DeKALB – More K-12 students are getting online every day to shop, play games and connect with friends, but many schools have been hesitant to embrace emerging interactive technologies in the classroom. Northern Illinois University’s HIVE Project is working to generate enthusiasm among K-12 educators and students for learning and creating art in virtual worlds.

Dr. Lilly Lu, assistant professor of art and design education at NIU’s School of Art, and Aline Click, director of eLearning Services and co-director of the Digital Convergence Lab, are collaborating to allay educators’ concerns about interactive online learning and create a strong model for educators to adopt.

HIVE stands for Highly Interactive Virtual Environments. It refers to virtual worlds where students create avatars and virtual works of art that help them express themselves while using technology in a meaningful way.