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For more information: http://www.vwbpe.org/calls/2011-call-for-proposals
Call for Proposals
The Virtual Worlds Best Practice in Education (VWBPE) is a community-based conference that provides opportunities for participants in all virtual worlds to share current teaching, learning, and research practices in 3D virtual environments. Conference presentations focus on teaching/learning, scholarly work, projects, events, activities and new and innovative tools for virtual education. Presenters will focus on the identification of best practices in education designed for 3D virtual world technology.
This year’s theme is You are Here.
Whether your virtual adventures take you to Second Life, OpenSim, World of Warcraft, Eve Online or Club Penguin – you are part of a global interconnected network. It’s about people. It’s about community. Its’ about learning. It’s more than a platform – it’s the stories we tell and the way we share them. The divide between what is real and what is virtual is a state of mind. We learn everywhere and you are already here.
Here is all around you:
- Here is where we find the great successes and even failures.
- Here is where we expand our borders.
- Here is where we touch what is important to those we teach.
- Here is where we learn and live and play.
So tell us how you learn and teach. Tell us your stories of what works well and what can be done better. Where does learning happen for you? Who do you teach? How to you engage learners? Why is learning within the virtual important to you? What is the key learning you want to share with others?
You are already here – so come be part of the discussion and bring your friends.
Submissions are due no later than 23:59 PST Monday, January 31, 2010.
http://conf.vwbpe.org
Proposal Streams
- Theoretical and Research Presentations
- Content Based and Informal Presentations
- Workshops and Tutorials
- Explorations of Virtual Worlds
- Panel Presentations and Roundtables
- Tools and Products
- Games and Simulations
- Posters
- Machinima
- Teen Fair
The following is a description of proposal streams:
A. Theoretical and Research Presentations
The focus of this stream is on formal research which provides evidence of best practices for 3D virtual world teaching/learning. We are interested in a wide range of subjects. Topics can include, but are not limited to, use of technology of virtual worlds, virtual reality, augmented reality, distant and directed, blended or mixed environments, and/or use of gaming platform such as World of Warcraft (WoW) and other MMORPGs.
Presentation Time: 50 minutes including Q&A
B. Content Based and Informal Presentations
The focus of this stream is on distributing information regarding the use of virtual world technology for teaching/learning. No formal research is required. This stream provides anecdotal evidence of best practices. Proposals can focus on the use of technology in virtual worlds, virtual reality, augmented reality, distant and directed, blended, or mixed environments and or use of gaming platforms such as World of Warcraft (WoW) and other MMORPGs.
Presentation Time: 50 minutes including Q&A
C. Workshops and Tutorials
A tutorial is intended to enhance the skills and knowledge of attendees. Sessions
should be designed to introduce a framework for learning a new area or provide
advanced technical training.
Tutorial proposals must include the purpose of the tutorial, clear description of the objectives, intended audience including the experience level and prerequisites, and virtual space requirements.
Presentation Time: 50 minutes including Q&A
D. Explorations of Virtual Worlds
Second Life is one of many virtual world technologies. This stream includes tours, orientations, and introductions to spaces in Second Life, other social virtual worlds or MMORPGS. Proposals should provide information regarding the virtual world to be visited, description of activities, and any requirements for participation.
Presentation Time: 20 minute intro + 90 minute tour including Q&A
E. Panel Presentations and Roundtables
A panel consisting of 2-4 people (including the chair) present their views on a common theme, issue, or question, and discuss them with participants. The presentation should provide an opportunity for participants to hear well-reasoned arguments about pertinent topics as seen from a variety of viewpoints. Presenters or panelists should take no more than 40, of the total 80 minutes, to make their case and then guide participants through a discussion and series of questions and answers.
Presentation Time: 80 minutes including Q&A
F. Tools and Products
Showcase new and innovative tools and products that enable educators to create teaching/learning and research environments, enhance learning, and enable virtual world participants to function with ease. This stream focuses on the newcomer and experienced practitioner to make informed choices in selecting tools and products.
Presentation Time: 80 minutes including Q&A
G. Interactive Games and Simulations
The focus of this stream is the development and implementation of specific activities, games, and simulated environments that increase learner interaction with others and increase engagement. Participants will have opportunities to participate in project-based activities. Interactive Games and Simulations presentations should also include:
- Purpose of the demonstration
- Description of the activity in which participants will engage
- Clear description of the objectives
- Intended Audience
- Location where the activity can be found prior to the conference
- Special considerations for set-up/break-down
Presentation Time: Up to 110 minutes including Q&A.
H. Posters
Poster sessions will provide educators, researchers, and developers with a forum where they can present and discuss their work and network with others working on similar projects. Space will be allocated to educational exhibitors to demonstrate their services or key projects. These spaces will be limited to 256 square meters and 100 prims. Audio/visual will be available, but it is requested that use of sound be kept to a minimum.
Presentation Time: Poster presenters will be invited to set-up 72 hours prior to the conference opening. Poster areas can be left in place for up to 5 days post conference.
I. Machinima
Machinima is video recorded real-time in interactive 3D virtual worlds and video games such as Second Life, World of Warcraft, and even Club Penguin. The purpose of this new stream is to promote the production and use of machinima and virtual film making in education. Machinima is a method that allows educators, researchers, and students to create content in a virtual environment. This content can then be used in traditional, blended, and virtual environments.The machinima stream is comprised of two components.
Part 1: The first component is for traditional conference presentations on the use of machinima in education.
Presentation Time: Not to exceed 110 minutes including Q & A.
Part 2: To encourage the production of machinima and the growth of a community of educators, researchers, and students who produce machinima, VWBPE will be holding a machinima fest and viewing during the 2011 conference.
For more detailed specifications on requirements for each part, please see the VWBPE Machinima Page at http://www.vwbpe.org/calls/machinima
J. Teen Fair
This stream of the conference focuses on teen use of virtual worlds, created both by teens and their advisors/teachers, as methods of learning. Participants will share their best practices, successes/learning moments, and projects and how they were able to engage teens in learning opportunities. Teens are also encourage to submit their student projects as part of this stream. Examples would include:
- Youth and Technology (Discussion panel by teens for teens)
- Content Creation Challenge (Builds, tools, machinima, art)
- Combining Technologies (Blending Web and 3D)
- Virtual Fair (Demonstrations – science fair style poster sessions)
Presentation Time: As Required
Submitting a Conference Proposal
If you have not already registered to submit a proposal, please go to http://conf.vwbpe.org/index.php/VWBPE/11/user/account and register for a conference account. If you already have an account you can login here http://conf.vwbpe.org/index.php/index/index/login.
Make sure as part of your submission you:
- Clearly state the title
- Clearly state the stream
- Provide a 50 – 100 word abstract that:
- Indicates how your work illustrates best practices in education
- Indicates the outcomes/learning objectives participants should expect from your sessions
- Describe how your work might be applied to a particular or multiple sectors of education, i.e. K-12, large universities, community colleges, adult education, etc.
- Include links to relevant websites or digital materials you will share.
- Any additional information requested for review, scheduling or logistics.
- Special considerations (language of choice, extended set-up and/or breakdown time)
Presentations which have been submitted to other conferences (such as SLCC) are acceptable so long as the author(s) can clearly show how their materials have been significantly updated and enhanced since they were last presented.
If a group of presenters want to establish a mini-language specific track, please contact the conference organizers in advance to arrange. The VWBPE conference encourages participation from around the world regardless of language.
Receiving Notification
You will receive a message indicating receipt of your proposal when it is submitted.
Receiving Acceptance
Your proposal will go through a peer review process. You will receive notice after peer review that your proposal was either a) accepted without changes, b) accepted with changes, or c) rejected as not being suitable for this conference. A notification of rejection does not mean that you cannot submit other proposals in keeping with the conference goals and aims.
Paper submissions for publication only and not presented during the conference will not be accepted.
Submitting for Paper Publication
If you would like to submit your proposal as a paper to the Journal of Virtual Studies, please visit Rockcliffe University’s open source journal page at http://ejournal.urockcliffe.com/. Your paper, if accepted, will be published in the issue immediately following the conference. Please note that acceptance at the VWBPE conference does not guarantee acceptance to the Journal nor does a Journal submission guarantee acceptance to the conference.
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