Techtalk: "Second Life" and Developmental Education
2009; Volume: 32; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0894-3907
AutoresMelissa L. Burgess, David C. Caverly,
Tópico(s)ICT in Developing Communities
ResumoIn our previous two columns, we discussed the potential for using blogs and wikis with developmental education (DE) students. Another Web 2.0 technology, virtual environments like Second Life, provides a virtual world where residents create avatars (three-dimensional [3-D] self-representations) and navigate around an online environment (Caverly, Peterson, Delaney, 8c Starks-Martin, 2009). Other virtual environments comparable to Second Life have emerged (Virtual Environments Info Group, 2007).Second Life differs from asynchronous blogs and wikis because the 3-D interface allows users to immerse themselves into synchronous interactivity. Information can be disseminated through video, note cards, e-mail, simulations, mapping, bodily actions, or text-based conversation histories. Avatars can discuss this information using text-based chatting (thus creating a downloadable history) or through a voice tool (requiring a microphone and speakers). Communicating synchronously through avatars provides the opportunity for greater social interactivity which is a vital factor when developing a community of inquiry within online or hybrid DE courses or learning support (Garrison, 1985; Peterson 8c Caverly, 2006).From a MMOG to a MUVESecond Life grew out of Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOG) of the 1970s such as Dungeons and Dragons ( Wikipedia Foundation Inc., 2009a) and more currently World of Warcraft (Wikipedia Foundation Inc., 2009b). Emerging as Linden World in 2002, it allowed users, by invitation only, to create avatars known as primitars (Rymaszewski, Wagner, Wallace, Winters, Ondrejka, 8c Batsone-Cunningham, 2006), gawky robots made of prims (objects). Second Life was envisioned not as another game but as a new country where users (i.e., avatars) could explore and interact. In 2003 Second Life became publically available, which allowed Second Life to gain users and become a Massive Multiuser Virtual Environment (MUVE).At the time of this writing, approximately 1.4 million users log into Second Life regularly. Activities in Second Life have grown from gaming to simulations, collaborations, and explorations that mirror real-world learning environments. The potential for Second Life for teaching and learning holds great promise for constructivist learning among DE students.Second Life in Higher EducationWith Second Life tools for creating and scripting, immersion into these social, collaborative spaces serves as fertile ground in higher education. There are more than 200 higher education institutions with an active presence in Second Life, sharing virtual tours of their campuses, instructional activities in a variety of disciplines, and educational experiences (Rymaszewski et al., 2006). The Second Life Educators (SLED) listserv has more than 3,900 members sharing discussions on best practices, conferences, workshops, and courses within Second Life. Examples of how Second Life is being used for instruction in higher education can also be found (Kay 8c FitzGerald, 2009; Mengel, Simonds, & Houck, 2009; xxArete2xx, 2009).Second Life in Developmental EducationSecond Life can simulate a highly engaging, problem-solving, collaborative, immersive learning environment for DE students, particularly if the pedagogy involves cognitive, social, and teaching presence (Garrison, Anderson, 8c Archer, 2000; Peterson 8c Caverly, 2006). Second Life teaching activities could provide the type of online instruction environment millennial students desire (Howe & Strauss, 2000), thereby appealing to DE students and the strategies they are developing (i.e., self-regulation, engagement, reading, and writing).For example, a virtual environment for effective math group tutoring might be created in a campus' Second Life learning center between a tutor's avatar and several DE students' avatars as the tutor teaches them how to solve functions with two unknowns. The tutor's avatar could begin by showing math examples in business or engineering (i. …
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