Your 2012 Research Forecasts and Resolutions?

[Jonathon Richter / Wainbrave Bernal]

Hey ARVEL members and community!

It's 2012 and we would like to know what you think is up and coming for the year! We know that despite challenging times there is nevertheless a lot of interesting research and activity in immersive learning spaces going on! New games, new worlds, new apps - and new ways of interacting in virtual spaces. So...

In preparation for the upcoming AERA annual conference in Vancouver, BC and its theme “Non Satis Scire: To Know Is Not Enough”, we're asking EVERYONE (not just ARVEL members - but all of you!) what you're doing in immersive learning and what you're excited about for this new year 2012!

For this month's ARVEL Forum, we're hoping you'll give us some good ideas, photos, and overviews of current projects or those in the making that you can share with us - for possible publication in the ARVEL SuperNews and/or on the ARVEL Wiki.

Please comment and provide what you will by Wednesday, February 8th. By posting to this forum you are, by default, giving us permission to re-publish this in the electronically distributed ARVEL SuperNews or on our Knowledge Commons Wiki. Thanks in advance for engaging in lively, thoughtful, and meaningful discussion!

"For 2012, I am excited about..." (Research or related immersive learning activity)

[Lisa Dawley]

For 2012, I am excited about the expanding opportunities in immersive learning for learners, teachers, and researchers!  We've been supporting this expansion through 3D GameLab, our quest-based learning platform, by aggregating quests across a variety of immersive learning environments such as Minecraft, World of Warcraft, Second Life, Lego Builders, and others.

We hosted our first online teacher camp last summer with 179 teachers in over 10 countries.  Check out some screenshots from our live events.  http://3dgamelab.org.shivtr.com/gallery_categories/13829

We're getting ready to do another camp in March, very excited about new quests and working with more great teachers.

[Moses Wolfenstein]

For 2012 I'm excited about some of the great new books connected to games and learning. Books at the top of my list include Mark Chen's Leet Noobs and Ian Bogost's How to Do Things with Video Games. Technically How to Do Things... came out last year, but it's on my reading list for this year. Additionally I'm just wrapping up Kurt Squire's Video Games and Learning (another great read from 2011). If folks favor a review of any of these books for either the March or June issue of SuperNews, please let us know. 

[Sabine Reljic / Willow Shenlin]

For 2012, I am excited about tons of emerging research in artificial intelligence (AI) and brain computer interfaces (BCI) that will not only provide efficient communication potentials to individuals with severe disabilities, BCI will provide us with an interesting new avatar generation. I am also very interested in watching the development, expansion and integration of AMOLED technology in everyday objects, not just phones or TV, but specifically educational objects: maps, books, walls, tables. Imagine: once the cost of this technology comes down (e-paper is already in piloted production in Taiwan this year), our children will only have to carry a roll of the stuff to school. All their books would be downloaded in them, their homework at their fingertips -ready to be brought up on a class wall for sharing, teacher's materials already on one of the classroom's wall/desktop globe, etc. Incidentally, since OLED technology pushes some other innovation (nanotechnology, evaporated gold for conduction, silicon rubber....), we are bound to see other mind blowing disruptive technology in other disciplines and industry. We are at the brink of some really very cool innovations yet.

[Chris Dede]

For 2012, I am excited about the ways in which mobile learning is rapidly progressing, both in its range of applications and in its acceptance. Many districts that were wary of students using mobile devices are changing their tune, vendors and software developers are focusing on this market, and research on immersive pedagogical approaches like augmented reality e.g., http://ecomobile.gse.harvard.edu) is showing great promise. Given all this, 2012 should be a very exciting and productive year!

[Janet Salmons/Soleil Lemondrop]

Hello everyone!

I am excited about lots of things in 2012!

• Cases in Online Interview Research is out. Of 10 cases, 4 discuss studies using data from interviews conducted in virtual worlds. I hope these will generate discussion about how to best conduct such interviews as well as exchange with other researchers collecting qualitative data in virtual worlds.As a related note, I am offering a free "Professional Reading Seminar" on the book-- with synchronous and asynchronous discussion events through the online community SCoPE. 
• I am conducting a study of women entrepreneurs' technology choices. I am winding up data collection soon, but would love to interview women entrepreneurs who do business in virtual worlds-- designing and selling objects, or consulting, etc. Know anyone? Send them my way!
• One of my dissertation mentees at Capella is designing a study about HR interviewing in world. I am excited to see how her research unfolds!

And I am excited to participate in the exchange in this ARVEL SIG! Look forward to meeting you and learning from/with you this year.

Janet

[Birdie Newborn]

For 2012, I'm excited about the exploding use of smartphones, which broadens the reach of the Internet globally. Now if immersive worlds can fit in the small screen (and small memory) then we'll reach the global village. Learning is not restricted to the schools or classes or other gated communities, IMHO. 

[Sabine Reljic / Willow Shenlin]

Janet, I know a few women entrepreneurs but they are all in Second Life. Is that a problem?

S.

[Sabine Reljic / Willow Shenlin]

>>Birdie: What a great research. Especially with more browser-based virtual worlds, we might start seeing more immersive world-based learning experiences.