Using Virtual Words to Enhance Engagement & Create Playful Face-to-Face Educational Programs Presentation at VWBPE 2014 conference

1. 3d Virtual Immersive Environments
as Enabler for Blended Gamified
Learning Experiences
Using Virtual Words to Enhance
Engagement & Create Playful Face-
to-Face Educational Programs
Stylianos Mystakidis, University of Patras

2. Synopsis: !sdrawkcaB
• Story: Virtual -> Physical
• Virtual Worlds use in a f2f educational
program to enhance engagement & learning

3. Stylianos Mystakidis
MSc, PMP
• Learning Innovator @ Library & Information
Services, University of Patras (Greece)
• Adjunct Faculty @ University of the West of
England – UWE (Bristol, UK)
• Adjunct Faculty @ Open University of Catalonia
– UOC (Barcelona, Spain)
• Teaching Mentor @ University of Washington –
UW (Seattle, USA)

5. Good Digital Teaching Practice
Seal
#mathisi20

6. University of Patras (Upatras)
• World Ranking*: #327
• Greece Ranking*: #2
• 24,460 students | 754 Faculty members
• 24 Departments in 5 Schools
• Prominent Research Center on ICT & Engineering
• St Andrew (Patras’ patron Saint)
*Webometrics, 2012

7. Library & Information Services
• National & European Research Projects
• Institution-wide Services (e.g. Repository)
• ISO 9001:2000
• Openness- & Innovation-oriented

8. Explosive Environment

9. Budget Cuts

10. Layoffs (?!)
Retirements

11. Reformation of Higher Education

12. E-Learning in
Greek Higher Education?

13. Definitions
• 3d Virtual Immersive Environments:
SL locations & environments
• Blended Gamified Learning Experiences (LE):
LEs with game mechanics or playful elements
using physical & virtual space

14. Virtual Worlds, Library & Librarians
• Alternative ‘face’ of typical Library services
– Communication
– User support & Training
– Integration of Web Services
– Learning Objects
• Communities
• Professional
Development

15. Challenge
Prepare a 2-3h
educational program
for K-12 classes visiting
the University of
Patras’ Library

16. Real Challenge
• Create an innovative, engaging, enjoyable,
effective educational program
• Hidden agenda: demonstrate the potential of
Virtual Worlds
• Support & justify the provision of institutional
Virtual Worlds infrastructure & budget

17. Storytelling
• Stories are extremely powerful tools for
learning
• Better recall when in a narrative (Adval, 1998)
• “Stories allow us to learn from the experience
of others without having to face another
person’s personal consequences”

18. Gamification & The Power of Play

19. Self-Determination Theory

20. Self-Determination Theory

21. Flow

22. Flow Theory (Csikszentmihalyi)

23. Games vs Play vs Gamification vs Toys

24. AnatomyofFun

25. Player Types

26. From the Ancient to the
Modern Tablets

27. Learning Objectives
• Cognitive domain: Learn and understand the
main of stages of the writing & books history
• Affective domain: love books, encourage
reading & literacy
• Meta-cognitive skills: understand cause &
effect mechanisms behind facts

28. Experience Design (Levels)
1. Playful Library Tour [30’]
2. Interactive Presentation & Game [45’]
3. Creative Group Reflection with Tablets [30’]

29. Playful Library Tour

30. Engagement through Play
• Team play
• Competition
• Challenge
• Quests
• Choices
• Curiosity
• Expression

31. Interactive Presentation & Game
• Classroom & video projector
• Instructor controls avatar in the 3d Virtual
Environment
• Avatar appearance & movement
• 2 Teams
• Scoring points by answering questions
• Mini-game: Phoenician Alphabet Challenge

32. Interactive Presentation & Game II

33. Immersion (Second Life)
3d Virtual Immersive Environments :
• UW Museum of Virtual Media
• Museum Island
• Ancient Alexandria
• Alice Academy
• International Spaceflight Museum

34. Virtual Immersive Learning
Environments
• Cave Paintings, Lascaux Cave, France 32000 BC
• Ancient Tablets, Mesopotamia, 3500 BC
• Ancient Greece, Linear Α & Β’, 1450 BC
• Alphabet, Phoenicia, 1200 BC
• Great Library of Alexandria, Egypt, 200 BC
• Manuscript copying, Byzantine Empire, 600 AD
• Movable Type, China 1040 AD
• The Future of Books & Knowledge

35. Lascaux Cave,
UW Museum of Virtual Media

36. UW Museum of Virtual Media Island
• University of Washington Virtual Worlds
Certificate Program
• Instructor: Randy Hinrichs, CEO 2b3d
• Mentors: Stylianos Mystakidis, Anna Gadler
Pratt, Michael Thome
• Final project of 2012 Class
• Inspired by book Infinite Reality
• Collaboration with book authors,
Blascovich & Bailenson

37. Creative Group Reflection with Tablets

38. Results I

39. Results II

40. We love books!

41. Statistics
• Program offered since 2012
• Participation: 1500 students from 20 schools
(ages: 7-15)

42. Evaluation Findings
• Online Questionnaire (Likert scale)
• 28 teachers
• 81% children acquired new skills
(agree & fully agree)
• 85% helped children assume a positive
attitude towards books & reading
• 98% 3d VIEs useful for facts recall & history
understanding

43. Teachers’ Quotes
“I have never seen my class so quiet and
concentrated as when they attended this
program” (oral statement)
“You exceeded teachers’ & students’
expectations; you have captivated childrens’
interest and they enjoyed the program greatly.
The whole visit to the Library was so alive.”
(email)

44. Highlights
• Spontaneous applause
• Customization / adaptation for older classes
• Attention Grabber!
• Discovery Explosion!

45. Lessons Learned
• Avatar appearance & gestures count!
• Atmosphere creation
• Camera movement (macro view)
• Encourage participation
non-stop with
micro-interactions!
• Surprise!
• Learning as Show

46. Stylianos Mystakidis
Learning Innovator
linkedin.com/stylianosm
@stylianosm2
stylianos@mystakidis.com