Virtual worlds like Second Life allow users to interact through avatars in a 3D online environment. Many organizations and educational institutions are using virtual worlds for meetings, simulations, classes, and other activities. However, some students found basic tasks difficult and that it was not as engaging as other games. Virtual worlds show potential for education but may not always be the best tool and require experienced users for full benefit.

2. Virtual Worlds: Hype or Reality? Jane Chandler (RL) / Lane Erde (SL) Emma Duke-Williams (RL) / Emmadw Rickenbacker (SL) School of Computing & The ExPERT Centre CETL Work also supported by a grant from the HEA-ICS Subject Centre http://secondlife.com

3. http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/online_communities.png Virtual Worlds

4. What is a virtual world?

5. Dipity Timeline First 100 years (from 1787)

6. Dipity Timeline (Last 25 years)

7. What is a Virtual World? Computer based? Rich, graphical, 3-D environment Real people represented by avatars Content may be user created Various combinations of Chat, IM and voice communication May have audio and video streaming May have links out to the web

8. What is an avatar?

9. http://www.answers.com/ The incarnation of a Hindu deity An embodiment, as of a quality or concept; an archetype: the very avatar of cunning A temporary manifestation or aspect of a continuing entity

10. http://www.answers.com/ The incarnation of a Hindu deity An embodiment, as of a quality or concept; an archetype: the very avatar of cunning A temporary manifestation or aspect of a continuing entity A representation of a person who is physically absent

11. “ I, Avatar” * “ An avatar is an interactive social representation of a user” “ A character in a game … in which you can affect, choose or change the plot” “ A social creature dancing on the border between fact and fiction” A role we inhabit * Mark Meadows, 2008

13. How often do the people you interact with see every aspect of you and your life?

20. A Virtual World: Second Life ® Not a game – no rules, no prizes, no winner, no objective User created/defined content You chose what you look like You chose what you do

21. Activities in Second Life Business Meetings Social / Entertainment Content Creation: art, software, Simulations: places, events, buildings, risky/expensive experiences Classes: lectures, tutorials, ‘treasure hunts’ Libraries and Museums

22. Lion Gate Building, University of Portsmouth

23. Lion Gate Building, University of Portsmouth

24. Portland Building, University of Portsmouth

25. Portland Building, University of Portsmouth

26. Portland Building, University of Portsmouth

27. NOAA

28. NOAA Virtual Morocco

29. NOAA Virtual Morocco Virtual Darfur

30. Photo via Flickr from danceinthesky Linden Gallery of Resident Art

31. Harvard Law School

32. Harvard Law School University of Portsmouth

33. Harvard Law School University of Portsmouth University of Plymouth

34. Harvard Law School University of Portsmouth University of Plymouth Genome Genome

35. Iowa State University: Blooms Taxonomy

36. Students’ thoughts on learning in a virtual world …

37. Best thing about Second Life? “ Interactivity to explore, relative freedom of expression and overall thoroughly enjoyable.” “ Different from the norm...”

38. Worst thing about SecondLife? “ Found myself spending most of the time trying to accomplish basic tasks, rather than complete the coursework assignment.” “ Playability was not very good in comparison to other computer games.”

39. When should/shouldn’t we use SL? “ I don’t believe it should be used at all, puts experienced users at a massive disadvantage to nonexperienced users.” “ Online meetings in SL was a bonus.”

40. Other comments. “ I thought SL was even more irritating to use than flash within Edcom.” “ Definitely a positive part of the course.”

41. Second Life and other platforms

42. Resources

43. Video Clips Education in Second Life: Explore the Possibilities http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMGR9q43dag&feature=related Educational Uses of Second Life http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HA&feature=related Introduction to Second Life http://www.virtualworldsvideo.com/video/Introduction-to-Second-Life-2 Watch the World(s) http://youtube.com/watch?v=LxVDVggLqsA How to make a gift box... happy holidays! - SL TuTORial http://youtube.com/watch?v=876wwYv6Tf0 NMC in Second Life ® http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9VZKTT6gZ8

44. Books Creating Your World: The Official Guide to Advanced Content Creation for Second Life by Aimee Weber, Kimberly RuferBach & Richard Platel (2007) John Wiley & Sons ISBN-13: 978-0470171141 I, Avatar: The Culture and Consequences of Having a Second Life by Mark Stephen Meadows (2008) New Riders ISBN-13 : 978-0321533395 101 Uses for Second Life in the College Classroom by Megan S. Conklin: http://facstaff.elon.edu/mconklin/pubs/glshandout.pdf

45. Websites – Getting Going http://secondlife.com/ Joining SL: http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=ddpfmbxr_683gt5h2&hl=en Joining via NMC: http://sl.nmc.org/join/ Second Life ToolKits Project: http://userweb.port.ac.uk/~chandler/HEA-ICS/ Enterprise 3.D Living and Working in Virtual Worlds http://www.slideshare.net/rooreynolds/enterprise-3d-living-and-working-in-virtual-worlds/

46. Education Websites Edumuve.com: http://edumuve.com/tour/ Eduserv Foundation: http://www.eduserv.org.uk/foundation/sl.aspx RezEd: The Hub for Learning and Virtual Worlds http://www.rezed.org/ The SaLamander Project: http://www.eduisland.net/salamanderwiki/index.php?title=Main_Page SimTeach: Information and Community for Educators using M.U.V.E.'s: http://www.simteach.com/ Second Life in Education: http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/educationaluses Silversprite’s Slideshow of UK HE & FE in SL ® http://www.flickr.com/photos/silversprite/sets/72157603982005324/show/

47. Blogs Wagner James Au’s New World Notes http://nwn.blogs.com/ Metanomics http://metanomics.net/ NMC Campus Observer http://sl.nmc.org/ Second Life Research http://secondliferesearch.blogspot.com/ Intellagirl’s Ubernoggin http://www.ubernoggin.com/ SLED Blog http://www.sl-educationblog.org/ Roo Reynold’s and Ian Hughes’s eightbar http://eightbar.co.uk/

48. Mailing Lists SLED – SL Educators https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators Slrl – Second Life Research http://list.academ-x.com/listinfo.cgi/slrl-academ-x.com