@peggysheehy
@mccormick62
#COTL
http://ramapoislands.edublogs.org
http://www.klrn.org

The Amazing Adventures
of Educators in Second Life

Today’s Map…
• A brief rationale
• Second Life overview
• Professional development
• Curriculum connections
• Future vision

The Correct Lens...
“A MILLION
COMPUTERS
CANNOT
REPLACE
ONE GOOD
TEACHER”

There are over
150 virtual worlds
presently available for
kids under 18…
Virtual Worlds Management
2008 Metaverse Tour

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

SHIFTED LITERACY
David Warlick Don Tapscott &
Anthony Williams
Howard
Gardner
Henry Jenkins Daniel Pink

Information Experience

The Shifted Learner
•Sensory-based
•Personality-based
•Aptitude-based
•Media-based
•Active learning based on
immersive experiences
•In school “powered-down”

Shifted Paradigm
• Disruptive Innovation
• Extrinsic and Intrinsic
motivation
• Computer based QuickTime™ and a
learning
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
• Playful
• Billions spent have
yielded…

To Make the Shift
• What will teachers let go?
•When will administrators start trusting
their teachers?
• When will universities prepare new
teachers?
• The community will need to embrace the
change
• Disruptive innovation
• Design the curriculum to meet the
needs of the student

What are Virtual Worlds?

Second Life...
• Multi…User…Virtual…Environment
• Supports constructivist learning
• Participatory culture
• Conveys a sense of presence
• REFLECTION!
17

A Look at Second Life
• Customization of avatars
• Thriving online economy
conducting millions USD in
transactions a month
• Simple building tools to create
• Scripting for complex simulations
• 100% user created content

SL For Educators
• a supplement to traditional
classroom environments
• extend learning
• introduce & explore concepts
•demonstrate mastery & create
new meaning
"Over 13,000,000 residents. How can we ignore that?”
- David Warlick

Main Grid ~ Teen Grid

Safety & Security
on Ramapo Islands
• private islands: no on or off
• adults = rigorous background check
• no access to TG residents or content
• constant adult supervision

Teacher Intro
• teachers created Main Grid accounts
• basic navigation
• communication options
(Chat, IM, Voice)
• tour educational locations
• join groups to develop PLN
(ISTE, PBS, DEN, NMC, RezEd)
• a second Ramapo Island Avatar

Curriculum Connections

Science

Math

Social Studies

Health & Wellness
• 10 week Block
• 8th-grade students
• inclusion class
• four 55-minute classes

Body Image
• media literacy
Qui ckT
ime ™
• explore self-image a re ne e d eco mp a n d a
de d to s r e sso r
e e th is
pictu re .
• reflection
• support each other

MediaPortrait
“Beauty”
Comparison
Self

Comparison
MediaPortrait
Self “Beauty”

English

Family & Consumer Science
Entrepreneur Research, Interviews,
Business Proposals

Of Mice and Men
• read novel
• assign roles
• research
• conduct trial
• reflect

Multimedia Island
• Music Studio
• Soundstage
• Machinima QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressordecompressor a
QuickTime™ and
are needed to see this picture. this picture.
are needed to see
• Music Store
• Marketing
• Branding

Foreign Language
• Cultural Investigations
• Voice Immersion
• Authentic Artifacts QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
QuickTime™ and a
are needed to see this picture.
decompressor
QuickTime™ and a
are neededdecompressor
to see this picture.
are needed to see this picture.
• Shared Experience

Essential Question
What are the
best practices
that have
emerged from
an d a
QuickTime™ or
deco mpress tu re .
se e th is pic
are ne eded to
the Ramapo
Islands project?

Peer Coaches

Listen to Your Students

Self-Directed Learning

Challenges…
• Broadband
• Hardware
• Cost
• The Hype
• Haves & Have Nots
• Time, time, time!

What Students Say
“In Second Life, no one knows
who has the Hollister clothing, or
who the “popular” kids are!”
“I can talk without being
embarrassed or afraid of
sounding stupid.”
“I like it because I’m just as smart
as everyone else and now they
know it.”
“In Second Life people think I’m
an expert cause I act like one.”

“Psychosocial Moratorium”
Allows internet users to
explore alternate
identities without
repercussions
Supports Erickson’s
theory that teens need to
try on different roles with
minimal consequences
more info--Eric Erikson,
James Paul Gee, Sarah
Robbins (Intellagirl Tully
in SL)

Exploring Identity
Real: Who you actually
are in your real life
Virtual: Your avatar
identity (the role you
play)
Projective: The real as
the virtual. The real we
bring to our avatar

Professional Development
• ISTE
• ARC
• NMC
• Jokaydia
• Lighthouse Learning Island
• PBS Teachers Connect inSL
• Discovery Educator Network
• Educators Coffee House
• Google for Educators
• Virtual Pioneers
• RezEd

An Invitation

Second Life Educator Portal
https://secure-web14.secondlife.com/join/ISTE/

ISTE Educators Pilot Program

Atlantis Rising Campus
• In-world professional
development
• Rigorous content &
playful delivery
• Pepperdine credits
• Varied Content
http://atantisrisingcampus.us

NMC
The New Media Consortium

Jokaydia The Island of jokaydia is designed
to provide a flexible and dynamic
space for educators in Second Life
which includes informal and formal
meeting spaces, plus a range of
interesting objects and tools to
explore. Our space is designed to
assist new residents to gain
competency and confidence in
using the Second Life interface -
whilst they are having fun! We also
support mixed reality events,
professional development activities
and a number of other projects.

Lighthouse Learning Island

Discovery Educator Network

Educator’s Coffee House

Google Educators

Virtual Pioneers
History Educators in SL

RezEd
“an online hub providing
practitioners using virtual
worlds with access to the
highest quality resources
and research in the field to
establish a strong network
of those using virtual
worlds for learning”

Explore and Engage

Thank you!
See you in your
Second Life…
mmccormick@klrn.org
http://www.klrn.org

Joie Despres
In Second Life

Thank you!
See you in your
Second Life…
peggysheehy@mac.com 62
http://ramapoislands.edublogs.org

Maggie Marat
In Second Life

The future is now.
Class is
in session.