Second Life - a presentation by Debbie Corder
Second Life is a virtual world offering synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. It is suitable for both extrovert and introvert types of learners and can be integrated into a wide range of programmes to enhance learning and teaching.
Links:
The following provides a brief You Tube overview of Second Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HA&feature=
This link is about learning science in Second Life: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfsSGBraUhc&feature=related
For free language practice, take a look at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKzkfyglJY8&feature=related
For a longer insight into its potential based on a teacher’s actual use of Second Life (tertiary writing), have a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueAcz7ZyFpM&feature=related
Trialling Second Life
I am trialling Second Life for culture exchanges and language learning. To date I have had three exchange sessions with my students and students form a Japanese university. From student feedback, I am encouraged to integrate Second Life into two intercultural competence papers in 2009. However it is becoming very clear that having clear aims, learning outcomes and well-structured relevant activities is essential for effective learning to take place. It is also very clear that students need to master basic competencies in Second Life, but that most of them learn the necessary ones to get around in Second Life, very quickly.
Communities of learning in Second Life
I belong to quite a few groups in Second Life, but the main one is the Kiwi Educators’ group based on Koru. There is a very strong feeling of community in this group, and they hold regular meetings. There is always someone willing to provide advice and help.
The person to contact for information on the Kiwi Educators' group in Second Life is Clare Atkins at clare.atkins@gmail.com
Clare is the owner of Koru, has a lot of experience in Second Life and has contacts or links for a whole range of disciplines. She goes by the name of Arwenna Stardust in Second Life, and you can access her blog at http://arwennastardust.wordpress.com/2008/09/11/efest08/#comment-78
Second Life is free, and membership to many groups is free, but in order to be able to build and have somewhere permanent, you need to rent land. Currently you can rent land for $450 or $600 per year, on Koru or Kowhai (adjacent island to Koru and part of Kiwi Educators).
Background reading
An important link for you to find out about what is going on in connection with SL in NZ as well as overseas is: http://slenz.wordpress.com/
For good general background stuff: http://www.sl-educationblog.org/ and http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/educationaluses
Join Second Life and find out
If you are really interested, I suggest you join Second Life and get an avatar (my advice would be to go for a conservative one initially), read up about Second Life, and join the Kiwi Educators' group. Just make sure your computer has the specifications though – I melted the hard drive of my laptop because I only had a graphics chip – you need a graphics card to handle all the graphics.
To join Second Life – click on either of these links:
http://secondlife.com/
http://secondlife.com/whatis/
Learning about how to get around in Second Life
There is nothing better than just going in and learning the basics in Orientation Island. You could also try some training videos accessed at this website:
http://www.teachertrainingvideos.com/
If you look at the menu on the left, you will see Second Life L1 and Second Life L2.
If you are interested in talking about language and culture learning in Second Life and perhaps doing some collaborative work, particularly interdisciplinary work, you can contact me at debbie.corder@aut.ac.nz
Good luck – see you in Second Life
Debbie Corder (Debzee Miklos)