I'm Back

Time to rethink this technology. Guess I'll start today.
Can a person just stop and start as they wish?
I hope so....

NetLogo

At first, I didn't understand this program but I every time I tried it got easier (zone of proximal development is lessening?).

The two snapshots below are my attempts in understanding how changing just the number of learning objectives effected the simulation.

1. Maximizing posed/answered graph. Could not do it. I could get it to spike up to 2/3 but I could not get it to stabilize. Hints? The best I could do are listed. By playing around with patience and the number of learning objectives I could get a greater ratio AND a bonus of a growing Student knows....so two for one.

What did I learn?

• self-creation -- the notion that a given system's origin is somehow determined by its character or the specific circumstances in which it occurs.
• self-configuration --the notion that a given system actively determines the arrangement of its constituent parts.
• self-regulation -- the notion that a given system actively controls the course of its internal transformations, typically with respect to one or more parameters.
• self-steering -- the notion that a given system actively controls its course of activity within some external environment or a general set of possible states.
• self-maintenance --the notion that a given system actively preserves itself, its form, and / or its functional status over time.
• self-(re-)production -- the notion that a given system generates itself anew or produces other systems identical to itself.
• self-reference. -- the notion that the significance of a given system's character or behavior is meaningful only with respect to itself.

I think Netlogo or NetLOCO as I was calling it does provide many of the varying aspects of self-organization. Creation: the opportunity to be a "researcher" and discover things. Configuration: there are certain parameters and filters within the context. Regulation: Same as Configuration? Steering: The way I was able to change certain parameters (not their outcomes). Maintenance: program was available and stable; I could save my trials etc. Reproduction: Not sure if NetLogo had this, I'm I could create my own model based on another’s. Reference: the topic itself OSOSS had meaning in how students could/do learn.

Best attempt posed/answered 

Max Ave student 

Beginning 

First try 

5 Star MMO Learning and Teaching

Dr. Merrill's 5 star criteria:
1. Learning is facilitated when learners are engaged in solving real-world problems. First…engaged?
Absolutely, no question people in MMO's are engaged and creating opportunities for communication and cooperation. So are the journey types of MMO's being applied to "real-world problems"? It depends on how you look at what the problem is. In a world were our systems (economic, social, educational etc.) are interconnected, how do we communicate effectively within those systems? I would say that any opportunity whither online or not that provides a forum of communication further helps our society to function effectively. So why not make it fun and interactive?

2. Learning is facilitated when existing knowledge is activated as a foundation for new knowledge.
Going from IRC's and Lambda MOO I gained certain about of understanding and knowledge of cooperation, gaming and collaboration in online environments. I use that information to effectively navigate in new MMO environments. Not to mention my understanding of computer skills are further applied and supported.

3. Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is demonstrated to the learner.
This happens all the time in MMO and for me, it happened in Lineage. One night John Roe helped me learn to whisper, then I taught my wife (who is now hooked on the game as well, I might add). This constant learning and demonstrated understanding is helped me gain a better knowledge and understanding of this forum and game.

4. Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is applied by the learner.
So, what I learn in the Lineage...can help me other places right? Absolutely, the gaming skills I leaned in playing the game helped me to play in other levels and will help play in other similar games with less of a learning curve. The “real world” component is my understanding of why and how online environments are important ant for my personal and professional knowledge.

5. Learning is facilitated when new knowledge is integrated into the learner's world.
I am currently working on this. I want to investigate how the course I teach for incoming freshmen would benefit from playing this or similar game. I am bringing my experience and knowledge into my framework and daily life. I know that Fan fiction will be integrated into my course, MMO's may be an essay that they will have the students explore and write about.

So this is where I am now, how do I incorporate these environments into my method of teaching? I do think learning happens differently, but just as effectively. Differently in that time and physical components are changed and redefined. However, the emphasis for me is that effective learning must come first, the technology is just the support mechanism to ensure learning. I like the opportunity these environments provide. For example, the feeling that I can "put myself" out there and not be overly worried about a grade or wanting to please a teacher. I think other students would feel the same.

Online, you gain another perspective and feedback mechanism, for me personally I like it!Finally, I firmly believe every student needs to be supported in how they learn individually (and also be challenged). So, if for some reason online environments create the necessary spark to motivate learning...then why not find appropriate opportunities to do so?

Lineage Newbie

Quote from Nicole Gomez (my wife): "You have to play this game for homework?"
Jose's response:

"I am to explore the social software environment known as Massively Multiplayer Online game, also known as MMO's. It consists of the ability of many "players" to interact and build relationships, friends, and social and community dynamics. But it has a purpose; these environments have journeys, challenges, character development and identities, and visual and written artifacts. This further provides the possibilities for social interactions across the world! This environment has the opportunities to change people’s learning schemas. The only way to truly understand the complexities and dynamics of this environment is to fully engross myself."

Nicole: "Sure."

Jose (big smile :-) ): "Cool, huh."

Lineage Character: SirGomez

Not creative, but I wanted to make sure if someone from class was also playing they would recognize me. I am a Knight...since the game suggested it. I am on level 7 and I am really getting better at finding objects and knowing when to fight. I can't tell you how many Goblins beat the crap out of me when I began. Now they fear my wrath.

I still am having a hard time going into the dungeon. I haven't enough understandings and character items to beat those snake ladies. So I'm still dying a lot. But I finally learned how to add and take off shields, armor, and use different swords so now its getter better.

Final profile:
SirGomez
Knight

Lawful

HP 82, Mp 9, Armor -2,

One of the only hispanic knights in town.

Identity and Cooperation

So I getting it... The interconnectness of the internet allows people to seek our relationships that they may not have. I love the MOO and MMO environments. Cooperation. You win/lose/explore with others. It's more than just a game, it provides real dynamic interactions and conversations. With cooperation you can gain information, explore subjects, play games, with people from around the world. Incentives. So what is, the incentive of working in these types of online communities. Again...communication with people from everywhere. Exploration within a fantasy or real world that may have never happened. Reputations/Identity. I/we get to become more dimensional online. The emphasis is on addition more to my personality and identity. I can add to conversations in my expertise. I can become an entrepreneur of information, product, or expertise. How cool is that? As Donath put it...I get to add or expand my "voice." I get to develop how my want to portray myself online. I agree that trust and reputation can come into question...but why and who cares. Even in face to face interactions we are full of mixed signals, held emotions, secret thoughts and deceptions.

Finally, cooperation can succeed without trust, efficiently and effectively? Maybe not. But as I continue to explore in IRC and Lambda MOO and I do not necessarily trust what is being discussed or portray...yet I continue to "use" others for information and fun.

The IRC Playground

Ok, first you have to understand that this was the largest learning curve thus far for me. Three hours just understanding how to access channels, servers, lists etc. Finally, hour five (of day three)...success sort of.

I figured out how to connect to various servers: quacknet, funnet, cnn is where I spent most of my time.

Some the channels I explored were funfactory, unreal, cnn.

The most exciting thing I encounter in this CMC was all the discussions of the US election. I guess empowering people with a keyboard and 6% beer can be a dangerous combination. The vulgarity and angry people were astonishing.

LambdaMOO was borderline racy for me, but I could see that most people were there to talk, explore and have a comfortable medium to do that. In the IRC's that I was in, people did not care about their misspelled words or their angry and vulgar talk. Basically I think there was a missing netiquette in the IRC forums.

WHY? Hum...perhaps LambdaMOO's wizards help corral people and keep the communication focused and moving. I liked what Reid said about IRC framework: it's like a playground. That is how I felt...a playground with bullies, adventure, chaos, fun, and seemingly incoherent noise. But if you listen closely and get closer to just one group on this huge playground you could find a friend or at least an understandable conversation.

One of the frustrating parts of the IRC is that many of the channels were not in English. I saw less of this in LambdaMOO. Truly the IRC network seemed to span a greater audience.

The other thing I had a hard time was the confusion, going back to the playground and noise analogy... From far away a playground could be heard as noise and as one gets closer to the people on the playground you can begin to decipher and understand what is being done and said. Herring explains that CMC has this same impression. From far away, if looks like confusion. However some users "exploit the potential of loosened coherence for the purposes of play and to enjoy intensified interactivity, especially in synchronous modes." I agree, the more experienced users didn't seemed put off by the interruptions and the side comments of people coming and going as I did.

I think I will stick to SimpleMU, because it allows me to read and think about my responses. Also the conversations seem to "go" somewhere. IRC's is still too much "noise" for me.