A. How to use the Maya Astronomy Center_Phases1&2:
a. The Learning environment is an open clean design with aesthetic appeal. Foliage is limited (but placed in key compositional locations) in order to allow the learner to see the whole layout.
b. Interactive Units:
i. Phase 1_ stand alone capability
1. Library - media rich resource center that explains the Big Picture and its component parts
2. Solar Sighting Demonstration Exercise
ii. Phase 2_ introduction of Narrative Structure, Quest, and Learning Management Systesm _ incorporates the Library
1. Orientation Library
2. Dance Circle
3. Matching Game
4. Guard Tower
5. Zenith Passage Tube
6. Raised Crops Bed
c. Learner teleports directly in front of the Orientation Theatre Information BOT (Maya Astronomer Priest Assistant) to get instructions (and storyline) for the Quest, to get a HUD to wear to keep track of their learning experiences, to obtain Second Life help if needed, and to obtain a Map of the Quest site.
i. The storyline is a quest to learn about how Astronomy impacts our lives and become the city’s new Astronomer Priest to save the city from their enemies.
ii. The Learner starts their quest (wearing their HUD to keep track of their interactions and scores), beginning with the Orientation Theatre in front of them.
iii. The learner is given instructions for how to complete the Quest:
iv. Story _ Narrative Structure for the quest.
This is Tikalt’un.
Tikalt’un has recently suffered an epidemic that has killed many of our population. Our Astronomer Priest died without having an Assistant able to take his place. And we have not completed the process of aligning our buildings with the rising and setting of the gods in the sky. We cannot survive if we can’t anticipate their movements!
The King, also, is seriously ill and his top Lieutenants have died. His sons are too young to rule, yet.
As a result of all of this, a power vacuum is in danger of occurring! The people need guidance, and we need your help!
The Rainy Season will start soon, but without our Astronomer Priest, we don’t know when to plant our crops and our medicines (so badly needed now)! There are many important events tied to the movements in the sky that are important to our survival and our way of life. If you will help us, you need to learn these, help us anticipate these events, and help us make our calendar.
Neighboring cities are watching Tikalt’un and are looking for opportunities to enslave our people, and rob us of food, and our wealth. Without the Astronomer Priest we are at a loss even when to attack our enemies to eliminate the threats. We can’t even tell when the best time to determine the successor to our King is!
All of this is leaving Tikalt’un vulnerable to attack from outside. ( !! Beware!! They can attack us at any time!)
We understand the interconnected cycles of the Earth and Sky, but need our building aligned to mark their movements. They help us plan our lives and thrive!
v. Instructions Given by Orientation Theatre BOT:
WHAT TO DO ....
1. CLICK on ME for SL_Basic Info (how to do things here, such as hearing media/film/music. )
a. -- Wear the HUD ( Get it from me ) to keep track of your learning and rewards. There are *6_QUIZES * scattered around to help you learn. The Library will also help you answer many of those trials. --
i. When you FINISH - come back here
ii. CLICK on the FINAL REPORT SCOREBOARD beside me to see your final score and if you succeeded in your QUEST.
b. BEWARE of our enemies lurking about looking for opportunities to attack! They will cost you points!
c. Look for GOLD coins (Click on them) that will give you BONUS POINTS to help you on your Quest.
2. There are several *Assistants*, like me, around who can help you learn what you need to know to step into the shoes of the new Astronomer Priest and to help the city in this time of peril. They will also give you *clues* to help you complete your quest.
a. -- Seek their advice! --
3. There is also the *Great Library* filled with information to help you.
a. -- Seek out the information there. It will help you answer the questions found in the *QUIZES* scattered about ( Yellow Discs with a Question Mark on them).
b. Correct answers earn you points toward becoming an Astronomer Priest! --
4. The gods are here with you and will help guide you in your quest.
a. -- Watch for them and listen to what they say to you. --
b. **NOTE: they will only talk with you ** once ** and give your their information. The spinning red Diamonds have extra copies.
5. START HERE at the Theatre and watch the music videos downstairs -
a. it will help you gain understanding of the historic significance of your role and quest as you begin.
b. It is important to understand how we and the earth and sky depend on each other.
6. FINISH HERE with the Report Summary
vi. Learner begins by watching the music videos (Symphony of Science series) in the Orientation Theatre: Man and the Cosmos.
URL: http://symphonyofscience.com/ to get a general overview of the subject.
1. The videos are parts of scientific presentations that are assembled into a collage and incorporated into a dynamic musical composition.
2. The videos are significant to help reinforce the abstract concepts about man’s history of trying to understand the universe.: Why astronomy was of life or death importance…leadership, food, medicine, understand relationship with cosmos and role as a part of the complex ecosystem.
3. This helps to give a historical perspective to the subject being taught - the Big Picture, through music and words.
d. 2 Dance circles use the Symphony of Science music to continue to reinforce the concepts through pairing movement /Dance
i. Yee and Bailenson write about the power of transference with avatars in virtual environments
ii. Learning techniques in the physical world transfer to the virtual world
e. This is a self-guided exploration of the material, but the Maya Astronomer Priest Assistants (BOTS) help direct the learners through the learning site.
i. Stone walkways help to direct the learner to the various learning sites.
f. Just about everything on the site is scripted to give information to help the participant learn through touch or collisions.
i. Information given through chat, notecards, websites, powerpoints, slideshows, videos, interactive 3D models, music, dance, and quizzes.
g. A learning management system (wearable HUD) helps to keep track of the learning: tracking tokens earned and lost through gold coins and traps, as well as scores through taking the quizzes.
h. The learner is encouraged to explore the Library to get a Broad Picture of the subject being studied and to refer back to it as they explore the various related learning modules that give more detailed information on the interrelated components that impact the study of the Big Picture.
i. Learning is achieved through reading the information, interacting with the 3D models, listening and dancing to the music, avoiding the traps, finding the rewarding gold coins, and taking the quizzes associated with the various learning areas _ all geared to help understand the Big Picture and how its individual components impact that Picture.
j. Successfully completing the Quest enables the learner to become the city’s next Maya Astronomer Priest and save the city from its enemies.
The Library is divided into different levels of granularity regarding the subject matter. The First Floor has the general overview of the topic with each subsequent floor having greater granularity as they focus on the variety of components that make up the topic being taught. (See Appendix below)
