Session 5

Second Life: Practices and implications for higher education

Session Description:

There is a vast range of educational activity going on in Second Life. Second life can be used as a distance learning tool in which avatars meet and interact in-world. The advantage of meeting in this setting over another is the sense of “presence” lent to the situation by the use of the avatar. As a graphic representation of self, the avatar gives a user more interactivity than most web-conferencing applications. An avatar can express the mood and mind of its user simply by its gender, physical appearance, including skin color, shape, type and color of eyes and hair, gestures, such as raising the hand, clapping, nodding, and dancing. By being immersed in the environment, through their avatar, users are more connected to the group with which they are interacting. Second Life can foster experiences unique to the virtual world, making it a space ripe for immersive and authentic teaching and learning, the cornerstones of constructivism. Current information technology and educational researchers predict an explosion in the creation of virtual worlds. Business, politics, humanities, and education are all being profoundly affected, even now.

This presentation will explore the pedagogy of how teaching and learning is manifesting in Second Life at this time and recommendations for future direction. Participants will be introduced to educators who are passionate about using Second Life as a tool for education. There are far-reaching implications for teaching within Second Life and other virtual worlds for all methodologies. These implications will be explored in detail, current research will be discussed, and experienced teachers in SL will be interviewed. Audience members will be encouraged to ask questions specific to their teaching and learning needs in SL.

Presenters: Christine Crawford, Lori Swinney

Christine Crawford is a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of North Dakota in the Instructional Design and Technology program. Ms. Crawford performed an internship with the Center of Instructional Learning Technologies where she investigated Second Life as a tool for higher education. She has designed and conducted workshops, orientation sessions and presentations for people new to Second Life and she is currently co-authoring an encyclopedia chapter on the same topic. Dr. Swinney and Ms. Crawford will be conducting a pre-conference workshop on Second Life as well.

Lori Swinney is an Assistant Director of the Center for Instructional & Learning Technologies and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Educational Foundations and Research at the University of North Dakota. She received her Ph.D. in Teaching & Learning from UND and teaches several graduate courses, Introduction to Web Based Instruction and Multicultural Education in the College of Education. In her position at the Center she works with faculty on integrating technology into teaching, learning and research. One of her recent initiatives is the introduction of Second Life to UND by hosting workshops, forums, and online conferences.