This week, we had the first of three Second Life Treasure Hunts:

"High above the chapel walls lies the great work of Michelangelo"

The goal of this illuminating task was to take a picture of the object of the hunt and post it to our discussion board as a proof of our success. A vote would then determine the “best” picture.

An educational game

It was a perfect illustration of what an educational video game-based challenge can look like, that is: a simple yet engaging task (the back-story) to have participants to explore Second Life (the actual skill of interest)

This Treasure Hunt involved:

• reflecting (a little)

• referring back to our cultural knowledge

• using specific tools (search engine) to assist us in solving the challenge (if we lacked background knowledge) as well as helping us locate the Sistine Chapel within the virtual world.

It remains a rather simple example but one that could easily serve as a basic model for creating educational  challenges involving more complex problem-solving skills.

For this to be successful, the level of challenge and associated reward(s) would also need to be adjusted accordingly so that the participants' motivation is sustained.

Finally, I felt that the social and competing aspect of this task was another motivating factor.

Virtual possibilities

Another interesting characteristic exemplified by this Treasure Hunt is the capability of virtual environments to reduce or suppress real world constraints.

 

Picture: Virtual possibilities. Where's wally?

In order to take an interesting picture in the hope of winning the Hunt, many of us took advantage of this by:

• flying (half naked sometimes)

• sitting high, by the stained glass windows

(Not to mention that taking pictures is in itself sometimes restricted in such places)

This perfectly illustrates a suggestion in order to create yet affordable learning experiences.

Lamb (2006) provides other such examples enabling learners to:

• walk among Dinosaurs or disappeared Civilisations

• put into practice knowledge gained from Architecture courses

• walk among giant models of molecules of interest

• learn about dangerous physical phenomenon (tsunami, etc.)

• pilot a plane or a space ship

• get in touch with other cultures

Prensky outlined those possibilities as constituent of "digital wisdom":

 

"The world is full of things we cannot perceive with our unenhanced senses, things that are too small, too large, too fast, too abstract, too dangerous, or too far away. Exploring these things through digital enhancements will certainly help expand both our understanding of these things and our knowledge of how they can help or hurt us. It will also expand our ability to assume multiple perspectives—to see things from more than one point of view—and, hence, our wisdom. The perception of things outside our normal sensory range can be enhanced digitally in numerous ways, from manipulable three-dimensional simulations to digitally monitored biofeedback controls that enhance mental and sensory states, which may also enhance memory and emotional control. Access to alternative perspectives can also be attained through increasingly sophisticated digital role playing, using simulations in which people can experience difficult and critical situations from various points of view."

Prensky (2009)

 

These possible uses of virtual worlds to reduce real world constraints also give account of the creativity and imaginative power that such environments make possible: for instance, I found that some of the pictures taken by some participants in the Treasure Hunt were really interesting from this point of view.

 

 

Collaboration

 

This treasure hunt also highlights potential for cross-schools or institutions collaboration. Most of us were amazed by the beauty of the work that has been done in recreating this chapel. In a way, we also used as a form of learning environment so we may imagine a form of collaboration enabling:

• Students in specific domains (Arts or Architecture in this case) to practice their skills (re-)creating virtual artworks (such as the Sistine Chapel)
• Other students to use these virtual artworks as a learning material or environment (like we did but that could take a wide variety of forms), potentially providing valuable feedback for the former group to use

This would really benefit both parties and help foster quite valuable collaborative skills in participants.

 

 

Given the vast amount of possibilities offered by video games and simulations, it appears essential to explore how this learning can be transferred to real life settings...

References:

Lamb, G. M. (2006). Real learning in a virtual world. The Christian Science Monitor, 5 October 2006.
Retrieved: 6 February 2009. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/1005/p13s02-legn.html

 

Prensky, M. (2009). H. Sapiens digital: from digital immigrants and digital natives to digital wisdom. In Innovate 5 (3)
Retrieved: 7 February 2009. http://innovateonline.info/index.php?view=article&id=705&action=article