I taught three writing classes this past fall--freshman, sophomore, and senior--at the University of Missouri - Kansas City. But all three classes spent much or most of the semester on the virtual campus of--but not in the classrooms of--Diversity University MOO.The 110 class wrote one paper on Internet exploration (find three things to explore and describe them), wrote another on their favorite Internet destination (describe how a new user could get the most from it; LambdaMOO getting the most attention here), and for their third papers had a choice: apply for a RL job (research a potential employer, write a cover letter, write a resume) OR build your own virtual space at DUMoo.
The 225 class wrote three papers on textual reality (one based on words shaping their personal experience, one on the worlds made of words on the Internet, and one comparing either of those to the realities shaped by words in Leslie Silko's novel, *Ceremony*) _and_, in groups and as a class they collaborated to paint a text-only mural for DU MOO's Minority Studies Hall.
The 403 class had only two projects: the first, a "real-life," essay-shaped object describing any aspect of virtual reality; the second, a virtual construction imitating any object they chose from "real life." The best of these was, I think, the football stadium built by the Chiefs cheerleader who was in that class; although both of the Malaysian students in the class came up with interesting virtual constructs: a Malay Visitors' Center (iconographic artifacts) and Nora's Cafe (authentic cuisine).
The most polished product of the semester was the mural, which received lots of group attention and in-class revision time. You can see it for yourself by telnetting to MOO.DU.ORG port 8888 , @go(-ing to) cultural (studies); then exiting southwest (sw) to Minority Studies Hall. It's pretty slick, lots of details, and details within details. Also be sure to taste and touch it. :^)
But I think the 110 students, without necessarily having much to "show" for it, as a group, learned the most. And I think that's because I told them the least. (See Tari Lin Fanderclai. "MUDs in Education: New Environments, New Pedagogies." Computer-Mediated Communication Magazine. Vol. Two, No. One. January 1995. Page 8. http://sunsite.unc.edu/cmc/mag/1995/jan/fanderclai.html)
"Here's the address," I told them. "I want you to build something here. To learn how to build, you'll have to solicit help from other users in the MOO. Have a nice day."
One student, in particular, showed just how much such a *laissez faire* approach can yield. Her Koda's Skywatch, and the virtual objects within it (especially her pet bat) are incredible. But for me the more remarkable thing is that she spent whole nights (as in dusk to dawn) meeting people from all over the world in order to:
The creativity Robin Wilkinson honed in that space--as a student who had very little to say in class and one whose full repertoire of prior computer experience consisted of operating a cash register in a restaurant--was literally awesome.
- learn how to program her space and objects,
- write and enter both their apparent descriptions and descriptions for their verbs,
- enter those descriptions,
- seek out audiences (again from around the world),
- share her text, and then
- revise it in response to their (text-rendered) responses.