Second Life-Blog 1

(just in case the link field doesn't work)www.edutopia.org/school-second-life

Second Life is a participant-built gaming program, which has no preset script and few limitations on what players can do (Wikinomics, p. 126). These participants are called Residents and Residents retain the IP rights to their creations. As a result, all types of users, from businesses to education institutions to individuals can participate "without fear of losing control over [their assets]" (The School of Second Life, para. 4)

What makes Second Life so groundbreaking? Its founder, Linden Labs, “has broken most of the conventional rules for building a multiplayer video game and set the standard for customer innovation in all industries” (Wikinomics, p. 126). This allows Second Life to do things that restrictive business models can’t replicate (Wikinomics, p. 127), in that, Second Life can make a big impact with fewer resources (para. 127) (like Wikipedia does). How? Tapscott, author of Wikinomics, attributes this to “positive feedback loops that are difficult for competitors to reverse” (p. 127).

But besides being an exciting real world simulation, it also shows potential for becoming a great educational tool. Global Kids, quoted in “The School of Second Life” article, states, “Working with youth in TSL is on the cutting edges of progressive pedagogy, so you might want to wait before getting involved if you aren’t willing to lose a little blood along the way.” (para. 13) Some universities are showing that they are willing to lose little blood for the sake of cutting edge progressive pedagogy. Per Dr. Royer’s discussion prompt for Wikinomics Chapter 5, Harvard is on board in a big way and other universities all over the country are investigating Second Life and its youth counterpart, Teen Second Life. Tapscott says, “This new way of learning and interacting means [the new generation] will treat the world as a stage for their own innovations.” (Wikinomics, p. 127)

Universities are not the only major contributors “buying” (only figuratively, participation is free) into Second Life. Several architectural schools are using Second Life (para. 7). Additionally, Reuters news agency, one of the most widely distributed news organizations in the world, “opened an all-digital bureau within [Second Life], becoming just the latest real-world organization to recognize the significance of [Second Life]” (para. 7). One education professional claims, “Teen Second Life has offered us the first place online where we can bring the entirety of our youth-development curriculum, without cutting corners, and then take it in new directions.” (para. 9)

Examples of curriculum potential with TSL:

* Experimenting with natural and physical sciences because of the meteorological and gravitational systems present in TSL (para. 6)
* Participating in “political and cultural exchange” in a “safe, controlled environment” (para. 6)
* Virtual summer camp on a private island in TSL where teens participated in “interactive, experimental workshop learning about global issues such as economic inequality and the genocide in Darfur” (para. 10)
* Students from New York and Amsterdam, collaborating on building hybrid city (para.12)
* Offers leadership, accelerated learning, and collaboration opportunities

To get started, a Resident should (per "The School of Second Life" article, para. 17):
* create an Account (it's free)
* choose a Resident name
* download and install the software
* have the necessary technical prerequisites, such as: broadband Internet connection and a powerful 3-D graphics card

The article offers some helpful suggestions for optimizing success with SL and TSL as educational tools:
* To “experiment with Second Life’s educational potential…play with SL in the mature grid, then move on to creating pedagogical resources that could be rebuilt in Teen Second Life (pending Linden Lab’s approval)” (para. 16)
* Teachers should "plan on building whatever you need once you get on the teen grid, since the Linden iron curtain between the teen grid doesn't allow for easy transfers of inventory (para. 16)".
* In the beginning, “require that students collaborate in building something so they learn how to communicate and can see how a different point of view can affect their creative processes” (para. 15)
* "Start with a list of Residents to talk with and educational sites to visit once you're there (para. 17)," which you can do by following the following links (for official educational page)http://secondlife.com/education and (for the Second Life Education Wiki) http://www.simteach.com/(para.18).
* You can also subscribe to email lists of interest or, as an educator, you can contact Linden Lab directly to discuss potential teaching projects in Teen Second Life (para.18).

What's the issue here? I guess this blog isn't so much of an issue so much as one possible solution to an issue. The issue being: how we can better engage our students in meaningful technological experiences that not only enhance the curriculum of other subjects, but also promote positive learning and life skills in addition to accelerating the student's technological knowledge.

What's the solution? According to this article, Dr. Royer's discussion comments, and Wikinomics' (Chapter 5) discussion on Second Life, Second Life could very well be one such tool that yields the desired outcomes mentioned above.

PS Later tonight when I have more time I am going to play around with Second Life for myself to see if I discover any new tech/ed issues while I investigate. I will add a follow-up blog as I discover new information...