This document discusses the use of virtual worlds like Second Life for educational purposes. It provides several case studies of institutions that have used Second Life for training activities and collaborative learning. These include Loyalist College which used Second Life to simulate border crossing training for security guards. Several benefits of virtual worlds for education are discussed, such as allowing geographically dispersed students and faculty to meet, and enabling prototyping of real-life productions. However, some potential downsides are also noted, such as students displaying cyberdisinhibition or becoming addicted to the virtual environment.

1. Identities within Virtual Worlds
and Future Metaverses:
Implications for our Existence in
Online Spaces

2. • The implications of the change to
digital learning
• Will it be accepted by the society?

3. Future

5. Is digital learning
already in used?

7. ‘There are ‘over 700 educational institutions from
all over the world are in Second Life today’
(Linden Lab, 2011)
‘Dozens of highly successful projects are proving
that Second Life can be as effective as traditional
classrooms and for many students it’s an even
more effective learning environment’ (Linden
Lab, 2011) .

8. Loyalist college:
Virtual World Simulation Training Prepares Real
Guards on the US-Canadian Border: Loyalist College
in Second Life
„Before September 11, 2001, Customs and Immigration students at
Loyalist College spent three weeks tailing professional border guards
to experience the daily routine of their future job.
However, In a post-911 environment however, this was no longer
allowed. Training suffered until the Director of Educational
Technology at Loyalist College catalyzed a virtual border crossing
simulation in Second Life for Loyalist students‟. (second life, 2011)
scores from a
56% success in
2007, to 95% Over 650
at the end of students and 8
2008 faculty to
explore Second
Life for mixed
purposes.

9. „The New Media Consortium (NMC)
is a non-profit consortium of
learning-focused organizations
founded in 1993. it has nearly 300
members, including most of the top
colleges and universities in the
world, museums, research centers,
foundations, and other forward-
thinking organizations. Since 2006
the NMC has used Second Life as
another medium to achieve their
mission - to encourage the use of
emerging technologies in support of
teaching, learning, research, and
creative expression – with
remarkable results‟. (second life,
2009)

10. The open university:
Providing Geographically Dispersed Students &
Faculty A Place to Meet and Learn Together:

11. • ‘Today's challenging
Advantages
environment:
Economic pressures
from budget cuts and
the rising cost of
education continue to
mount. While students
are forced to pay higher
tuition fees, share
resources, and even
drop classes, educators
are obligated to
creatively “do more with
less” by designing
curricula that
accommodates
economic constraints‟
(Linden Lab, 2011)

12. • ‘Virtual worlds enable real life learning:
And most
They can also
importantly,
work with
‘You feel like
students from It amplifies
You can you’re there. We
various areas learning via
prototype call it a sense of
which broaden presentatio
real life “presence”’.
their ns, chat,
productions. (Linden Lab,
imaginations. calls. 2011)

13. Ken Hudson,
Managing Director,
Virtual World Design
Center, Loyalist College
says

16. It may not Ontology
be relevant
for all
subjects
Students might
display
cyberdisinhibition
as i experienced Addiction
on Unity 3d. (Vine,2010)

17. Bennetsen (2006) observed the two dominant modes in which activities take
place within virtual worlds, in his case Second Life. He refers to these two
modes as Immersion and Augmentation ( Bennetsen, 2006, p. 102)
Augmentationist Immersionist

19. References
• Bennetsen, H. (2006) augmentation vs immersion. Available AT:
HTTP://SLCREATIVITY.Org/WIKI/INDEX.Php?Title=augmentation_vs_immersion (ACCESSED: 10TH DECEMBER 2011)
• Greenfield, S. (2011) modern technology is changing the way our brains work, says neuroscientist. Available AT:
HTTP://WWW.Dailymail.Co.Uk/SCIENCETECH/ARTICLE-565207/MODERN-TECHNOLOGY-CHANGING-WAY-BRAINS-
WORK-SAYS-NEUROSCIENTIST.Html#ixzz1gfb8ba3y (ACCESSED: 10TH DECEMBER 2011)
• Linden LAB (2011) SECOND LIFE EDUCATION: THE VIRTUAL LEARNING ADVANTAGE. Available AT: HTTP://LECS-
STATIC-SECONDLIFE-COM.S3.Amazonaws.Com/WORK/SL-EDU-BROCHURE-010411.Pdf (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER
2011)
• Prensky, M (2001) ‘DIGITAL NATIVES, DIGITAL IMMIGRANTS’ ON THE HORIZON 9 (5) [ONLINE] AVAILABLE AT:
HTTP://WWW.Marcprensky.Com/WRITING/PRENSKY%20-
%20DIGITAL%20NATIVES,%20DIGITAL%20IMMIGRANTS%20-%20PART1.Pdf (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)
• Second LIFE (2009) CASE STUDY: THE NEW MEDIA CONSORTIUM. Available AT:
HTTP://WIKI.Secondlife.Com/WIKI/CASE_STUDY:_THE_NEW_MEDIA_CONSORTIUM_(NMC) (ACCESSED: 9TH
DECEMBER 2011)
• SECOND LIFE (2009) CASE STUDY: THE OPEN UNIVERSITY. Availability AT:
HTTP://WIKI.Secondlife.Com/WIKI/CASE_STUDY:_THE_OPEN_UNIVERSITY (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)
• Second LIFE (2011) CASE STUDY: LOYALIST COLLEGE. Available AT:
HTTP://WIKI.Secondlife.Com/WIKI/CASE_STUDY:_LOYALIST_COLLEGE (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)
• Second LIFE (2011) SECOND LIFE EDUCATION/ RESOURCES. Available AT:
HTTP://WIKI.Secondlife.Com/WIKI/SECOND_LIFE_EDUCATION/RESOURCES (ACCESSED: 9TH DECEMBER 2011)
• Vine, J (2010) BBC’S PANORAMA- VIDEOGAMES ADDICTION? Available AT:
HTTP://WWW.Youtube.Com/WATCH?V=r83287n6kfg (ACCESSED:10TH DECEMBER 2011)