These slides accompanied a workshop that reviewed the basics of the way that open source virtual reality environments can be used in education - there are hands on applications and links that can be tried by all

1. BECOME AN AVATAR: AND, EXPLORE
VIRTUAL REALITY
Jelia Domingo & Eileen O’Connor -
SUNY Empire State College – jelia.domingo@esc.edu / eileen.oconnor@esc.edu
And, a band of hearty VR builders & guides joining from around the USA –
Lisa Ryan, Scott Dolphin, Selby Evans, Lisa Ryan
Workshop – May 28, 2019 – 2 to 5pm
https://www.esc.edu/graduate-studies/masters-degrees/education-
programs/ma-learning-emerging-technologies/

2. AGENDA
• Intro & orientation
• Startup
• Avatar - modify & consider
• Break
• Building - basic > complex
• Virtual tours
• Debriefing - next steps; return and continue
Join in a guided immersive
adventure  in the future,
visit or create

3. INTRODUCTIONS
• About us / about you
• Research
• Inform consent
• Opt in / opt out
• General things we have done
• What would you hope to accomplish by end?
• Dabble? Or journey on with us?
You can simply USE an
island – we are showing you
how you can make an
island too
Success is NOT about the
technology but about the
vision and purpose for the
use
Presently, open-sim is
2d/3d; headset version in
future

4. HOW THE SETTING AND
ENVIRONMENT INTERPLAY
– SENSE OF PLACE

5. BUILD YOUR WORLD – TO WHAT
PURPOSE?
BASIC SPACES:
• Meetings
• Conferences
• Classes
• Role playing
• Stories / narratives / games
• Shared activities
• What type of space is most amenable?
Friendly? Formal?
ADVANCED SPACES
• Simulations
• Impossible / dangerous
• Fantasy
• Multi-setting
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/design
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/adv-development - more
advanced development work

6. ACQUIRE AVATAR & ENTER
• Need viewer – Firestorm installed
• Get avatar – www.kitely.com
• USE NAME YOU WANT & WILL
REMEMBER – SAVE PASSWORD (we can
not reset for you)
• Test speech / text chat & movement &
Snapshot
• Walk / fly
• Teleport by map (World Map)
• Find & photo – an imminent threat; a
dizzying experience; floating fun;
conference commons
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/startup
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/home - pirates’ peril

7. REDEFINE AVATAR
• Gather in cabin area on Mariantest
• Gather notecard, join team & test:
• New outfits
• Change in private or be bold
• Avatar size and appearance
• Save versions – take Snapshots
• TO LEARN – explore & use ? (help)
• Avatar activities
• Appearance modifications – key
• Gestures too
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/avatar-change - basic
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/advanced-avatar - advanced avatar

9. VIRTUAL IDENTITY?
Should an avatar:
• Look like you? Or, not?
• Does that matter?
Is an avatar important? . . . or, time
consuming?
What about?
• Age group
• Appropriateness
• Professional / personal
• Point of view vs. personification
Lots to study – lots to understand
From K12 to healthcare to education to therapy

10. WAYS TO CREATE AN
ENVIRONMENT
What to do:
• View MARIANTEST Map
• Start in Basic Build or Repurpose
• Swap areas later, if desired
• Then practice / play in Your-build Area
• Take SNAPSHOTS GALORE of your avatar, your
creations & both – SEND favorites to
eileen.oconnor@esc.edu
• Premade space
• Gather Creative Commons artifacts,
buildings, pathway
• Repurpose / modify
• Make posters, media, website portals
• Design from scratch
• ALL OF THE ABOVE
Then find your guides & have
some fun – continue later

11. EXPLORE OTHER SPACES – AND
PONDER
• Join a travel team; move to Mariantest
central house
• Visit with guides:
• The Hudson Line
• Australia
• Space
• Empire Learning Design
• Video Production
• Shadowglen
• Microknowledge
• Return for ideas and debriefing
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/other-locations
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_4IlstMWAE64WWqM_j8VpZ
3jBwrRkGcK9AsFuegOB8M/present?slide=id.p – Kitely featured

12. YOUR IDEAS?
• How is immersive different from
webinar & other virtual?
• Where can immersive VR play in online
or blended experiences? In virtual
classroom spaces?
• What role could a shared space and a
virtual identity play in your future?
• What Can an Avatar Do? Any Virtual
Thing You Design – May 29; 2:30pm
• Continue to grow
• On our own
• Masters courses in MALET at ESC -
OpenSUNY – as applicant or non-
matric https://www.esc.edu/graduate-studies/masters-
degrees/education-programs/ma-learning-emerging-
technologies/