KIDLINK Windows to the Universe, a Multi User Virtual Space for Online Collaborative Projects

Bonnie Thurber, Bob Davis, Hanne Wolffe

Abstract

KIDLINK Windows to the Universe, KIDLINK's new Multi User Virtual Space or MUVS is designed to support on-line collaboration between students and educators. Kidlink members, students up to age 15, educators, and parents from around the world create and present multimedia projects in this environment. They problem-solve, communicate and collaborate to develop these online projects. MUVS participants practice language skills, acquire technology skills, and communicate with others in this global virtual "environment." In this workshop, attendees will learn about KIDLINK Windows to the Universe by taking an online guided tour and creating an example project.

Key words

global community, interactive collaborative educational environment, online multimedia environment, Multi User Virtual Space

Workshop description:

KIDLINK Windows to the Universe, KIDLINK's new Multi User Virtual Space or MUVS is designed to support on-line collaboration between students and educators. Kidlink members, students up to age 15, educators, and parents from around the world create and present multimedia projects in this environment. They problem-solve, communicate and collaborate to develop these online projects. MUVS participants practice language skills, acquire technology skills, and communicate with others in this global virtual "environment." In this workshop, attendees will learn about KIDLINK Windows to the Universe by taking an online guided tour and creating an example project.

During the online tour, attendees will view practical examples of using this new technology in the classroom curricula. Student generated work from a variety of subject areas including social studies, language arts, and science will be presented. Examples of activities such as "Castles," "World Cities," "Kidlink Fairytales," "Hawaiian Hurricane" and other integrated collaborative lessons will be demonstrated. The presenter will discuss how information is gathered and integrated over the Internet, brought into curricula, and matched with educational standards in various countries. Educators who are part of this online environment will tell how MUVS projects are completed in the classroom.

After the tour, workshop attendees will learn how to create their own example project by collaborating with the students and teachers who are online and by contributing text, sounds, and graphics to KIDLINK Windows to the Universe.

The KIDLINK MUVS runs on Continuum 2 Dimension TM application software, C2dTM. A short discussion about the development of the C2dTM software and how it works will follow the project example creation. This development discussion will include information about technical specifications and database usage in C2dTM.

The workshop will end with a discussion about developing global collaborative projects for use in distance teaching and learning.

Literature:

http://www.kidlink.org/multi/c2d/ , http://www.tech-continuum.com/c2d/

About the author

Bonnie Thurber is currently working for the Collaboratory Project, http://collaboratory.nunet.net/ , Northwestern University. At the Collaboratory, she works with teachers, students, schools, museums, and volunteer organizations in the greater Chicago area. The goal of the Collaboratory project is to develop a virtual laboratory on the Internet for K-12 schools.

After work, Ms. Thurber is a member of the Kidlink Core Managment Team, http://www.kidlnk.org/english/society/coreteam.html   where she is in charge of the user support teams in the Kidlink Organization, http://www.kidlink.org/   She works with the Translation, Systems Operations, User Support and real-time Interactions team managers. She is currently chair of the Illinois Computing Educators Electronic Communications Committee, http://www.iceberg.org   and Co-chair of the National Educators Computing Conference in 2001, http://www.necasite.org .

Authors:

Bonnie Thurber
665 Brierhill Road
Deerfield, IL, 60015
USA

Bob Davis
Northwestern University
1890 Maple Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
USA

Hanne Wolffe
Aller Friskole
Christiana
Denmark