Creating online world a challenge
by Eugene O'Donnell
APRIL 2009
Connecting ... QAHS e-learning head of department Lissa Hodson with Year 10 students (from left) Tobias Hingston, Andy Nguyen, Jacky Chi, Caitlin Profitt and Gabby Calluthers.
Creating a virtual world that would connect with students throughout the state has been a steep learning curve for a Brisbane teacher.
Earlier this year Queensland Academy for Health Sciences (QAHS) e-learning head of department Lissa Hodson was charged with the task of coordinating the school's Creative Challenge for the Year of Creativity program.
QAHS's Creative Challenge, the Brain Sanctuary, is an online world that allows students to create computer-generated alter egos known as avatars so they can teleport and fly.
While in the Brain Sanctuary, students brainstorm ideas that solve 21st century challenges using virtual 'sticky note' boards.
Ms Hodson said designing and developing the Brain Sanctuary was a fascinating learning experience.
'Although I'd read about virtual worlds and had visited a common platform - Second Life - I'd never used it as a learning tool,' she said.
'It took me a while to get my head around how it could connect with students but after attending one of the Premier's Towards Q2 community forums things gelled.
'Those same concepts of "healthy, smart, green, fair and strong" provided the foundations of stimulus for the students' learning journeys.'
Ms Hodson said entering the virtual world would benefit students by allowing them to interact and learn in an environment that was more flexible and relevant to their lives.
'Its most obvious benefits are the peer-to-peer interaction and the opportunities to connect to relevant experts,' she said.
'As Guy Claxton says in his book What's the Point of Schools "Real life learning often involves a lot of collaboration and talking. No one knows the answer ahead of time. No one person may have all the pieces".'
Ms Hodson said this was the most important lesson the project had taught her.
'It's impossible to have total control over all things. As the facilitator rather than the giver of knowledge, my role has been to provide the platform to a range of students.
'This has been a challenging concept but I hope it demonstrates that I'm a model learner myself.'
Asked what tips she would give to other teachers embarking on a similar project, Ms Hodson said teachers needed to value the skills of "just in time" learning.
'As with all ICT, our students will know more than us and even if they don't they'll be more in-tune with using the technology,' she said.
'It's OK to learn from the students.
'Engendering the skills of problem-solving, collaborating and effective and appropriate communication is far more valuable than trying to compete with the students' ICT skills.'
Years 5 to 12 teachers interested in their class exploring the Brain Sanctuary which goes live in May should register their interest by 8 May on the QAHS website 
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