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“Virtual world” demos + tools + innovative approaches at tech showcase today

(Author’s note:  This is the fifth and final article in a series about the faculty demonstrations scheduled for K-State’s technology showcase March 13. Information is excerpted from the list of faculty demonstrations on the ksushowcase.wordpress.com website.)  

The Teaching, Learning, and Technology Showcase is 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 13, in the K-State Student Union Ballroom. All faculty/staff are invited to attend free and see demos, visit with vendors, and win prizes. The pre-registration deadline was March 9, but faculty/staff walk-ins are welcome today.

“Virtual world – real world” demos

Using Virtual Worlds for Teaching — Demonstrations on how virtual worlds like OpenSim, OSgrid, Reaction Grid, or Second Life can be used in teaching.

Visualizing Naturalistic Landscapes — The LARCP department will be highlighting how synthetic landscape generation software is being used to depict virtual landscapes featuring highly detailed terrain, vegetation, water, and full atmospherics. Continue reading ““Virtual world” demos + tools + innovative approaches at tech showcase today”

Second Life videos, interest survey for K-State teachers

Virtual-world environments such as Second Life, There, Whyville, etc. provide opportunities to learn in virtual communities where students meet online for class activities, including lectures, discussions, case studies, projects, papers, exams, labs, and more. Classes can be synchronous, asynchronous, or both. A virtual-world experience is an immersive environment in a three-dimensional (3D) graphical setting, with the use of avatars to represent the class participants, and the sense of presence that puts the learner within the scene.

Second Life is one of the many virtual-world environments available via the Internet and commonly used in higher education. At K-State, faculty have used Second Life to teach courses in geology and hospitality management and dietetics. K-State Research and Extension has a presence in Second Life.

To learn more about Second Life, visit one or more of these YouTube videos: Continue reading “Second Life videos, interest survey for K-State teachers”