Second Life – Living in the Digital World (Week 8)

Second Life software is exactly what it sounds like – creating a second life in the digital world!  I had never heard of Second Life before reading the article “7 Things You Should Know About Second Life” article from Educause.  My initial impressions are that it sounds very interesting in terms of being able to create scenarios that reflect reality.  As suggested by the article, it can be used for anything from artists to governments to business owners.  Education also tops that list.

I believe Second Life could be very advantageous for distance learning courses.  “Many faculty have begun teaching distance courses in-world, saying that the sense of presence and interaction among a class of remote students is more compelling than through other modes of communication.” (Educause, 2008)  Second Life provides users with the opportunity to experiment and take on a role or take part in something they may not do in a face-to-face scenario.  “…the stronger attraction for many academics and researchers is the extent to which the environment serves as a legitimate surrogate for the real world, allowing users to inhabit personas and situations that are otherwise unavailable to them.”  (Educause, 2008)

I can see how this would be appealing to today’s students who are so intrigued and surrounded by technology.  This is another way to engage students with technology and 21st century learning.  Teachers would have the opportunity to create a scenario where students can create and analyze information and scenarios and then problem solve.  The learning is student-centered, and Second Life puts responsibility for learning in the students’ hands.

I do see some cons with Second Life in that rules are unclear, which can have implications for teachers.  “Some users might argue that activities that are illegal or unethical in real life are acceptable in the virtual world—gambling, child pornography, and pyramid schemes have appeared in Second Life—and in many
instances it remains unclear what authority, if any, has jurisdiction over virtual activities that spill over into the real world.” (Educause, 2008)  I also believe that today’s students can sometimes become too immersed in the digital world.  A student may become too focused on the Second Life and actually begin to think it is reality.  This may be rare, but just as students become too wrapped up in video games, this could happen with Second Life too.

“7 Things You Should Know About Second Life.”  Educause.com.  June 2008.  Web.  Retrieved 14 June 2013.  <http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7038.pdf>