Tuesday, June 11, 2019

2019 #VREDU Demonstration oil rig: Conversation with an imaginary TA (Teaching Assistant)


Demonstration oil rig.  
Conversation with an imaginary TA 
(Teaching Assistant)

I visit a digitally represented oil rig to report on its potential for offering low-cost introductory instruction on a semi-submersible oil rig.  
The underwater structures
  • I arrived at the oil rig, near some of the underwater structures.
  • Fortunately, as an avatar I can easily function underwater.  
  • I don't need any diving gear.  
  • Since this is a demonstration rig, I began to look for its instructional potential.
  • "Welcome to my oil-rig demonstration," a female voice says.  "You are not on my roster of students, but if you tell me your objective I may be able to help you."
  • I look around and see a lady floating near me. She wears a business suit.
  • "I am here to develop a report on the value of virtual world models for instruction on this rig,"  I explain.
  • "I am the teaching assistant for this semi-submersible oil rig model," she responds.  "Let's begin."

Go there

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A wider view of the structure
  • "Do you recognize anything you see around you?" the lady asks.
  • "I see a tall pipe with smaller pipes sticking out of it.  I think that might be what they call a Christmas Tree."
  • "Have you looked for that in Google search?" The lady suggests.
  • "Yes.  I found Christmas tree and confirmed my guess."
Remotely Operated Vehicle
  • I begin to wonder whether if my host is really human.  
  • "Are you the teacher her?" I ask.
  • "I am the Teaching Assistant.  You can call me Teeay for short.  What else do you see around you?"   
  • "I see a remotely-operated vehicle, a rove"
  •   ROV or  ROUV
A one handed ROV
  • "You have identified two nearby objects," Teeay says with a note of approval.  "You might find more things if you extend your search."
  • Was that really a note of approval, I wonder.  That would suggest that Teeay is human. But maybe I generated that note in my own head.  
  • "But wait, Teeay," I protest.  "Don't you want be to tell you more about the rove?"
  • "You were evaluating the model rig for instruction.  Instruction for what objective?"
  • Wow!  That was smart. I always want to know about instructional objectives. 
  • Instructional objectives are way more important than a rove.  I was losing focus.  
Here I stand under a great big
"something"
  • Teeay reminded me that I need to focus on the whole thing, not just the rove.
  • With a little walk, I find a really big something.
  • I am guessing that the big "something" is a pontoon filled with seawater, as part of its "semi-submersible" trick. 
  • I need to think of reasonable teaching objectives for this demo rig.  
  • What teaching might it be used for?
A wide view of the rig
  • A wide view of the rig supports my guess.  That is a really big picture.
  • Teeay is silent and I refrain from comment.  
  • I am beginning to get the idea that she wants me to learn by myself.
  • But she guided my exploration skillfully by pointing to my objective. 
  • Could an Artificial Intelligence be smart enough to do that at the right time? 
A Christmas tree connecting upwards
  • That upward connector is probably a drill pipe or drill stem.
  • And that leads further into the story.  Conveniently, as an avatar I can fly.
  • I am learning while I explore.  And, incidentally, learning to explore.
  • And, BTW, learning a bit about how to set up a place that welcomes exploring.
The drill stem rises into the rig  
  • I follow the pipe and see that it connects to the rig. The lady follows.
  • This rig probably serves to familiarize people with  a semi-submersible oil rig.
  • The main learner target would probably be people exploring for a career.
  • How to Become an Oil Rig Worker
  • Petroleum Engineer Careers
  • Basic Offshore Safety Instruction and Emergency Training (BOSIET) certification
  • Oil rig jobs: Derrickman, Safety man, Driller, Assistant Driller, Sub Sea Engineer, Storekeeper, Crane Operator, Mechanic/Electrician, Rig Welder, Barge Engineer, Rig Medic
  • The rig might be used by schools offering relevant courses (BOSIET).
  • It might be free introduction on the web site or part of the beginning course. 
  • It might also be offered by a company with offshore wells as public relations.
The drill stem enters the rig
  • The drill stem passes through a large red apparatus.
  • I see a side pipe leading into the apparatus.  I wonder what it does
  • "Teeay, can you tell me what is happening in this big red apparatus?" I ask
  • "Your objective was a report on the value of virtual world models for instruction," Teeay comments.  "Does this object fit your objective."  
  • I realize I would want a model showing the inside of the apparatus for instruction.  
  • Reluctantly I recognize that Teeay gave me better guidance than did my curiosity.
  • That business suit really means she means business.
Top deck derrick: 
beginning of the drill stem
  • Derrick and drill pipe segments at the top.
  • I not only learn the names of parts, but where those parts are.
  • Learning the names of certain parts could be an instructional objective.
  • If so, I would want the names of those parts to be presented for starters.
  • And I would want the TA to turn the names off later.  
  • I could do that in OpenSim by setting a flag and scripting the objects. 
  • For registered learners, the TA would note experience level.  
  • For beginners.names always presented. 
  • For intermediates, names presented sometimes.
  • Top level: no names ever.
  • And I realize I would have some AI help if I were assisting.
  • I could easily write a script to handle that chore for me.  
  • There is probably some level of computer support needed here.
Crane and pipe segments



Pipe segments on lower deck


Safety equipment: 
emergency rescue
  • Remember BOSIET
  • I see what the rescue boat looks like
  • I could learn its name here.
  • Because this is 3D, I could also learn its location in relation to other things.
Another ROV
  • This time I will stick to my objective.
  • Teeay won't have to remind me.  
  • I learned to do it myself.
Ear-protection required
in this area.
  • Another safety requirement: Ear-protection.
  • Another 3D requirement: area.
  • I realize that much of what we know how to do includes place.
  • We don't just know how to do something, we know where to do it.
A first aid kit
  • I already know what to expect in a first aid kit.
  • What I can learn is where to find a kit.
  • Remember BOSIET.
Hard hat area outside
  • I don't need to learn how to wear a hard hat.
  • But I do need to learn where I must wear one.
What is that thing down there 
in the water?
A survival raft
  • Equipment inside
Equipment aboard the survival raft
  • I could not practice using things, but I could learn the names 
  • And if the equipment were stowed, I could learn how to find it.
  • The place would at least be familiar if I went for real world BOSIET training.
  • Teeay breaks into my thinking: "Do you have enough for your report on the value of virtual world models for instruction on this rig?"   
  • "I think I do, but I have one last question:  Are you a person or an Artificial Intelligence? 
  • "I get asked that a lot.  If you can't tell the difference, why does it matter?"
  • The lady vanishes.  On reviewing my pictures I find that she never appears.

Instructional objectives, instruction, and assessment

Objective 1 (develop readiness)

  • Learner knows the names of selected things.
  • Method: provide the names of the objects initially, fade the support.
  • Assessment 1: Present images, ask for the names.  
  • Assessment 2: Present the names, ask for the correct image.
  • All instruction and assessment can be handled by software.  
  • Call that Artificial Intelligence for better news coverage.

Objective 2 (develop readiness)

  • Learner can promptly go to the location of the named object.
  • Method: Learner is directed to move the avatar to the object as fast as possible.
  • (Only avatar walking is allowed during task)
  • Task is imposed at random times with random selection from the set of objects.
  • Assessment: Response time should drop till it is reliably below set level

Objective 3 (Engineering jobs)

  • Learner can describe the function of major parts in drilling and extraction.  
  • Method: Project assigned: Prepare a presentation meeting above objective.
  • The article may be in the form of a narrated video or an illustrated article. 
  • Include references (web links) supporting the report on each part.
  • Assessment: Two or more experienced people will score.  

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