Product and sales training in a 3D environment

I've been making notes and currently exploring learning opportunities in SL, but haven't grouped my thoughts together enough to make a decent post yet.

In the meantime, I'd like to share this informative video about using 3D worlds to enhance learning. The video shows an example where sales reps are trained about the features of a new product. The creator of the video, Karl Kapp, has shown a 2D learning approach in a 3D world, and how it can be made more effective by taking advantage of the unique features offered in a 3D environment. Clearly, the 3D training looks like it would be better for learning and also a lot more fun.

Educational uses of Second Life

Another video showcasing the educational possibilities of using Second Life for learning.

The video doesn't mention the potential for mixing with more undesirable folk (naked furries for example) and this is one of the downsides of the SL experience. However, I think that the negatives of SL will be corrected over time. The technology is still young, and it's hard to deny that learning possibilities exist in virtual worlds.

I'll be subscribing to the learning blog www.karlkapp.blogspot.com as well.

Interview with Joe Miller of SecondLife on corporate communication and learning

Here is an interesting interview by the ASTD (American Society for Training and Development) with Joe Miller, who was the keynote speaker at the recent ASTD 2008 TechKnowledge Conference. In the interview, Mr. Miller discusses topics such as what sort of environments are best for learning in virtual worlds, how companies are using virtual worlds to communicate with their customers and what areas of SecondLife hold the most promise for learning professionals.

Instructional design in virtual worlds

I attended a class this week in instructional design for virtual worlds hosted by the Gronstedt Group in Second Life (SL). As an aside, you might want to check out the article Anders Grondstedt wrote about training and 3D worlds in Training and Development magazine. When the class began, we teleported to MIST Island and were shown instructional design examples by our guide, Abbott Bundy (his SL name), a teacher in SL.

We learned some interesting things in the class, almost all of it related to instructional layout and design for 3D worlds. In the image above we are seen entering a large classroom with floating chairs for viewing three screens. The instructor spoke about optimal layout and design for maximum viewing. We also discovered techniques for learner engagement, such as creating treasure hunts to gather information and learner checkpoints to measure progress. We also learned how to build a training center that gives the idea of a separate space without a huge time investment spent building the architecture.

I'm convinced the need for sound instructional design will not go away. With the currently changing information landscape, there are many new ways to deliver content to learners. What is exciting are the variety of ways we can engage learners, a vital component of today's knowledge economy.

Instructional design in virtual worlds

This image (click to enlarge) was taken at the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) location in Second Life (SL). I found it was an effective instructional design example and wanted to post it on my blog. It is strategically placed when you arrive at the ASTD headquarters in SL so that, as a first-timer, you can quickly get up to speed and start making your way around in SL. This makes me think about my profession and whether there are different techniques for improving technical communication in a virtual world.

As a member of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) and working as an instructional designer for online learning, I've often seen the overlap between the two fields. Most of the people I know in the technical communication field specialize in writing. I think as more people go online for learning and training, the shift toward more visual instruction is necessary. Why? It is too difficult to sit and read large amounts of text while staring at a screen for long periods of time. I'd like to see an area of training develop on how to best instruct for virtual worlds. I will definitely continue exploring this while I build training there. I would also welcome any tips, books or links anyone would like to share on how to improve instruction in SL.