RamapoIslands

=**Welcome to the Ramapo Islands: A New Dimension in Learning**=


 * Category:** **Leading the Change **
 * Presentation Title:** “Ramapo Islands: A New Dimension in Learning” (23:18) **__2 CATNIP HOURS__**
 * Webpage:** http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=348
 * Description:** The team process of creating a virtual presence for your school, the development of authentic, experiential, standard-based curriculum & implementing it with students in Teen Second Life addresses the NETS for administrators, teachers & students and is an innovative approach to a collaborative and all-inclusive learning community. Focusing on the process of developing constructivist learning in the virtual world, Sheehy will present the steps her teachers are taking this 3rd year of teaching in Ramapo Islands on Teen Second life to translate their content into the virtual landscape. She will outline best practices that have evolved and the student responses to this 21st century pedagogical shift.
 * Presenter:** **Peggy Sheehy,** Suffern, New York, USA

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 * Essential Questions and Summary.** (Please follow this format.)

1. Your name: Lindsay Farr Session Title: Ramapo Islands: A New Dimension in Learning Essential Question 1: How can you get your school to buy in to education in virtual worlds? Response: Because the program is built by the teachers, it can be modified to meet any objective necessary. The examples shown focused on enhancing self esteem by comparing their own visions of themselves represented with their avatar to those created with varied self images. Essential Question 2: What are the best practices that have emerged from the Ramapo Islands project? Response: The focus within this program lies on applying the knowledge gained within. The students were able to have discussions in the virtual world they may not have had in reality. They enhance their technology skills while applying the various skills intended to be learned by the teacher. Essential Question 3: How do we assess the learning that takes place in virtual worlds? Summary: The Partnership for 21st Century Skills emphasizes feedback on performance, not just reflections. Well structured projects include a structured syllabus, course objectives, learning objectives, measurement and goals reflections.

Summary of how I could utilize what I have learned in my teaching: I don’t think a community in Ramapo Islands would be an effective teaching strategy for my math classes. Although I see how we can apply math within the communities (building, spending, budgeting, …), I don’t see our curriculum making room for the initial set up and even maintenance of the Islands. Maybe if it began as an after school class?

2. Your name: Steve Goldberg Session Title: **Ramapo** **Islands****: A New Dimension in Learning** Essential Question 1: **How can you get your school to buy in to education in virtual worlds?** Response: The main way to get your school to buy into education in these virtual worlds is to show them the benefits of participating. The fact that students can participate in these virtual worlds and give 100% because of the location is the huge incentive. Students who are normally shy and do not participate can participate and try out new ideas in the virtual worlds. Therefore these virtual worlds will create a more engaging place for the students to actually apply their knowledge and participate freely without fear of rejection. Essential Question 2: **What are the best practices that have emerged from the Ramapo Islands project?** Response: The best practices that have emerged from this project, is the ability for great discussions to occur. As I stated above all students will be able to participate in these discussions because they will be in a virtual world and no one will be able to “bully” them. The discussions will transition from just summarizing their knowledge to applying their knowledge and using higher level thinking. This is because they will be able to try out their thoughts and ideas in this virtual world with no real consequences. Essential Question 3: **How** **do we assess the learning that takes place in virtual worlds?** Response: There is still not a clear cut way to assess the students learning since tests are not really applicable to this type of learning. The main idea is to have a well structured syllabus, goals and measurement to keep the students on the right course. After they participate and interact in the virtual world the teacher needs to give feedback to the students. This is the most important part of the process and is kind of like an informal assessment by the teacher.

Summary: **How I can utilize what I have learned in my teaching?** There are a couple ways I can utilize what I have learned in my classroom but is kind of difficult to do it in the same way. Most importantly finding a way for students to apply their knowledge in the classroom in a way where they feel comfortable is the most important part. Possibly by finding a web site where students can chat with each other about learning through text might be a lesser but similar experience. Much like the current online class I am taking and using the DimDim website would probably be very beneficial for the students. Another great way I can utilize what I have learned is to give the students more feedback on their interaction with others and how they apply their knowledge. This might be a better practice than constantly focusing on the teaching aspect and focusing half on teaching and half on reflections when the students apply their knowledge instead. If I could incorporate these different strategies into my classroom at list a little bit I believe that it would be very beneficial to the students. They would gain a lot more from actually being able to apply their knowledge versus just talking about how they can apply their knowledge.

Session Title:** **Ramapo** **Islands: A New Dimension in Learning**
 * Your name: Bari Candy

Response: Educating your school on the benefits of integrating technology and bringing the school into a 21st century classroom setting is the best way to allow for action. The importance can be stressed that students gain life skills; global awareness; ICT and literacy skills that involve critical thinking all which can be related not only to the standards, but core subjects. Students today need to have virtual technology skills to survive in the 21st century. This is “active learning based on immersive experiences.”
 * Essential Question 1:** **How can you get your school to buy in to education in virtual worlds?**

Response: The Ramapo Islands have creative a multi user friendly environment that supports the constructivist approach in teaching. It allows for networking; possibly in a global manner. Ramapo Islands provide a space for learning and exploration. IT gives the students a sense of presence looking at different media as well. The Ramapo Islands assists the teacher as well. IT provides for a unique flexible environment in the classroom. A teacher can use this tool to create a globally networked virtual classroom with the use of avatars. It creates a supplement to the traditional classroom teaching/learning environment. And it’s secure!
 * Essential Question 2:** **What are the best practices that have emerged from the Ramapo Islands project?**

Response: Assessing the students learning in the virtual worlds has not yet been established. Providing a structured syllabus and clear-cut goals and measurement help to keep the students engaged and headed in the right direction. After they participate and interact in the virtual world the teacher needs to give feedback to the students. Feedback is an on-going assessment that provides the student’s with an informal idea of how they have progressed. All of these tools allows for and can guide the students to a successful virtual world experience.
 * Essential Question 3**: **How** **do we assess the learning that takes place in virtual worlds?**

I could use this in my classroom by creating a virtual art classroom. I like the idea of students creating a self-portrait avatar. This leads to discussion about the reasons why the images were chosen to represent the student’s appearance. This can lead to a discussion that engages the children in a conversation that is similar to an artist statement. Ideas as to how the media portrays their images versus how they see themselves and their peers opens up discussion in regards to personal views on oneself. This “alternate identity” activity allows for change and expression without repercussions, supporting Erickson’s theory about teens trying on different roles with minimal consequences. Inherently, the students are connecting all of these images and the discussions to an artist statement, which is an important part of the art education process.
 * Summary:** **How I can utilize what I have learned in my teaching?**

4. Your name:Alec Fick Session Title:**A New Dimension in Learning**

Essential Question 1: **How can you get your school to buy in to education in virtual worlds?** Response: Even though the cost may seem a bit steep at first glance, we must weigh this against the great benefits that can come out of educating using virtual worlds. Just by creating their own avatars that represent the students in this virtual island, the students gain great insights into how they see themselves as well as how they think others view them. This opens the doors of communication amongst peers who may normally not participate as fully in a real classroom setting. Essential Question 2: **What are the best practices that have emerged from the Ramapo Islands project?** Response: Through the anonymity that living on a vitual island encompasses, students can explore, express and learn without fear of consequences that often limits their participation in the real world. The Islands project makes it possible for networking in a global virtual reality with all the benefits that this brings. The Islands make it possible to become anyone you like, be it a scientist working on an experiment, to a mathematician, solving equations in a virtual world. Essential Question 3: **How** **do we assess the learning that takes place in virtual worlds?** Response:The teacher, serving more as a mentor in this virtual environment, needs to set up a structured syllabus with clear goals that are to be reached. It is also important to have course objectives, learning objectives, measurement and goals reflections to keep the teacher on track. Summary:**How can I utilize what I have learned in my teaching?** It would be great to have a virtual world where the students can interact using avatars. What a creative media to present a new learning environment for kids to learn while feeling like they are merely interacting with a video game. It would be ideal to use this in a math class to share strategies to learn math concepts.  5. Your name: Session Title: Essential Question 1: (type the question) Response: Essential Question 2: (type the question) Response: Essential Question 3: (type the question) Summary:

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