Mike McKay M.Ed. Tech

Mukogawa Women’s University Adjunct - English Department

WHAT IS A VIRTUAL WORLD?

A 3D computer environment in which users are represented on screen as themselves or as made-up characters and interact in real time with other users. Massively multiuser online games (MMOGs) and worlds such as Second Life are examples. – PC Mag

Anonymous Engaging

Fun! Immersive

Inspiring Challenging

“It's a bit like The Matrix . We provide the land, and the

community builds the actual world, which gives everyone a

huge sense of being pioneers in a great experiment.” --Philip Rosedale, Second Life Creator

Club Penguin has over 14 million

registered users

Gartner research states that by

2012, 70 per cent of

organizations will be using

virtual worlds to support

internal collaboration and

social interaction.

WHO USES VIRTUAL WORLDS?

Over 1 BILLION registered virtual world users (Kzero, 2010). Kids mostly use virtual multi-player environments to play games. However, thousands of government agencies and schools use virtual worlds for telepresent meetings.

HOW SOON WILL THEY BECOME MAINSTREAM?

HOW SOON WILL THEY BECOME MAINSTREAM?

WHAT IS SECOND LIFETM? Second Life is a three-dimensional virtual community created entirely by its membership.

Members assume an identity and take up residence in Second Life, creating a

customized avatar, or personage, to represent themselves. The avatar moves about in

the virtual world using mouse control and intuitive keyboard buttons. – Wise Geek

750,000 active users : 20 million registered

Over 30,000 places to visit

Takes five hours to drive across the mainland

WHAT IS VIRTUAL WORLD LANGUAGE LEARNING?

A medium for engaging students in act ive learning otherwise not

possible in a t radit ional c lassroom.

Cypris Chat helped me pass my teacher’s exam. – Kazy Dover, Chiba Japan

I passed my UBELT exam. Thank you Cypris. – Lio Lombardia, Bulgaria

I passed pre-intermediate English. - Lora Tachikawa, Poland

WHY DO WE NEED IT? VIRTUAL WORLD LANGUAGE LEARNING

It relieves some of the pressure to achieve results, and makes acquisition of the language

meaningful and rewarding. Students have freedom to live in the language.

Limited time to practice Pressured to perform A need for accomplishment

“Cypris Chat helped me pass my teacher’s exam.” – Kazy Dover, Chiba Japan

“I passed my UBELT exam. Thank you Cypris.” – Lio Lombardia, Bulgaria

“Cypris changed my life.” - Lora Tachikawa, Poland

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?

1. Join Second Life http://secondlife.com

2. Download and install FREE viewer application

3. Open viewer. Log in with avatar name and password

4. Search and teleport to Cypris Village III

Teacher/student training workshops

http://www.cyprissociety.org

Not-for-profit to help Japan learn more

Cypris Chat is an international learning

community based in Japan for the sole

purpose of creating more opportunities for

learners to practice speaking English.

I am available for:

• Consultations

• Presentations

• Interviews

• Virtual world design and building

Or…heck…even a full time teaching position would be nice

mike@professormerryman.com Twitter: @slprof

Thank you! Join the Cypris Society mailing list in the back to keep in touch