Blog Book Tour: Learning in 3D #lrn3d

When Karl Kapp invited me to join the blog book tour for Learning in 3D, he dangled a little carrot in front of me.  Apparently, I make a cameo appearance.  So I am reading this book as a scavenger hunt (leave it to Karl to turn it into a game!)…my narcissistic antennae all aquiver.

For those of you who don’t already know, this book is Karl Kapp’s and Tony O’Driscoll’s homage to the 3D Learning Environment – a glimpse to the future of education and training (“the learning function”) and how it needs to evolve in order to stay relevant.

My Experience in Virtual Worlds

A few years ago, when Second Life was first coming onto the scene as the next big thing, I sat in my office and scratched my head. 

Karl kindly offered to give me a tour – and so there we were – flying around, looking at drills, walking through computer parts.  I remember laughing out loud in my office when I just disappeared at some point by accident. 

I dabbled in SL a bit after that, chronicled my Second Life experiences on my blog, but I haven’t been “in world” in probably two years.    Since then, I have sorely neglected my avatar, Bliss Yue.  This week I downloaded SL onto my current laptop and went and said hi.  I haven’t had much time with her yet, but mean to go spend some quality time and see how SL has evolved since my last visit. 

I get the virtual worlds immersive learning environment thingie.  I see the potential, think it’s where we’re going, but don’t think we’re quite ready for prime time.  Not yet.

What’s Really Going On Out There?

I can’t help but making connections to some of what I heard this week out in Las Vegas at ASTD Tech Knowledge 2010.

Allison Rossett  presented findings from a survey of almost 1,000 people about actual eLearning practices.  One of the bottom 5 eLearning practices that people are doing today?  “Authentic, realistic and immersive, like Second Life”. 

As to future aspirations – what organizations are trying to do: “Authentic & Immersive Experiences” came in #7 on the list.

So immersive learning is indeed something people want to do.  I guess the question is when?

Sadly, I left Las Vegas without getting to meet Karl in person!  He presented this morning at ASTD on Learning in 3D.

It’s Not About Instructional Design…

The book is chock full of background, blueprints and case studies.  I’ve taken pages of notes and clipped many a standout quotes, but especially wanted to share this quote from Randy Hinrichs of 2b3d:

“It’s Not About Instructional Design, It’s About Experiential Design --  Yes, we must gain the learner’s attention, inform them of learning objectives, stimulate recall, present new material, provide learning guidance, elicit performance, provide feedback and correctness, assess performance, and enhance retention and recall. But with today’s carnival of content, mixed media, and unlimited access to new information, we must also create a story for the learner in which he or she is the main character.” (p. 88 - Randy Hinrichs, CEO of 2b3d)

Instructional Strategies:

It’s a practical book, laying lays out eleven “archetypes” that you can use to design virtual world experiences.  Think instructional strategies – e.g., a scavenger hunt can be a great way to teach declarative knowledge and facts or orient new hires to a building layout.

1. Avatar persona
2. Role play
3. Scavenger Hunt
4. Guided Tour
5. Co-creation
6. Small Group Work
7. Group Forum
8. Social Networking
9. Operational application
10. Conceptual orienteering
11. Critical incident

Fun Facts

On page 98, you see a screen shot of Abbot Bundy talking to a “pot plant”.  Alrightie then.  I thought maybe things had gone a little wacky here and we were entering some kind of weed growing simulation, but then I realized it was “potted plants”. :)

I do indeed make a cameo appearance.  Well, Cammy doesn’t make a cameo, but Bliss Yue does.   See if you can find her.  I’ll give you a free subscription to my blog if you do!

Bottom line?  Thumbs up!  Definitely a must read if you want to be a part of the future – if you want to stay relevant as a learning professional.

Get a 20% discount off of the book by using the code L3D1 at the Pfieffer/Wiley web site at http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470504730.html

Check out the book’s website here:  www.learningin3d.info

And thank you, Karl, for inviting me to participate in the blog book tour again.