Week+7

=Week 7: February 22-28=
 * Assessing Educational Content in Virtual Worlds**

If we accept the premise that virtual worlds offer possibilities and affordances that other technologies/platforms do not, and we design learning experiences based on good pedagogical principles, then the next challenge we face is assessing the quality and impact of the learning experience. What metrics should we use to assess quality of the learning experience and impact upon the learners? Will most measures used in traditional face-to-face or online learning courses carry over to virtual worlds, or do we need to design entirely new instruments?

The Final Project will be discussed this week.

Reading
Kirriemuir, John. “’Measuring’ the Impact of Second Life for Educational Purposes”. Responses and Second Life meeting transcript. Eduserv Foundation. March 2008. http://www.eduserv.org.uk/~/media/foundation/sl/impactreport032008/impactreport%20pdf.ashx

Second Life Tasks – Final Project (Due 3/8)
Consider the matrix that we used to evaluate a live educational event in Second Life for Project 2. Did the existing matrix provide an effective framework for evaluating quality and impact of the learning experience?

Using your experience as a student in this course, and the information contained in the Kirriemuir report, create a new matrix to better assess the quality and impact of an educational learning experience in Second Life. Include a 1-2 page instruction guide for evaluators explaining your choices, specific terms or jargon used in your matrix, or any other information an evaluator might need to know to use the matrix effectively.


 * Requirements for the New Matrix:**
 * Your matrix should follow the same general aesthetic format of the original matrix in terms of layout design unless you can develop a compelling alternative. (i.e. Edit the existing template provided with the original matrix unless you feel a layout re-design would improve the effectiveness of the matrix for an evaluator.)
 * Point allocations must total 100 points, but you may choose to “weight” the categories differently rather than having the same points possible per category.
 * You must have no fewer than 5 categories (rows), but no more than 10 categories for the matrix.
 * You must have no fewer than 3 and no more than 6 gradients (columns) per category.
 * Criteria descriptions for each gradient should be concise and measurable with clear descriptions for the evaluator. (Hint: Think carefully before using vague words like few, some, many in the criteria language. What is the difference between few and some and will different evaluators make the same assumptions?)

Forum Posts
No forum post this week to allow time for the Final Project.