1. Virtual Learning Communities Challenger Learning Center 21stCenturyLearning South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University

2. Virtual Learning Communities (VLC) is based on a professional learning community model that uses a blend of face-to-face and online curriculum to connect teams of educators on a local, state, and global level

3. Through immersion in multimedia, and social networking sites such as Ning, Diigo, Blogs and Wikis, participants learn how to interact online with other members, and with experts from around the globe that are part of the collaborative network.

4. They can share discussions, photos, audio, video, and hypertext links to connect to relevant resources and to solve real world problems.

5. E-Learning Online Learning Virtual Education Community Engagement Creativity and Imagination Real World Collaborative Problem Solving

7. History

8. MOO MUD A MOO (MUD , object oriented Multi-User Dungeon) is a text-based online virtual reality system to which multiple users (players) are connected at the same time

9. Sample of a typical MUD interaction. http://role-playing-video-games.suite101.com/article.cfm/what_is_a_mud_or_multiuser_dungeon

11. http://www.kzero.co.uk/industry-forecasts.php

13. Generation Y Perspectives

14. Because we work here

15. But truthfully, we tend to work just as much here.

16. Roughly speaking, Generation Y is defined as - 1977 2000 < Birth Date > 31 8 < Current Age >

17. There are over 70 million peoplein the U.S. belonging to Gen Y

18. And just like the Baby Boomers, that is aa large group of people that is IMPACTING society

19. 25% Generation Y is currently 25% of the workforce 47% and is projected to be 47% of the workforce by 2014.

21. But what defines Generation Y?

22. The Young and The Digital • What the Migration to Social-Networked Sites, Games, and Anytime, Anywhere Media Means for Our Future.

23. Global Likes mentors Demands instant gratification Instant information empowered Expecting (NOW! Not 5 minutes from now) Wired Attracted to Large Social Movements Quickly bored multi-tasking Mobile Interdependent Impatient if delayed… but highly adaptable.

24. This is what many of us are dealing with Laptop Notes Cell Phone Web IM Clicker iPod

25. Learning 21st Century What makes learning different now than 10 years ago?

26. Is the traditional concept of top-down, one-way communications strategydead?

27. A Vision of Students Today

28. limate lient lassroom CCC

29. Engaged

30. Actively Constructing Knowledge

31. Pedagogy • Tools Constructionism; think of it as 'learning-by-making‘ Tied to online learning Constructivism; building on prior knowledge

32. EntertainingInformativeInteresting

33. Know What’s Out There

34. Emmersive Education

35. The CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment • at Rowan University • 21st Century Virtual Reality Learning

36. CAVE –Automatic Virtual Environment http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=t-BRWQL8BM0 Lightsaber demo http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=BNOewTOGeok&feature=related

37. What does all this have to do with virtual worlds and real learning?

38. The world is connected today in ways that are shattering traditionalcommunications concepts.

39. The Google Model

41. Google Sky

42. http://www.whyville.net/smmk/nice

43. Learning has to be about more than test scores