“I love computers. I completed a Master of Education (Computer Education) and was teaching students how to use computers back in the 90s. I also had my own business in the 90s and 2000s, building and managing websites for about 20 businesses. I thought I’d got to the point of knowing everything about computers. How wrong I was!
“In 2006, I was asked to fill a temporary job at UNE marking ICT education papers. At the time I was afraid I wouldn’t be any good at it. But they kept me on, and I started lecturing. I really loved lecturing, and never looked back. I loved thinking about what I could do in each and every lecture to make it stand out for the students. I think all lecturers need to make things fun, immersive and engaging, as well as a learning experience.
“When I first saw augmented reality in a Melbourne shopping centre, I was blown away. I thought, ‘Oh my goodness! This is so engaging! This is what education can be about – imagine what you could do for students in a classroom with this!
“I had to complete a PhD for my lecturing job, so I researched how virtual worlds could be used in learning. I think virtual worlds are the best things ever to be invented! In a virtual world, you are immersed in an environment, walking around in it with your students or colleagues, learning.
“But learning to use virtual worlds was a learning curve for me. I created an avatar, but didn’t know what to do. I forgot my username and password, so had to create another one, and my children had to show me how to move around in it.
“I completed courses on virtual worlds from the USA in the middle of the night to learn how to create and use the environment as a teaching and learning tool. I developed my own educational space in a virtual world that I taught to variety of education students from 2008 to 2017. At one stage I had students from seven units in learning in there, both undergraduate and postgraduate. I loved it!
“I always used two locations in a virtual world for introducing the concept of using a virtual world for teaching and learning to students: The Sistine Chapel and NASA. They are so detailed; exact replicas of the real thing. I saw the Sistine Chapel on a TV show recently, and I knew it inside and out, just from the virtual version!
“With NASA, students could fly a rocket to a planet to immerse in the space and learn about the planets through a variety of engaging activities. Over an evening each week for 10 years, I conducted learning activities this way including discussions, excursions, tours, guest lecturers, role-play activities, web quests, basic building (desktop publishing) and scripting skills.
“A two-hour session usually went for four hours or more! In the end, I had to restrict the sessions to one hour and actually leave, otherwise we would continue all night. We all lost track of time!
“Each session started with in-world face-to-face discussions, move on to a learning activity then a wrap-up and reflection. Students could participate anywhere in the world, but still have a sense of ‘being there’ in a face-to-face lecture and develop real friendships with their peers.
“I think virtual worlds have an important place in education. In 2009, I began the Australian and New Zealand Virtual Worlds Working Group, which I have been chairing ever since. There are now 200 members from institutions across the two countries. We meet regularly in the virtual world with the aim of encouraging its use and providing new research on its uses and benefits.
“But, ultimately, virtual worlds and IT are just tools for enhancing learning. As a teacher and a manager, I like to see people grow. I like to see the start and end with a student, from ‘I don’t know anything’ to ‘oh my goodness, this is fantastic!’ As a school leader, I like to help people work out a solution to a problem. My aim is to help people grow and provide opportunities to enable them to do this. I’ve definitely learnt to listen more and not jump in with a solution or opinion.
“I think all education lecturers have to have enthusiasm and love what they’re doing. They have to think about how to make the face to face and online experience great for students. Our students are often impressed that we know them by name, and by how we get to know them and care for them as individuals, whether we’ve met them face to face or not.
“I find successful students are also those that engage with their learning: they log in regularly, they participate in all voluntary learning activates to enhance their learning. They should never be bashful or afraid to ask a question. We are people just like them, and we want them to succeed!”
