Virtual World SIG Workshop – Machinima Videos for Teaching and Learning

Full-day workshop, 20 August, 10-13 hrs and 14 to 17 hrs

Presenters:

Susanna Nocchi, Dublin Institute of Technology
Alina Horlescu, Dublin City University

Description:

Machinima videos can be valuable educational tools and this full-day workshop will give participants a hands-on experience of designing, creating and editing machinimas in the virtual world of SL®.

The workshop consists of four parts:
1. In the first part, the presenter will give an introduction to the use of machinimas for teaching and learning in virtual worlds, highlighting the pedagogical advantages of using this tool. Participants will then be shown one or two short machinima videos to more fully understand the potential of this technology for teaching.
2. Subsequently, participants will collaborate in scripting, storyboarding, designing and shooting their own machinima video. They will be working together in a computer lab and in Second Life® and will avail of the help and advice of the presenter, who will be in the lab with them and another expert in the field, who will be participating in-world**.
3. In the third part of the workshops, participants will edit their machinimas off-line.
4. The fourth part of the workshop will be used as a time for reflection on the experience and for comments and questions.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPANTS:
Participants should be residents of SL®. They should have an avatar and be able to change his/her appearance, they should know how to move around the virtual world and how to interact with the objects in the virtual world, at least at a basic level.

KEY WORDS: virtual worlds, machinima videos, professional development
CONFERENCE THEMATIC AREAS: Language learning in virtual worlds, distance and collaborative learning, synchronous communication in language learning, promoting the use of new technologies amongst the language teaching.
*Machinima: the art of filming avatars and building sets in games and virtual worlds (Chantal Harvey)
**In-world: in the virtual world environment.

Registration:

You may register for this workshop during conference registration. If you have already registered for the conference and would like to add or change your workshop registration, please send an email to info@eurocall2014.nl.

Please note that the number of places for the workshops is limited. If you cannot register for a workshop anymore, please indicate your preference in the comment field at registration. We will then put you on a waiting list.