Georgian College

Students from the Orillia Campus are tackling complex issues that can't easily be replicated in the classroom thanks to the online 3D world Second Life. Using advanced gaming technology, they've adopted life-like avatars – graphic representations of themselves – and are collaborating on real-world professional scenarios. The Second Life campus houses a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder resource centre, a conference centre, counselling labs, meeting spaces and more. Child and Youth Worker students are using the virtual campus to practise therapeutic interventions and hone their counselling skills. "Our virtual campus allows students to work through some of the more difficult scenarios they may face in the workplace in a safe, non- threatening environment," says project lead and Program Co-ordinator Dr. Howard Bloom. "It has helped to break down some of the initial anxiety students can feel about practising their counselling and intervention skills in front of peers. The confidence they gain in the virtual world can help them excel out in the real one." Professor Adam Stibbards tested out the virtual campus in one of his interactive counselling labs. He says the implications for such online technology reach well beyond the classroom. "Students saw how this technology could be a real benefit for children or youth who are too INNOvATION AT gEORgIAN Dr. Howard Bloom's avatar at Georgian's virtual campus which was designed to help students navigate complex workplace scenarios not easily replicated in the classroom. b r I N G S w o r k p L A C E C h A L L E N G E S T o L I f E V i rt u a l C a m p u s "This is a great example of the interdisciplinary approach Georgian takes to education." 24 | GeorgianView 2013/14

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