Sheila Webber / Sheila

Yoshikawa

Information School

University of Sheffield, UK

Diane Nahl / Adra Letov

Department of Information and

Computer Sciences,

University of Hawaii, USA

WLIC, July 2010

Sustaining

learning for LIS through use

of a virtual world

Diane Nahl and her avatar

Adra Letov

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Contribution to sustainability

• Environment for

– distance learning

– networking and Continuing Professional Development

– developing research links

– meeting international colleagues and developing cultural

awareness

• “Social presence” of SL helps build

sense of community and friendship

Pictures by Sheila Webber, unless otherwise stated

Second Life, a Virtual World (VW)• VW = persistent, multiuser, avatars, networked • 3-D VW world, owned by (& trademark of) Linden Lab• Most things created by SL residents: SL fashion

designers, architects, bakers, animal makers ….• Avatars- 3D representation of yourself – free to signup

and can live on freebies, but need Linden dollars if want to own land, buy clothes etc.

• Need to download SL browser & have good connection & graphics card

• Communication through text chat, Voice and Instant Messaging

• 40-80,000 people online simultaneously

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Education

Virtual Hajj

Muinjij native American island

Teesside

Virtual

factory

Uncle D story

quest on

HIV/AIDSFSU Holocaust

UEL virtual patient

Biology

learning

What do librarians do?

• Support staff, students & the public through virtual

information and library services

• Reader development activities and book groups

• Recreate historical or fictional environments

• Teach or co-teach virtual classes

• Create interactive learning objects

• Use SL to plan and “mock up” new services

• Organise, and participate in CPD activities

• Engage in charitable work …. and have fun!Webber & Nahl, 2010

Community Virtual Library

Reference Desk – Reader development – Installations - Events

http://infoisland.org/about/

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Teaching in SL: Webber’s examples• First year undergraduate core class (BSc Information

Management)

– Exhibiting on “7 Pillars of Information Literacy”

– Research interviews about information behaviour

• Masters-level option “Educational Informatics”

– Visits, including attending & reporting on major SL

education conference

– Reflecting on how could be used for learning & teaching

• Benefits

– Interacting with concepts in 3D

– Engaging with people internationally

– Developing further communication & technology skillsWebber & Nahl, 2010

Webber & Nahl, 2010

• Teaches four Masters classes which use SL

– Human Dimension in Information Systems

– Virtual World Librarianship

– Introduction to Reference and Information Services

– Teaching Information Technology Literacy

• Activities include

– Producing professional events, subject guides, exhibits

– Shadowing and observing SL reference desk librarians

– Integrating and managing Web 2.0 cloud computing for planning,

collaboration, and archiving

Teaching in SL: Nahl’s examples

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Webber & Nahl, 2010

LIS Student Union (LISSU)Home base, building sandbox, resource center, meeting space

and presentation area for all LIS students in SL

Picture(s) here

Front entrance near Reference Desk

Backyard display area

for presentations and

student research posters

Photos Diane Nahl

Further benefits

• Involvement of outside tutors,

• Showcasing students' work in exhibitions

• Enabling people to meet up with tutors and peers

outside scheduled times safely & from remote

locations.

• Encouraging discussion on issues such as identity,

ethnicity and communication

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Continuing professional

development

• Expertise from around world: speakers & audience;

• No travel cost or travel time

• People can chat and get to know each other

• Variety of formats e.g. – Conferences

– Tours

– Themed / Commemorative Events

– Training courses

– Interactive exhibits

Thursday 19 August

12 noon SLT

Discussion/ presentation

on IFLA meeting

"I'm consistently amazed by the

quality of professional development

opportunities afforded me by

participating in virtual worlds. ... I

really love what I learn from such

diverse groups of librarians in this

way. I still can't believe I attend these

discussions/presentations and some

very large events all for no cost other

than the time it takes me to login on

my laptop. Truly an amazing time for

educators to be able to connect like

never before.” Ashford (2010)

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Picture by Robin Ashford

“The remarkably rich CPD

experience in SL has allowed

me to meet new research

collaborators willing to work at a

distance across time zones on

projects of mutual interest.

Through SL I have been able to

expand the exposure of

graduate LIS students to views,

knowledge, and practices of

librarians across the world; to

find librarian mentors for

students; and introduce

students to a work environment

that sparks creativity."

Nahl’s

perspective

Photo Diane Nahl

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Conclusions: key reasons for using

VWs for sustainable LIS learning• Prepare for the next generation of virtual learners

• Educate librarians to create sustainable services &

libraries, including virtual ones

• Opportunities for worldwide collaboration

• Create interactive and innovative tools, learning

objects and learning environments, and share them

internationally

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Sheila Webber

s.webber@shef.ac.uk

http://information-literacy.blogspot.com/

Twitter: SheilaYoshikawa

http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber

http://adventuresofyoshikawa.blogspot.com/

Sheila Yoshikawa

Webber & Nahl, 2010

Professor Diane Nahl

nahl@hawaii.edu

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~nahl/courses

Twitter: DianeNahl

http://www.slideshare.net/DNahl

http://www.flickr.com/photos/

lis-students-sl/sets/

• This paper is online in full text at http://www.ifla.org/files/hq/papers/ifla76/123-webber-en.pdf

• This presentation is on slideshare athttp://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/sustaining-learning-for-lis-through-use-of-a-virtual-world-4918718

• Delicious links: http://delicious.com/lilacsl/ (compiled by Webber, Vicki Cormie, Denny Colledge, Marshall Dozier, Lyn Parker)

• Virtual World Watch http://virtualworldwatch.net/ (reports on use of virtual worlds in UK HE & FE, podcasts etc.)

Webber & Nahl, 2010

• Infolit iSchool

– wiki: http://infolitischool.pbworks.com/

– SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Infolit+iSchool/132/194/22/

– Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/

23396182@N00/collections/72157604063164433/17

• Information Literacy in Second Life Wiki (also the focus for Information

Literacy Week in Second Life): http://infolit-week-in-sl.ning.com/

• LIS Student Union in SL,

– Sloog site: http://www.sloog.org/avatars/id/Adra-Letov/places

– Flickr site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lis-students-sl/sets/

– Website: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~nahl/studentunion/lis-su.html

– YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/LISstudentunionSL

– SLURL: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Info%20Island%20International/74/233/32

Webber & Nahl, 2010