Recommended best practice is to start use SL to build, build, build (avatar also).
One example could be to build collaboratively a giant 3D cell (science). Build the elements of a cell (nucleus, etc). The problem for them could be how to represent the 3D cell and the functions of the elements in SL which can be done in multiple ways.
Before they can build or during building they need to learn about cells and the functions of the elements and how the elements is presented visually by others (often this is in 2D). They can use Diigo Group to collaboratively research this and clip visual and text pieces on websites and tag them according to the elements of the cell and other pieces that they find relevant to solve the problem and understand how the cell functions (e.g., illustrations for reference while building the cell)...which they further could refer to/use in the 3D representation depending on how they collaboratively build it. And further to introduce the students to scripting in the objects (the cell) they could make for a element of the cell a "touch" on it and url opens in the browser with information about that particular element/function which they have prepared with tags in Diigo e.g.
I just have to agree that creating a 3D model of a cell is a great idea and have been working on other types of building assignments along those same lines. If anyone remembers the Edible Cell Contest lesson plan from years back, it's just another great way for students to really internalize the various parts of a cell.
Being an art teacher by degree, but working in Instructional Technology, I created a sandbox in SL for a team of teachers who wanted to explore the possibilities. I created a two-fold art lesson and put the lessons on notecards which were then put into a small box in the sandbox. The students would read the hover text that says Get Assignments and when they touch the box, the notecards would be vended to them. One was an art analysis of Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grande Jatte, and the other was a collaborative (small group or partner) building assignment where the students would have to create a 3D model of a color wheel. This would require many social and spatial skills.
I think another great assignment would be for students to create math manipulatives that they could use to demonstrate to younger students who were not inworld but would get a kick out of seeing avatars pushing around huge cubes that they knew stood for 100.
Recommended best practice is to start use SL to build, build, build (avatar also).
One example could be to build collaboratively a giant 3D cell (science). Build the elements of a cell (nucleus, etc). The problem for them could be how to represent the 3D cell and the functions of the elements in SL which can be done in multiple ways.
Before they can build or during building they need to learn about cells and the functions of the elements and how the elements is presented visually by others (often this is in 2D). They can use Diigo Group to collaboratively research this and clip visual and text pieces on websites and tag them according to the elements of the cell and other pieces that they find relevant to solve the problem and understand how the cell functions (e.g., illustrations for reference while building the cell)...which they further could refer to/use in the 3D representation depending on how they collaboratively build it. And further to introduce the students to scripting in the objects (the cell) they could make for a element of the cell a "touch" on it and url opens in the browser with information about that particular element/function which they have prepared with tags in Diigo e.g.
http://www.diigo.com/tag/nucleus
Comments and suggestions on this is very welcome.
Ole
SL: Abbath Heron
Being an art teacher by degree, but working in Instructional Technology, I created a sandbox in SL for a team of teachers who wanted to explore the possibilities. I created a two-fold art lesson and put the lessons on notecards which were then put into a small box in the sandbox. The students would read the hover text that says Get Assignments and when they touch the box, the notecards would be vended to them. One was an art analysis of Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grande Jatte, and the other was a collaborative (small group or partner) building assignment where the students would have to create a 3D model of a color wheel. This would require many social and spatial skills.
I think another great assignment would be for students to create math manipulatives that they could use to demonstrate to younger students who were not inworld but would get a kick out of seeing avatars pushing around huge cubes that they knew stood for 100.
I have a short video showing the sandbox at
http://www.teachertube.com/uvideos.php?UID=12508
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