Second Life

[Magicziggy]

I was introduced to "Second Life" as a vehicle for teaching and learning today.

Second Life, from what I understand, is a virtual world originating in the UK with around 1 million subscribers.
It houses people from every walk, probably living the lives they wished they could lead in their first life.
In this world, inhabitants can take on an avatar and buy real estate and build stuff. They can also buy and sell. And get ripped off.

Anyway, imagine in this world, an enclave protected from the horrors outside. (You need a police clearance to get in)

What are the possibilities? I've been shown an example of collaborative projects with distance ed schools across Australia. Specifically a project called Art Crime which looked interesting. This was a project that brought students together to design and create a graffiti style mural. I'd be interested in anybody who had ideas of how to exploit this medium. Specifically (but not restricted to) in my teaching areas of maths and science. I'm mindful that the virtual environment doesn't seem to obey the laws of physics, in that avatars can fly and teleport. Even so, I think it has potential.

[Rum]

I played around with SL a good few years ago now - something like five or six so it has been around a while.

My personal experience was that it lacked direction and I got bored quite quickly. There seemed to be no goals or point other than wandering around landscapes that seemed empty most of the time.

If you use it with a goal in mind and collaboratively I am sure there is far more to be got out of it than I did.

[Magicziggy]

I played around with SL a good few years ago now - something like five or six so it has been around a while.

My personal experience was that it lacked direction and I got bored quite quickly. There seemed to be no goals or point other than wandering around landscapes that seemed empty most of the time.

If you use it with a goal in mind and collaboratively I am sure there is far more to be got out of it than I did.

Yes, hard to be overly excited about an internet sensation that has been around for 6 years and has 1 million users. Still, I'm hoping to use it to bring students together, as others have done.