Second Life: Avatars and Virtual Worlds in Education

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• Introductory clip of my avatar on Orientation Island in SL•My selected innovation is the virtual reality program,

specifically Second Life (SL). SL is a virtual world that is

available for education and entertainment purposes. With

over 13 million residents and a concurrent login in the region

of 85,000 users, SL has been noted as one of the more

popular virtual worlds. In 2008, there were eighty virtual

worlds available with another one hundred planned for

launch in 2009. (Freitas, 2008, p. 47) I am currently

developing a public history of the Native Americans in the

Southeast prior to European contact that I plan to host in SL.

Images (general or specific, location if known):Design (background color, font style, special effects):Audio (music, sound effects):Narration (the actual text that you would record to accompany this slide):

What Is Second Life

Text• Simple definition

Visual• Clip of arrival on new island

Benefits of SL

Text Visual• Clip of virtual classroom

scene•Virtual realities such as SL allow for the free exchange of

information without the limitations of distance and time that

travel normally involves. By using virtual realities, such as

galleries and e-portfolios, students from across the world can

meet on common ground. Digital media can be shared with

relative ease. By using avatars, the usual considerations of

appearance can be eliminated from most situations. There are

already virtual schools springing up across the world. By

eliminating the physical infrastructure required for most

schools, costs are minimalized.

What Can It Do?

Text• Information/Awareness• Visualization• Simulations• Collaborative spaces and

tools• Social interaction• Discussions/conferences• Virtual schools

Visual• Clip of selected

informational sites in SL• Clip of mathematics visual• Clip of aircraft and/or

nuclear power plant simulator

• Dance clip

ARC Research Center

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Genome Center

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International Spaceflight Museum

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Nanotech Island

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Science Center

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Second Life Library 2.0

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Barriers and Facilitators

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•In the article “Barriers and Facilitators to the Adoption

of Tools for Online Pedagogy,” the authors looked at

the various factors affecting the adaptation of SL.

These factors included cost effectiveness, staff

perceptions, strategic initiatives, and the types of

support provided by the information technology

systems management of a range of educational

institutions that have committed to education delivery

or pilot projects in SL.

Visual• Static financial graphs for

selected school system

References

TextReferences

•Barriers and Facilitators to the Adoption of Tools for Online Pedagogy. Niru Bhati,

Sarah Mercer, Kenneth Rankin, Brendon Thomas. International Journal of Pedagogies

& Learning. Maleny: Mar 2010. Vol. 5, Iss. 3; pg. 5, 15 pgs. Retrieved from:

http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweb?

index=7&did=2122167221&SrchMode=2&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQ

D&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1284606963&clientId=70192

•Freitas, S. (2008). Serious virtual worlds. Retrieved December 23, 2008, from

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/media/documents/publications/seriousvirtualworldsv1.pdf.

•Second Life: Test-Driving Real-World Innovations. Laura Bruck. Hospitals & Health

Networks. Chicago: Oct 2008. Vol. 82, Iss. 10; pg. 50, 3 pgs. Retrieved from:

http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweb?

index=0&did=1592693261&SrchMode=2&sid=1&Fmt=4&VInst=PROD&VType=PQ

D&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1284606290&clientId=70192

Visual• Simple list of references

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