Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education: Mythic Origins
March 14-16, 2024
The 17th annual Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference is an online distributed conference happening in multiple virtual spaces. This conference focuses on the use of immersive virtual environments for educational purposes including virtual and augmented reality.
To the best ability possible, VWBPE provides educational and networking opportunities that are relevant to educational curriculum development utilizing virtual environments and “best practices”. These include
- helping to build community through extension of learning best practices to practical application of those ideas and techniques;
- providing networking opportunities for educators and the communities that help support education; and
- providing access to current innovations, trends, ideas, case studies, and other best practices for educators and the communities that help support education
One of the key challenges faced by the educational community is how to make the best use of new immersive technologies in a way that is sustainable and accessible based on limited budgets available to both instructors and students. Platforms that are free or open source, or that can be shared across a broad audience are showcased including methods and research around best practices in their use and applicability.
VWBPE will again be using Linden Lab’s Second Life® environment as our primary conference venue for meetings, exhibits, roundtables, and discussions. Participants are encouraged to submit proposals and immersive experience tours on any environment for education using technologies for virtual or augmented reality. We actively encourage showcasing multiple technology platforms. This includes practical application, researched papers, conceptual, and content creation supporting those technologies.
Mythic stories can provide a way to engage students in critical thinking and analysis, as well as developing their creativity and imagination.
Mythic origins can provide students with a deeper understanding of their own cultural heritage and how it has evolved over time.
It allows us to explore the origins of our socially constructed myths and legends that have inspired educators and their various works.
Join us and share your research, praxis, and origin stories of how virtual technologies in the classroom has helped shape education for the better.
The conference is free to attend. The cost of the conference is covered by sponsorship and donations.
* Play * Explore * Engage * Immerse * Learn *
VWBPE Exhibit Hall Opens Monday
Exhibits Opening Monday March 15th! The Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Committee would like to invite everyone to experience the exhibit hall for this year’s conference starting Monday March 15th at 12 noon...
VWBPE 2021 Social Program
Reconnaissance is Social, TooYou will want to be sure to save the dates and times for all of the social events at this year’s Virtual Worlds Best Practices In Education (VWBPE21) RECONNAISSANCE Conference. The VWBPE...
Play, Explore and Engage in Immersive Experiences
VWBPE 2021 Reconnaissance Immersive ExperiencesA highlight of the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education conference are the Immersive Experiences offered in the weeks before and after the conference presentation days....
VWBPE 2021 Program Now Available!
Where will the path lead us on this learning journey?VWBPE Reconnaissance shows the way.Virtual World communities are the pathfinders, showing the rest of us the tremendous possibilities of virtual social engagement, now...
Reminder! Call for Reconnaissance Volunteers
Join our Volunteer Team at VWBPE! March 18-20, 2021We are proud that the conference is By Educators, For Everyone, and is open for free registration, thanks to our wonderful sponsors and volunteers. The 2021 Virtual Worlds...
Immersive Experiences & Exhibits Reminder: Due 10 February
Would you like to showcase your creative works in virtual worlds?Would you like to promote your organization or achievements?The VWBPE Conference Exhibit Hall provides an environmentthat is wildly different from any...
VWBPE 2021 Second Networking and Fundraising Social
Mardi Gras Ball on Bourbon Street Thursday, February 11th 2021 5:00 - 6:00 pm SLT/PST http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Rockcliffe%20Village/123/106/1640Join us for an evening with friends and colleagues at the second...
Call for Presentations EXTENDED
We have good news! The call for proposals deadline has been extended to Thursday, the 28th of January. Do you need a few more days to gather "recon" for your presentation proposal, or for final edits on your presentation...
VWBPE 2021 Call for Volunteers
The 2021 Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Committee is excited to open our Call for Volunteers, and we need YOU! Our 2021 Conference theme is Reconnaissance, which truly defines the year we’ve had and helps give a...
VWBPE 2021 Networking and Fundraiser Social
You will want to be sure to mark your calendars for the VWBPE 2021 First Networking and Fundraising Social, “Back in Bedrock” on Thursday, January 14th at 5:00 pm SLT/PST. Enjoy an evening with friends and colleagues at...
Holiday Greetings from VWBPE
What a Year This Has Been! As 2020 comes to a close, be sure to take some time to reflect, personally and professionally, on the lessons we have learned in this year like no other. Ponder the solemn wonder of the season....
The 2021 Thinkerer Award
The Thinkerer Award is presented to an individual whose deeds and actions have shown consistent selfless service towards the promotion of learning, community, and educational practices, and who exemplifies the spirit of...
VWBPE 2021 Call for Sponsors
Since 2009, Rockcliffe University Consortium has managed the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education Conference (VWBPE) with the support of well over 70 volunteers from the US, Canada, and Europe. This conference is...
The Call for Proposals for VWBPE 2021 Reconnaissance is Now Open
VWBPE 2021 seeks to examine the new territory that has been discovered in 2020, exploring what at times can seem both familiar and hostile. Virtual learning environments have never been more important as classes at all...
Welcome to VWBPE 21 Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the subtle art of exploring areas outside of our expertise that may be potentially opposed to our current outlook or world view. Before this pandemic, the idea of a telecommuting economy seemed like a...
If You are New to Second Life®
The conference will be held in Second Life®, which is a 3d user-created virtual environment.
If you are new to virtual worlds, we can get you started, and we encourage you to do this in advance of the conference.
On the main campus of the Rockcliffe University Consortium there is a gateway to enter Second Life which includes a welcome and orientation area. There you can quickly learn the basics to navigate in Second Life, and when the conference opens in March, the Gateway can be your starting point to go to the VWBPE conference.