 his droogs are very empoered by the (constructivist) ability to build here
"Nsae Comp": I was typing Vet not speaking
"Eep": perhaps when AW's graphics can compete with the PS2's, Nsae.
JudiF: Sorry I've been talking with people at this f2f confernece for a while...
Vetunimi1: thx for reminding me Nsae
zg: freind chris
vr: friend
"Eep": PERHAPS the best, zg.
zg: :0)
Kev: It's officially time to end. But we can stay here and chat as long as you like.
DG: so long, all. i have to go give a tour. Thanks for your responses!
Vetunimi1: <-- loves AW
"Nsae Comp": even more then but also now becasue there is nothing really like this
vr: all aw needs is spatialized sound:)
Kev: Those of you who are ready to go on to session 4, it's in the Scicentre.
Vetunimi1: it is near vr
Brainstorm: Chris Corsbie is right, there are two sides of the medal
"Timaeus2": Thank you Dr. Gill, from an Ohio University student
"Eep": tnlc.com/eep/aw/improve.hml for what I and other AW users think AW needs
zg: its time to move on to the next session folks
Vetunimi1: yes it is a good list Eep
"Eep": but don't get me wrong, AW DOES have potential...
"Timaeus2": I'll look Eep
"Mustafa": not MOST aw users keep in mind tho
Vetunimi1: thx Eep
zg: there are teleports at either side of the stage
Kev: Thank you very much for coming.

Click here for transcripts from PANEL 4 - Science Learning in Virtual Environments - CVEs

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