‘#iLRN17_SFP‘ (Imagine 2017) opened the 3rd Immersive Learning Research Network Conference (iLRN 2017) with a workshop that introduced the SF-Prototyping (SFP) methodology, exploring ways immersive-reality technology might change future education, stretching from formal education at college through in-situ industrial training to informal settings as part of our everyday lives. Attendees participated in group-based ideation sessions, learning how to write micro-SFPs (µSFPs) before completing the day by helping their group write at least one µSFP (which are shown below). More information about µSFPs can be looking at descriptions on Wikipedia or the Creative Science pages.
This workshop introduced micro science-fiction prototyping (μSFP) as a methodology for thinking about how immersive education might develop in the future.
Conference attendees were invited to write an individual µSFP describing how they foresaw immersive learning technologies and pedagogies changing the nature of future education. Twitter was used to collect competition entries which restricted stories to 129 characters (around 20 words). The top 3 µSFPs (as voted by attendees) received a certificate and a prize (Amazon vouchers) which were presented at the closing session of iLRN 2017.
1. Competition Guidelines
- Tweet your μSFP using the hashtag #iLRN17_SFP no later than midnight on the 28th June 2017 (you have 129 characters for the μSFP as the hashtag uses 11 of the 140 characters allowed).
- All μSFPs will be retweeted in our official Twitter account @CSciFoundation. Once we have retweeted your story, you are officially in the competition!
- To vote for your favourite story you need to ‘like’ it on Twitter.
- A useful guidance form for writing µSFPs was available from this link. More information about µSFPs is available from this page.
The mechanics of this online competition are organised by Anasol Peña-Rios (@prlosana).
2. How to Win?
Now we need your help in deciding the best stories!
We are using Twitter to manage the competition so please review the stories and ‘like’ those you think are the best. The stories with the most ‘likes’ will receive prizes. A list with the participating µSFPs can be found at the bottom of this page.
The winner µSFPs will be announced at the lecture on 12th December 2019.
NOTE: Deadline for voting for your favourite stories is by midnight on Friday 6th December.
Event Structure
- 2.15 pm – Welcome to the Imagine workshop (Jonathon Richter)
- 2.45 pm – Introduction to μSFP (Michael Gardner)
- 3.15 pm – Coffee/tea (3.30pm) & Ideation Sessions (divide into 6 groups) (Dennis Beck, Christian Gütl, Leonel Caseiro Morgado, Michael Gardner, Jonathon Richter & Patrick O’Shea facilitating)
- Brainstorm ideas (30 minutes)
- Discuss and prioritise ideas (15 minutes)
- Create at least one µSFP to present in following session (15 minutes)
- 4.15 pm – Group presentations (5 mins per group) (Michael Gardner)
- 4.45 pm – Vote on best group μSFP (Michael Gardner)
- 5.00 pm – Prize (Jonathon Richter)
- 5.10 pm – Overview of follow-on μSFP competition (Michael Gardner)
- 5.20 pm – Concluding Session (Jonathon Richter)
- 5.30 pm – End
Organiser (In alphabetical order)
- Dennis Beck, University of Arkansas, USA
- Vic Callaghan, University of Essex, UK
- Michael Gardner, University of Essex, UK
- Christian Gütl, Graz University of Technology, Austria
- Leonel Caseiro Morgado, Universidade Aberta, Portugal
- Anasol Peña-Rios, University of Essex, UK
- Jonathon Richter, Salish Kootenai College, USA
- Patrick O’Shea, Appalachian State University, USA
Winner (as voted by PARTICIPANTS)
“next step: TAKE THE MONEY & RUN”
– “Wow! I am SO ready now!”, said Al & tripped over the cable of the VR Heist Simulator #ILRN17_SFP #vr— Johanna Pirker (@JoeyPrink) June 27, 2017
Runner-up
Lost, her cold fingers trembled. She’d been here before. Now, without her headset, she was afraid, but knew what to do. #ILRN17_SFP
— Aaron Ralby (@Linguisticator) June 27, 2017