The slides to go along with the virtual reality workshop conducted by SUNY Empire Master of Arts in Learning and Emerging Technology

1. IMMERSIVE RESIDENCY
Sponsored by the Master of Arts in Learning & Emerging Technology program at SUNY Empire State
College
Contact Dr. Eileen O’Connor for details, on-boarding & access - eileen.oconnor@esc.edu
Join faculty and graduate students in this 1 day immersion in a virtual reality
environment to learn about AND experience existing and emerging technologies that are
allowing STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) enhanced by the A for art as well
as ALL CONTENT AREAS to reach new heights. You only need a computer and internet
to attend.
Saturday – Oct. 12, 2019 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (online)
Receive a Certificate of Attendance and an eBadge on completion

2. BECOME AN AVATAR: AND, EXPLORE
VIRTUAL REALITY
Eileen O’Connor, PhD.
SUNY Empire State College – eileen.oconnor@esc.edu
Workshop – July 12, 2019– supportive slides
https://www.slideshare.net/eoconnor/become-an-
avatar-open-source-development
https://www.esc.edu/graduate-studies/masters-degrees/education-
programs/ma-learning-emerging-technologies/
AGENDA:
Acquire avatar
Consider outfits
Play with building
Visit other locations

3. Virtual Reality / Augmented Reality
https://www.slideshare.net/eoconnor/vr-aroverviewexplanations
VR
You become
part of the
environment
AR
3D media
overlays
environment

4. HOW THE SETTING AND
ENVIRONMENT
INTERPLAY – SENSE OF
PLACE

5. ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW
An island(s) - solo or within a larger hypergrid on a server
Viewer (Firestorm) –
to see
Avatar (you create
your own) –
to participate
VIRTUAL ISLANDS
- Open Source
- - Develop yourself or from
Creative Commons
- - Visited by avatars
LANDMARKS – FRIENDS

6. BUILD YOUR WORLD – TO WHAT
PURPOSE?
BASIC SPACES:
• Meetings
• Conferences
• Classes
• Role playing
• Stories / narratives / games
• Shared activities
• What type of space is most amenable?
Friendly? Formal?
ADVANCED SPACES
• Simulations
• Impossible / dangerous
• Fantasy
• Multi-setting
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/design
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/adv-development - more
advanced development work

7. ACQUIRE AVATAR & ENTER
• Need viewer – Firestorm installed
• Get avatar – www.kitely.com
• USE NAME YOU WANT & WILL
REMEMBER – SAVE PASSWORD (we
can not reset for you)
• Test speech / text chat & movement &
Snapshot
• Walk / fly
• Teleport by map (World Map)
• Find & photo – an imminent threat; a
dizzying experience; floating fun;
conference commons
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/startup
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/home - pirates’ peril

8. REDEFINE AVATAR
• Gather in cabin area on Mariantest
• Gather notecard, join team & test:
• New outfits
• Change in private or be bold
• Avatar size and appearance
• Save versions – take Snapshots
• TO LEARN – explore & use ? (help)
• Avatar activities
• Appearance modifications – key
• Gestures too
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/avatar-change - basic
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/advanced-avatar - advanced avatar

10. VIRTUAL IDENTITY?
Should an avatar:
• Look like you? Or, not?
• Does that matter?
Is an avatar important? . . . or, time
consuming?
What about?
• Age group
• Appropriateness
• Professional / personal
• Point of view vs. personification
Lots to study – lots to understand
From K12 to healthcare to education to therapy

11. WAYS TO CREATE
AN ENVIRONMENT
What to do:
• View MARIANTEST Map
• Start in Basic Build or Repurpose
• Swap areas later, if desired
• Then practice / play in Your-build Area
• Take SNAPSHOTS GALORE of your avatar,
your creations & both – SEND favorites to
eileen.oconnor@esc.edu
• Premade space
• Gather Creative Commons artifacts,
buildings, pathway
• Repurpose / modify
• Make posters, media, website portals
• Design from scratch
• ALL OF THE ABOVE
Then find your guides & have
some fun – continue later

12. EXPLORE OTHER SPACES – AND
PONDER
• Join a travel team; move to Mariantest
central house
• Visit with guides:
• The Hudson Line
• Australia
• Space
• Empire Learning Design
• Video Production
• Shadowglen
• Microknowledge
• Return for ideas and debriefing
https://sites.google.com/view/vrmarian/other-locations
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_4IlstMWAE64WWqM_j8VpZ3j
BwrRkGcK9AsFuegOB8M/present?slide=id.p – Kitely featured

13. YOUR IDEAS?
• How is immersive different from
webinar & other virtual?
• Where can immersive VR play in online
or blended experiences? In virtual
classroom spaces?
• What role could a shared space and a
virtual identity play in your future?
• What Can an Avatar Do? Any Virtual
Thing You Design
• Continue to grow
• On our own
• Masters courses in MALET at ESC -
OpenSUNY – as applicant or non-
matric https://www.esc.edu/graduate-studies/masters-
degrees/education-programs/ma-learning-emerging-
technologies/