MUVE+in+the+Classroom

MUVE stands for Multi-user Virtual Environment. It's all the rage, especially with adults. Second Life is a great example of MUVE. Second Life allows users to interact with each other in a virtual environment via avatars, or in this case cyber representatives of themselves. Second Life is used for professional development, fun, and, well...whatever. I wouldn't, however, recommend Second Life in the classroom. Currently, it's an adult environment. Perhaps in the near future some open source developer type person will create a child-friendly educational island.

In the meantime, how can we use MUVE technology in the classroom? After all it provides an interactive experience--we want that. It provides opportunities for collaboration--we want that. In addition it provides an avenue for simulations related to school subjects--we want that as well. So what to do?

There are several options for MUVE in the classroom.


 * +Quest Atlantis**: It's a 3-D multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) game aimed at children 9-16. Players as avatars engage in interactive simulations. For example, the avatars have to handle challenges such as a polluted river that must be cleaned up.

How can we get Quest Atlantis? : It's available only to schools. Individuals can't subscribe or by the game on their own.

+**Whyville** is a virtual world aimed at children ages 8-14. As in Quest Atlantis, players create avatars and navigate the world as they wish. It has a WebKinz look to it. School subjects featured in the game are art history, civics, economics and ocean science. It’s FREE!

+SimCity probably wasn't intended for educational use but it can be whatever you want to make of it. With guidance (as with all games), SimCity can be used to teach about budgets and government decisions. There's a FREE version!

+**The History Canada** game, set in 16th century Canada, is a simulation game for pre-teens and teens. It's based on Sid Meier's Civilization III.

+**The Nobel prize organization's** free educational video games include “The Diabetic Dog Game” teaches kids about caring for a living thing with a disease. The “Lord of the Flies” is based on the novel by William Golding and attempts to teach about getting along in a society.

+EcoMUVE--appears to be a spin off of Harvard University's River City project. EcoMUVE seeks to build middle school student engagement in the study of ecosystems using a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE).

That's all well and good, Kim, so now HOW do I use these things with my students with our curriculum?

I'm working on it. Any ideas, folks?