Not quite all of the above. I must apologise for my silence on this log, but since I took on an acting director role at my institution at the end of last calendar year/beginning of this, I have been so busy that updating this blog sadly fell by the wayside. I have no, however, abandoned my work on virtual worlds, even though it slowed down.
I have had in the meantime a colloquium article accepted by BJET (on the SL project I was involved in in 07/08), a paper for the SOLSTICE conference in June (reflective learning), presented at my own institution’s conference last week, together with Judy, on reflective learning and motivation in the light of virtual worlds, will present at the RSC Virtual Worlds conference in April at Sunderland (on individual and group learning in VW), and will give a presentation this week at an internal research seminar on understandings and misunderstandings in virtual worlds – and beyond.
It is a challenge to balance and juggle all of one’s responsibilities if they are so diverse and if research, as in my case, has to be done in one’s free time. The latter always makes me laugh, because the notion of “free” time is a rather fluid one. Let’s face it, while research is not written into my contract, it is not only essential for what I teach on the PG CAP, but also quite simply for survival. For mental, intellectual and professional survival.
Virtual Worlds and their possibilities continue to fascinate me and working with students is for someone who usually works with academic staff a truly refreshing delight. I would not want to miss either, because it is a true eye opener to work with both.
Let’s end this post with a screenshot from December, the quiz monkey, a piece of work by a student, who won one of the prizes at the virtual crufts.
