June
25

Monday 12:30 - 1:30
Paul Sparks

prsparks@pepperdine.edu

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it yourself.” - Alan Kay

Create a new identity - Avatar

  • fully customizable
  • hair/clothes/gestures/etc
  • reflection of yourself OR new identity
  • can have more than one avatar (”alts”)
  • creating identities helps learn!

Participate in Community

  • spaces built for interaction
  • bars, dances, etc
  • people share experiences through their avatars
  • real sense of presence

Over 1 million active users in the last year, up to 8,000 private islands. But! Only 60 schools involved in Second Life

McLuhan Problem - create a virtual classroom in Second Life. Get this wonderful new technology….and make avatars sit in desks in rows???

Some ideas:

  • create environment based on conceptual ideas of a book
    SLiki (collaborating to create virtual spaces)
  • go to an island speaking a foreign language

Collaboration in Second Life

(student thoughts)

  • collaborate in ways unique to SL
  • think about learning in a different way
  • take a concept, build something to represent it
  • requires constant communication

Learning in Second Life

(student thoughts)

  • take a concept, build something to represent it
  • learning curve
  • come to deeper understanding of topic and learning

Link to session page here.