Useful to school librarians, teachers, and faculty, this book explains the range of possibilities for creating immersive learning experiences through the use of virtual worlds, virtual simulations, virtual collections, exhibits by libraries and museums, and archives.There is a renaissance occurring in education with immersive learning via virtual applications and environments, even at the elementary school level. This widespread new movement is happening over more platforms than before-Second Life, Open Sim, Unity3D, Curio, and others. Teaching and Learning in Virtual Environments: Archives, Museums, and Libraries presents readers with the scope of possibilities for education in virtual environments today. Written from the perspective of the practitioner, it provides a wealth of teaching tips for virtual environments and for combining virtual environments with other emerging technologies for libraries and education.Chapters describe how recent developments in technology have made web-based virtual worlds more accessible for teaching and learning and discuss the unique benefits and affordances of educating in virtual environments as well as their applications to different subjects. The teaching applications cover the primary and secondary school levels, higher education and graduate-level environments, and even beyond formal education into building immersive "information experiences" for professional training applications, library users, and the general public. The text provides an up-to-date overview for educators, academic and public librarians, and archives and museum staff on recent developments with immersive learning; presents innovative programs and teaching ideas; covers administrative issues; and addresses the student's perspective as well.

IllustrationsForewordSandra HirshPrefaceSECTION IChapter 1: Digital Reality: An Education RenaissanceMark DriskillChapter 2: Skilling Up for Teaching in 2D Online and 3D Virtual EnvironmentsLeticia De LeonChapter 3: Building a Business in Second Life-A Case StudyJennifer Crummey and Chris NelsonChapter 4: Professional Education and Library Connections in Virtual WorldsBeth S. O'ConnellChapter 5: Virtually Abroad in Second Life: The Use of Immersive Technology to Develop Intercultural CompetenceSandra Hirsh and Heidi JakalSECTION IIChapter 6: Immersive Education in Second Life-A Case StudyLori A. BellChapter 7: Augmenting Reality: Experiencing the Past through Digital TechnologiesBryan CarterChapter 8: Virtual Worlds, Real Lives: Using Immersive Environments in the ClassroomCara Coffina and John HowardChapter 9: Learning in Three Dimensions: From "Pretty" to "Participation"John JamisonChapter 10: The Story of Science during the Scientific Revolution: Designing an Educational ExhibitMarie VansChapter 11: Crowdsourcing the Fictive Experience: Virtual-World Emergent Narrative from a Collections PerspectiveJJ JacobsonSECTION IIIChapter 12: Museums and Virtual WorldsGeoff GiglieranoChapter 13: Riding the Hype Cycle: Community Virtual Library Turns 10Rhonda B. Trueman and Pat AldermanChapter 14: MOOCs, Virtual Environments, and LibrariansValerie Hill, Ilene Frank, and Joe FloydChapter 15: Building Community through Extracurricular Activities in Second Life: A VCARA Case StudyPatricia C. FranksChapter 16: Community and Education in the Virtual Environment: Lessons LearnedMary-Carol LindbloomChapter 17: The Future of Libraries in the Digital AgeValerie HillIndexAbout the Editors and Contributors