MOOs and MUDs by Joanna Christiansen

Description/Basic Priniciples

When I was first assigned the topic of MOOs and MUDs I have to admit I had never heard of it in terms of technology and my mind immediately pictured a bunch of cows standing around in the mud as pictured below.

Of course, I had a lot to learn.  As I researched this interesting topic I found that it is a form of technology that I have used quite a bit and just didn’t know its appropriate terminology.   I must admit I have a geeky side as I have played online role-playing adventure games such as Everquest II online quite a bit.  This is a multi-player role-playing game in which players around the world sign on to a server and find their avatar in a virtual world that they can manipulate by making new rooms, furniture or food, and battle such things as goblins.  The players can chat with players in game from around the world and team up to complete quests.  This game is based on MUD/MOO technology.   Technopedia.com (2014) defines MOOs and MUDs well, 

“Multi-user domain (MUD), object oriented (MOO) is a virtual reality system in which several users are connected at one time. Users from around the world log in to use this object-oriented database system, which is stored on a remote server. MOO was originally designed to allow role-playing gamers to play text-based adventure games across computer networks. Since then, MOO has been adapted for educational and other purposes such as collaborative software development, distance education and conferencing. MOO is one of the most popular versions of MUD development.” (p. 1) 

Practical applications for education

According to http://www.siue.edu/~dsawyer/CMC/MM.html  (2014), “MUDs and MOOs provide a virtual place where people can come together. These places can be communication oriented or a virtual classroom where lessons are happening. They could be designed to be game oriented within a learning environment. This would be a way to keep students engaged for a longer period of time. For example, a game that requires student to solve math problems in order to reach the next part of the game. A foreign language class could access a MOO that uses a certain language to communicate. MUDs and MOOs could also be used a virtual meeting places for extended classroom time. Students could meet in this virtual classroom to work on assignments or receive instruction.” (p.1)

Some of the educational adaptions of Moos that I have personally used have been mostly connected to homeschooling my children and my nephew:

• For a time, my nephew was a student of California Virtual Academy which promoted Independent Study.  He was in high school and all of his classes were online.  Each class had online class times in which the whole class interacted with the teacher for a lesson as if they were in an actual classroom.          
• We have used online language programs.  My nephew took a Spanish program online which taught him the basics of the Spanish language through a virtual class which was interactive.  
• Our own Class Live Pro with National University can be considered a MOO due to its conferencing tool.  
•  A fun MOO/MUD application I have seen in educating my children is through a game.  My kids are huge Minecraft fans and we found an online class for them that teaches Early American History through Minecraft.  There is an in game historical lecture and then discussion about how the kids can build a colony for example that would use the resources that the first settlers actually had.  The kids then build their colonies in game using those appropriate resources.  The class represents a nice supplement to the student’s history curriculum.  
•  When my kids needed to master their multiplication facts they played a game through Big Brainz called Timez Attack which is online.  The kids make their way through a high graphics dungeon and battle ogres to move through the various parts by hitting them with multiplication facts. 

These ideas should give you an idea of the possibilities for furthering instruction for all students not just homeschooled children.  Virtual education which uses Moos could be incorporated into any classroom or even assigned as a supplemental resource for students to use at home.  A teacher friend of mine had mentioned that she set-up a twitter account for her history class students at the high school level.  The students could post questions or comments about what they were learning and the teacher could post interesting historical facts or information about relevant TV shows that students could access and learn more about what they were studying.   A twitter account could be considered a MOO due to its ability to reach multiple users, share ideas, and conference. 

Family Tree – Overarching Theoretical Background of MOOs/Muds

 Constructivist

Constructivitist Learning Technology

Online Collaborative Learning (OCL)

The use of MOOs/MUDs ultimately falls under the constructivist theory of learning.  Harasim (2012) states, “Constructivist theory posits that people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing the world, and reflection on those experiences.” (p. 60).  Constructivist Learning Technology takes the constructivist theory a bit closer to the topic of MOOs and MUDs.  Harasim (2012) states, “Computers are viewed as the optimal medium for applying constructivist principles to educational practice, because computer software can support various strategies and approaches more easily and effectively than other media. (p.73). As we move into the 21^st century and use modern technologies and online learning we come to Online Collaborative Learning (OCL) which stems from a constructivist viewpoint.  Harasim (2012) states, “OCL theory provides a model of learning in which students are encouraged and supported to work together to create knowledge: to invent, to explore ways to innovate and, by so doing, to seek the conceptual knowledge needed to solve problems rather than recite what they think is the right answer” (p. 90)

It is an exciting time to be an educator.  So much knowledge is being shared so easily and there are so many resources available to help students learn so many different types of concepts.  MOOs and MUDs ultimately help the sharing of knowledge, collaboration, and makes learning fun!

Relevant Links

• For more information on Moos and additional links to a listing of Moos - http://moolist.yeehaw.net/moo.html 
• For math drills (addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division) in a dungeon game format - http://www.bigbrainz.com/ 
• A virtual school for grades K-12 - http://landing.k12.com/lp1/sem/ef/paperclip_dyn_group.html?theme=brand&st=CA&leadsource=sem&product_type=va&product_interest=cava&target_audience=gen&target_grade=gen&utm_campaign=California_Local_-_Brand_Desktop&utm_medium=sem&utm_source=google&utm_term=K12_virtual_academy&adgroup=k12_Virtual_Academy&keyword_match=Broad&message_class=direct_response&vendor=ef&provider=google&geo_distro=ca&ef_id=UsozhgAABIEPyazr:20140616035829:s

References

Harasim, Linda (2012) Learning Theory and Online Technologies. New York: Routledge.

Muds and Moos. Retrieved from http://www.siue.edu/~dsawyer/CMC/MM.html on 06/15/2014.

Multi-user Domain Object Oriented (MOO).  Retrieved from http://www.techopedia.com/definition/24990/multi-user-domain-object-oriented-moo on 06/15/2014.