This project was developed at Macquarie ICT Innovations Centre (MacICT). MacICT is located at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. It is a collaborative agreement between the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) and Macquarie University, which provides the opportunity for NSW DET schools access to the use of innovative technologies in teaching and learning. MacICT’s mission statement: to develop, implement, and evaluate innovative ways of enhancing learning through the application of dynamic and emerging information and communication technologies. Our Virtual worlds project provides opportunities for students to explore and construct within a safe learning environment. This project aims to evaluate innovative educational approaches that incorporate virtual worlds in order to better support student learning. Central to this work is a commitment to promote quality learning through the use of collaboration, problem solving, design, creation, evaluation and reflection.

1. 3D VIRTUAL WORLDS MacICT

2. I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land we meet on today. I pay my respects to elders past, present and future, for they hold the memories, the traditions, the culture and the hopes of Indigenous Australia. Welcome to country

3. What is a Virtual World? A Virtual world is a computer simulated 3D environment that allows people with internet access and software to populate and interact with each other through a digital 3D graphical representation called avatars. Most virtual worlds allow for multiple users at concurrent time. Virtual World

5. Project Outcomes The Virtual Worlds Project aims to: Evaluate innovative educational applications of virtual world technologies, focusing specifically on activities that involve student construction within a safe environment. Project Outcomes

6. Project Pedagogical Approach The Virtual Worlds Project aims to: Provide students with opportunities for open-ended inquiry and higher order thinking through design and construction activities in a 3D environment. Project PedagogicalApproach

7. Cyber Citizenship Students follow the rules of STAR and good cyber citizenship practice in the virtual world: Cyber Citizenship

11. NSW Institute of Teachers(Accreditation and Standards) Sample of NSW Institute Elements mapped to MacICT Projects ELEMENT 2: TEACHERS KNOW THEIR STUDENTS AND HOW THEY LEARN Knowledge of students’ varied approaches to learning 2.2.3 Apply practical and theoretical knowledge and understanding of the different approaches to learning to enhance student outcomes. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE NSW Institute of Teachers

13. Engagement

14. Social Support

15. Inclusivity

16. ConnectednessNSW Quality Teaching framework

17. Research How do student design and construction activities within a 3D environment assist students to achieve learning outcomes? Presentation Learning through Design and Construction in Multi-User Virtual Environments: Opportunities, Challenges and an Emerging Project Andrew Cram (AACE Conference, Penang, Malaysia May 2010) Research

18. Online World at MacICT 3D Virtual Worlds Project Information: http://web1.macquarieict.schools.nsw.edu.au/index.php/projects/menu3dvirtualworlds.html 3D Virtual Worlds Blog: http://me.edu.au/b/KatyL/ http://me.edu.au/p/jeade 3D Virtual Worlds Wiki: (To be developed in Tm 2, 2010) 3D Virtual Worlds Online Training Videos: http://trinity.macict.edu.au/ Online World at MacICT

20. The school or college shall not sell, hire or otherwise derive revenue from copies of the material, nor distribute copies of the material for any other purpose.

21. The restricted waiver of copyright is not transferable and may be withdrawn in the case of breach of any of these conditions. Thank You