Are you an educator using virtual worlds for learning? Interested in gaining inspiration for your work, showing off your program, learning practical tips, and connecting with your peers within this emerging field of practice?
If so, then the first RezEd conference on Learning and Virtual Worlds is for you!
The conference will run from June 10th – 12th in partnership with the renowned Games, Learning and Society Conference at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
As an official “working group” of GLS, RezEd conference attendees will participate in RezEd-only sessions and gatherings while gaining full access to the always remarkable GLS agenda.
RezEd is an online social network of over 2,000 educators using virtual worlds for learning across a variety of worlds and learning institutions. The mini-conference will feature intimate, interactive sessions with luminaries like Robin Harper, James Paul Gee, Peggy Sheehy and others. There will be many opportunities for small group discussions, networking, and sharing of best practices.
Register for the RezEd.org Mini-conference for just an additional $50 (or $345 if new to both). Space is limited so join us today!
And be sure and indicate that you are going in the RezEd event calendar listing!
________________________________________
Tentative RezEd Conference Schedule (subject to change):
June 10
(*Note that the GLS conference does not begin until the afternoon of June 10)
9-10: Breakfast/Registration/Opening
10-11: Keynote with Robin Harper, former VP at Linden Lab and current consulting for Metaplace
11-12:30: “What’s Wrong with This Picture? Key Challenges in Learning and Virtual Worlds” with Peggy Sheehy, Kelly Czarnecki, Lane Lawley, and Amira Fouad
1-2: Birds of a Feather lunchtime conversations
June 11
11-12:30: “Education across Virtual Worlds: A Case Study,” A conversation with Audrey Aranowsky of the Chicago Field Museum
1-2: Birds of a Feather lunchtime conversations
June 12
1-2: Lunch session with James Paul Gee
2-3: Closing session (tba)
Other RezEd tagged sessions at GLS
These are other sessions going on during GLS that we think are particularly relevant to RezEd members.
June 10
3:30pm: “Teaching Economics and Anthropology in a Virtual World: A Cross-Cultural Comparison”
June 11
2pm: “Online Game Fan Communities as Affinity Spaces for Diverse Learners” 3:30pm: “From Game Mods to Math Models: Using Garry’s Mod for Math, Physics, and Programming Problem-Solving” with mother and son Elizabeth and Lane Lawley
June 12
11am: “Ramapo Islands in Teen Second Life: One Educator’s Journey” with Peggy Sheehy
About RezEd
RezEd.org was developed by Global Kids, an independent educational nonprofit organization that educates and inspires urban youth to become successful students, community leaders, and global citizens. It launched after being selected through the HASTAC competition and builds on prior work in virtual worlds made possible through support from the MacArthur Foundation.
RezEd is a community of practice that brings attention to the myriad ways virtual worlds are being used for learning in various settings. It covers both commercial and educational virtual worlds through news updates; multimedia resources; a podcast series with youth, theorists, world builders, practitioners and experts in the field; a curated best practice report series, various digital media resources, guest-moderated discussions, and more. In addition, knowledge is generated and shared as members contribute photos and videos, facilitate special interest groups, and manage personal blogs. In 2009, RezEd began a regular seasonal meet-up in virtual worlds and, at GLS, the first in person conference.
Be sure to tag any messages or media about the event with #rezedconf!
Written by: Beth J. Bates