Go Deep: Weekly Immersive Learning Example #3

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to present in ThinkBalm's Innovation Community UnLecture event. While it was fun for me to present in Second Life, the best part of participating was seeing what Andrew Hughes from our partner company Designing Digitally had worked on with a group of high school seniors from Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, OH. The students had built an interactive science lab in Second Life, focusing on biology experiments that students could perform virtually.

Awesome concept and great execution. I have not been a big proponent of Second Life for learning, but I thought this was a great use of the technology: immersive, interactive, experiential. Although the island is not open to the public, you can contact Andrew Hughes for more information on the project.

Go Deep: Weekly Immersive Learning Example #2

So I didn't use my own example as the first week, but I've caved for the second week:) I was at GDC last week, so I thought I'd make it easy on myself and post about something near and dear to me, the Virtual Territory. 

The Virtual Territory is an immersive learning simulation, a serious game, and can be delivered on a virtual world platform. So what is it? I think its the future of how learning solutions will be designed. To be honest, most simulations are fairly linear (even with branching) experiences, and the real learning takes place after you've gone through the simulation and can debrief yours and others' decisions. Serious games *should* be designed for replayability, with the player learning through trial and error, seeing different outcomes. Virtual worlds provide real-time interaction, discussion, and opportunities for coaching, in addition to opportunities to practice real tasks.

Specifically, the Virtual Territory is designed to mirror a sales representative's sales territory, providing opportunities to practice strategic targeting, selling skills, product knowledge, getting past the gatekeeper, utilizing sales materials--all within a realistic context. Data is collected on sales representative performance to be utilized by managers for coaching purposes, as well as by the organization for learning needs analysis across the sales force for more strategic training decisions.

For more information (here's my plug!), you can contact me at koreen.olbrish@tandem-learning.com ;)

Go Deep: Weekly Immersive Learning Example #1

I'm starting a new blog feature because my backlog of cool things to to show is growing exponentially and I need some structure, process, and publicly declared expectations to make sure I'm passing along the good stuff. Welcome to the first installation of Go Deep, my weekly showcase of some immersive learning example that I've run across in my "travels." 

First up, Rome Reborn. I love this sim because I think its how kids will learn about history in the future. Why read a textbook about ancient Rome when you can go visit a replica? Built in Google Earth, the purpose of Rome Reborn is to illustrate "the urban development of ancient Rome from the first settlement in the late Bronze Age (ca. 1000 B.C.) to the depopulation of the city in the early Middle Ages (ca, A.D. 550)," Rome Reborn lets you experience the architecture, the topography, and the urban infrastructures of ancient Rome, to the best of our current collective knowledge. 

What would I like to see to make this sim even better? People, obviously. Immerse people in the environment and then add the culture. Truly allow people to see what it might have been like to live and work in ancient Rome. Brilliant.  Of course, current plans don't include this type of experience, but with such a rich resource, I'd love to see the scope expanded.

I love that this is an international initiative, sharing collective knowledge and building a virtual space. Check it out for yourself.