Second Life and Education Is it fit for the purpose of education?

(Guide from Julia Collareda)

                                                        Two entire side-by-side mainland sims - Sanchon and Jinsil - are now for sale. Waterfront runs the entire length of Jinsil, facing two Linden protected water sims - this provides direct access to 10 amazing Linden water sims and a continent worth of boating. Sanchon features a beautiful beach which runs the length of the sim, and is a rare mainland corner sim at the north end of the continent. The Second Life Herald racing yacht has sailed these waters for years - but now it is time for someone else to run this part of the world. Consider the possibilities - you could divide these sims into an incredible number of ad farms - each sim contains 65535 m2 of usable land - or leave them in once piece and enjoy the best the mainland has to offer.

For Sale!

WHAT IS SECOND LIFE?Second Life is an online 3D virtual world created by Linden Lab.

Similar to massively multiplayer games, Second Life provides an immersive environment for users to meet, play and interact in.

However, Second Life goes beyond a game, allowing residents to build and create their own environments; and interact with others from around the globe.

Second Life ‘residents’ are designing, conducting business, building relationships, entertaining, learning, and living their virtual lives.

FEATURES OF SECOND LIFE:

• Owned and operated by Linden Lab

• Second Life can be accessed free – users pay monthly fee to access some features.

• Users or ‘residents’ take on a character or ‘avatar’ to represent themselves ‘in-world’.

• In-world economy: Residents buy & sell land, clothes, furniture etc.

MEETING AND COMMUNICATING:• Residents from all over the world can meet and communicate with each other in the 3D space using text-based chat tools.

• Gestures and animations can be used to enhance communication with others.

• Building tools which allow users to create almost anything they can imagine .

• Scripting tools to create complex objects and environments

• Allows for 100% user created content

CREATING OBJECTS & ENVIRONMENTS:

EXPLORING IDENTITY:Customization of avatars – Second Life ‘residents’ can create highly detailed 'virtual selves'

REAL LIFE IN SECOND LIFE:

Real Life organisations are setting up virtual spaces, promotions and

events within Second Life.

Reuters – a real life journalist is working to report on virtual events

American Apparel – first real life store to open a virtual outlet selling virtual versions of their real life fashions.

Pontiac (General Motors) are about to launch a virtual racetrack, & car dealership

EDUCATIONAL POSSIBILITIES IN SECOND LIFE: • Working in virtual classrooms & other amazing learning spaces• Taking part in simulations and roleplays• Building environments collaboratively• Interpreting, analyzing, discovering, evaluating, & problem solving.

Campus: Second Life

Linden Labs supports a program focussed on the use of Second Life for educational, academic and "serious" applications.

Campus: Second Life provides a hub for this community, as well as opportunities for teachers and students to trial projects in Second Life.

EDUCATIONAL PLACES IN SECOND LIFE:

EDUCATIONAL PLACES IN SECOND LIFE:

Second Life Library 2.0Real Life Library Project

developed by Alliance Library Systems and OPAL.

Aimed at extending online library services currently

available into virtual spaces

Includes library spaces, open-air amphitheatre,

reference libraries, displays and exhibits

International Spaceflight Museum • Museum in the virtual world

• Hosts exhibits and events about real-world spacecraft, rockets, and space travel

EDUCATIONAL PLACES IN SECOND LIFE:

EDU PROJECTS IN SECOND LIFE:

GIPPSTAFE: Paluma Resort• Students and teachers creating & running a

virtual resort

• Engaging students in an exciting learning activity

• Developing communication skills for the workplace and working effectively in teams.

GET YOUR OWN SECOND LIFE!

1. Check your computer meets the system requirements.

2. Visit the Second Life website and 3. Signup for a free basic account. 4. Download the Second Life software and

install it on your computer. (Free)5. Visit Orientation Island – setup your avatar

and learn about the Second Life environment, tools and controls

Consider

• How could we design learning and learning scenario’s to engage students and develop their personalised learning?

Our experiences!

• Use an educational facility built by Cryptic Peach for meetings with the Enterprise Education Group.

- Used to advise and facilitate groups while on Dragon Den placements

- Students interested but only a few meetings took place on line

- Experience mirrors my other recent use of VLE’s eg. Certificate in Accounting (Busiest TGF site last year in the UK. Almost no postings this year_

- Time is reported by both groups as an issue- Currently doing research to investigate this

Current Hope Developments!

•Marketing - a virtual tour through Hope for prospective

applicants

Plots available on ‘Enterprise Island

•Off the main grid

•Private

•Build your own institution

•See Vicki Morris for details Morrisv@hope.ac.uk

References

• http://juliecollareda.wikispaces.com/Second+life (accessed 28/3/08)

• www.secondlife.com