Second Life can be considered a disruptive technology because of its interactive abilities.
Linden Labs has created a 3D virtual reality experience that allows users to experience a virtual presence online. This interactive online experience can have great impact on the home video gaming system and TV. Both of these technologies do not allow you to interact with unknown users or to create fantasy worlds.
Second Life provides opportunities for individuals to create and explore social settings. Virtual worlds can provide a real world experience. They allow you to socialize using avatars. You can take on new identities and personalities. While I feel they can be beneficially to education in a variety of ways, I feel they have not yet reached their full potential. I feel Second Life is still an emerging technology and will only improve over time. I do not see virtual world being replace any time soon but I do see the way in which we use them have a greater impact on learning. They most certainly have the potential to create virtual high school classes and school campuses for hospitalized students or for students seeking diplomas in alternative school setting.
Linden Research, Inc. (n.d.) Linden Lab: Makers of Second Life. Retrieved July 22, 2010 from http://lindenlab.com/
Linden Research, Inc. (n.d.). Second Life. Retrieved July 22, 2010 from http://secondlife.com/
Avatar (computing). (2010, July 14). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 11:38, July 22, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Avatar_(computing)&oldid=373486560
Cassandra,
ReplyDeleteI like the way your going with virtual schools. Having an avatar to depict you as a student would be a great way for students to get to know each other and form personal relationships.
Shauna
Hi Cassandra,
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! Your thoughts on a virtual high school and assisting hospitalized students or students who are unable to attend school in a building for some other reason is already being done. The largest virtual school I am aware of in the country is Florida Virtual School. Check it out, if you have not already: http://www.flvs.net/Pages/default.aspx
LeAnn :-)
Nice job! I like the idea of the avatars for the high school students. It would be curious to see how many students would choose avatars that look closely like themselves. Second Life is interesting, but I don't feel it has reached it's full potential either.
ReplyDelete