Last week, I led a tour of Fiona Fei’s Shui Mo Ink Brush Art for the Nonprofit Commons Group in Second Life. Shui Mo means “ink” in Chinese. The group walked across paintings on scrolls where the ink was brushed under our feet. Zooming in on the pictures along the wall, we observed that they were not flat- but were 3D sculptures with little moving birds and butterflies. We walked through lovely koi fish ponds and floated amidst petals and umbrellas, wandering through a black and white ink world, then entered a black door to see One Million Rising for social justice. The tour culminated in a beautiful scene with a bridge where the group found a photo opp!
This lovely art, built by young artist Fiona Fei, exemplifies the use of virtual worlds for artist creativity in 3D spaces. Fiona says,
As a Chinese American, the Shui Mo series is my way of not only connecting with my ancestry, but it’s also a way for me to celebrate centuries of art and old masters who painted in this beautiful art style. I wanted to take full advantage of Second Life’s virtual environment to provide a new perspective on this traditional art style by adding depth, making what has traditionally always been portrayed as 2D pieces into 3D art. When the viewer looks into the art, they are looking into a 3D space, and depending on the angle they are viewing it from, the art changes.
Nonprofit Commons Tour at Shui Mo Ink Brush Gallery
Due to the Corona Virus, I find myself getting numerous questions about how to learn in virtual spaces! As Director of the Community Virtual Library, I have years of experience in immersive learning in virtual worlds. However, it is important to say that it is not a quick and easy tool to learn! In fact, my dissertation topic was factors contributing to the adoption of virtual worlds and findings showed the biggest obstacle was complexity. People have used the term “steep learning curve” to describe virtual worlds for years. The advantages and benefits, I firmly believe, are well-worth the effort. A few weeks of exploration and navigation of the interface provides most of us with a comfort zone and a “sense of presence” that is much more suitable to learning than a web-based platform, quick apps, or webinars.
Librarians discussing virtual world learning environments
Help! Where do we start?
Learning how to utilize virtual worlds for education requires locating a virtual space (a simulated classroom or “sim”) and importing the curriculum used for specific learning outcomes, just as an educator does in the physical world. Building a professional learning network with other educators is the best starting point. Those educators are ready to help you! The International Society for Education (ISTE Virtual Environments Network) has several communities and individuals who meet regularly. Just FYI, I won the ISTE VEN Pioneer of the Year Award last year in 2019. Scroll down to the bottom!
Anyone can visit the Community Virtual Library in Second Life or in other virtual worlds and tours can be scheduled. Joining educational groups helps educators find others who have paved the way for bringing deep learning and critical thinking into virtual spaces. Currently, VR headsets are NOT ready for mainstream. There is little research on how these headsets impact the human brain. Virtual worlds have been around for years and research documents high quality simulations for all subject areas.
Library tour at CVL
What age level should use virtual worlds?
Currently, virtual worlds are ready for higher education and some educators bring younger students into specific virtual spaces. Educators should explore first and find the best spot for learning. With all the questions coming my way, plans are underway for workshops to help newcomers explore virtual worlds!
