Best practices in role playing soft skills in virtual worlds

A non-profit educational organization

Best Practices for

Role Playing Soft Skills

in Virtual Worlds

Patti Abshier, MSPH, MSW, Ph.D. (ABD) Candidate

&

Michelle Hyland, BAH, BEd


What We Play

Second Life

StarTrek Online

Rift

Halo

Guitar Hero


This Presentation Will Cover…

Overview

Benefits

Challenges/Lessons Learned

Q & A


Overview:

Training in Virtual Worlds



Overview:


Information Giving

– Seminars

– Static Displays

– Classroom lectures and discussions –

any information based topic

Skills Training

– Nutrition

– Economic Forecasting


Soft Skills

– Motivational Interviewing (Boston University)

– Counseling Skills (in general or topical)

– Medical Interviewing Techniques

– Breastfeeding Peer Education – HIV Focused

Overview:



Benefits of Virtual Worlds

RP Based Training


Synchronous

– Motivational Interviewing (Boston University)

– Counseling Skills (in general or topical)

Interactions-roles not extensively scripted out

– Less staff time in creating discussion trees

– Less staff time programming in the decision trees

– Training remains dynamic and fluid

Benefits of Using Virtual Worlds for

Soft Skills / RP Training



Soft Skills / RP Training

Economics

– Decreased travel expenses and other know

factors

– Cost based on SIM rental and building time;

once scenes built limited upgrades needed

– Linden Lab has just bumped prices for not-

for-profit regions; this may impact the use of

Second Life for training and technical

support


Adult Learning

– Allows for individual, small

group, large group

interactions and activities

– Participants learn from the

experience and expertise of

others

– Multiple modes of learning via

web-based distance learning


Soft Skills Training


Lessons Learned:

Benefits and Challenges


Benefits

Using text for relaying information

– Unlike a webinar, pilot test participants stated

they like that they can scroll up and see what

they missed if they have to be away from the

computer

– They don’t feel like they are missing out

Engagement

– Participants viewed the pilot trainings as more

engaging than webinars or other non face-to-face

trainings


Enhanced Follow-up

– Using Second Life training for skills not as an event

but a process

– Practice in non-threatening and fun environment

– Virtual reality trainings over time – 3, 6, 12 months –

enhance skills

– Back to cost and travel – cannot do this many follow-

up trainings in real world; too costly both fiscally and

time-wise

Benefits


User Tech Ability in Second Life

– Basic Movement Skills

• Quests and Activities Prior to

Training

– Teleportation Skills

• Quests and Activities Prior to Training and

explanation again at beginning of session

Challenges


– Voice and Text Chat

• Practice and explanation prior to beginning of training as

component of introduction

Challenges


Technology

– Graphics and Processors

• Information on basic systems requirements sent out prior to

training in “Introduction Manual” on Viewer 2

• Prior load and test of systems by participants

• Explain basics of problems – how to turn graphics down to

usable levels

• Keep participants informed of known issues – fair warning

concept

Challenges


Virtual World Technology

– Voice

• When Voice fails use Ventrilo or other VOIP provider

– Group Chat/IM Failure

• Individual IM’s if small group

• Reconvene in large group

Challenges


SIM Lag (Known issue!)

– Let trainees know ahead of time of this possibility and

what to do

• graphics settings, wait, accept that based on their system

• some things may not resolve (sculpties specifically)

– Make sure all avatars have no scrip heavy items on

– Assign avatars (you control what is worn)

Challenges


Creating Animations

– Time to create body positions for RP and Classroom

– To be effective, need to have multiple animations in

each chair

• Sit open, sit partially closed, contemplating, angry, etc.

• General sits, raise hand etc.

– Skill of Builder

• Static poses not always effective

• Change in poses based on questions asks

Challenges


Training Trainers

– To navigate the virtual world

• Sit, walk, teleport, etc.

– To emote

• Have to be very aware of body language and gestures

• Have to have relatively good language skills to express body

language through emotes

– Train trainers on using Second Life prior to the

training including how to keep conversations going,

how to know when someone has left their computer,

etc.

Challenges


Role Play Environment

– 2-Dimensional thinking in

a 3-Dimensional World

• Use of multi-elevation

learning areas

– Keeping Individuals

Engaged

• Same issues as when

conducting a webinar

• Activities and discussion

programmed in every 15

minutes

Challenges


Monitoring RP and Group Activities without

being intrusive

– Invisible avatars

• ONLY USED FOR IN SIM RP

• Participants informed in advance of usage

Challenges


– Restricting Access & Assigning Avatars

• Griefers

– Restrict access to SIM to group members only

– Check sim prior to all trainings for off sim text griefing

• Assign Avatars

– Only LM to the site

– Given avatar assignments no more than 4 days prior

• Adult Areas

– Change passwords after training

Challenges


Q & A