Second Second LifeLife

Second Second LifeLife

Dr. Laura NicosiaAssistant ProfessorEnglish

Department

AJ KeltonDirector

CHSS Technology

Services Unit

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

at Montclair State University

Teaching, Learning and Technology Center

at Seton Hall University

Heidi TrottaInstructional

Designer

Riad TwalInstructional

Designer

What do you already know What do you already know aboutabout

Second Life?Second Life?

What do you already know What do you already know aboutabout

Second Life?Second Life?

Why talk about Second Life?

What is Second Life?What is Second Life?What is Second Life?What is Second Life?Started in 2003

“Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents.”

A flexible space for learning and exploration

An opportunity for people to interact in a way that conveys a sense of presence lacking in other media.

Generalized rather than contextual, applicable to almost any discipline.

Started in 2003

“Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents.”

A flexible space for learning and exploration

An opportunity for people to interact in a way that conveys a sense of presence lacking in other media.

Generalized rather than contextual, applicable to almost any discipline.

What is Second Life?What is Second Life?What is Second Life?What is Second Life?Second life is NOT a game - there are no rules or a fixed goal-oriented purpose.

15-20K sign ups daily - over 10.5 million total

25 - 50K residents on at one time

over $1 million spent daily (real US dollars)

Well over 200 educational institutions

Over 250 “sims” dedicated to education

Second life is NOT a game - there are no rules or a fixed goal-oriented purpose.

15-20K sign ups daily - over 10.5 million total

25 - 50K residents on at one time

over $1 million spent daily (real US dollars)

Well over 200 educational institutions

Over 250 “sims” dedicated to education

What is Behind Second What is Behind Second LifeLife

What is Behind Second What is Behind Second LifeLife

a scaleable co-located grid of servers running Linux

Real-time 3D streaming with rigid body physics simulation, streaming positional audio (distance and direction)

Persistent desktop access - everything resides on the grid

Cross-platform portability

Infinite avatar customization - no two avatars alike

Uploadable textures, audio, Quicktime video can play in-world.

International Language Support - chat and communicate in

local languages, inc. Asian character sets. European

keyboards supported.

a scaleable co-located grid of servers running Linux

Real-time 3D streaming with rigid body physics simulation, streaming positional audio (distance and direction)

Persistent desktop access - everything resides on the grid

Cross-platform portability

Infinite avatar customization - no two avatars alike

Uploadable textures, audio, Quicktime video can play in-world.

International Language Support - chat and communicate in

local languages, inc. Asian character sets. European

keyboards supported.

Technical Technical RequirementsRequirements

Technical Technical RequirementsRequirements

Highest speed connection (no dial up)

Best Graphics Card (specific)

Windows 2000 / Mac OS X 10.3.9

800MHz Pentium III / 1 GHz G4

512 MB RAM

Highest speed connection (no dial up)

Best Graphics Card (specific)

Windows 2000 / Mac OS X 10.3.9

800MHz Pentium III / 1 GHz G4

512 MB RAM

A Universe of Virtual A Universe of Virtual WorldsWorlds

A Universe of Virtual A Universe of Virtual WorldsWorlds 22 virtual world platforms listing over 11.8 million

users, and that only includes numbers from 7 of the 22

18 virtual worlds for Teens and Tweens listing over 52.3 million users from 12 of the 18

15 virtual worlds for kids listing over 16.7 million users from 9 of the 15

Do the math: 55 virtual platforms w/ 80.8 million users

Show me the moneyShow me the moneyShow me the moneyShow me the money

“We don't see any slowing in the market adoption of virtual worlds technologies and expect investment in the space to continue. In fact the market is growing significantly, with the rate of adoption of virtual worlds increasing as the technology matures and has more to offer both consumers and enterprise customers.”

Christopher Sherman

Executive Director of Virtual Worlds Management

“We don't see any slowing in the market adoption of virtual worlds technologies and expect investment in the space to continue. In fact the market is growing significantly, with the rate of adoption of virtual worlds increasing as the technology matures and has more to offer both consumers and enterprise customers.”

Christopher Sherman

Executive Director of Virtual Worlds Management

Pedagogical Validity for Teaching with Second

Life

Pedagogical Validity for Teaching with Second

Life

First, we First, we recognize…recognize…

First, we First, we recognize…recognize…

There is significant media hype focused on the “darker sides” of the in-world experience - violence, sex, drugs and rock & roll

The label of “gaming” poses an image problem for SL insofar as its potential uses in secondary and/or higher education

Without proper directions, goals and objectives, SL is as aimless and as pedagogically bereft of meaning as any other poorly designed or poorly deployed classroom lesson

There is significant media hype focused on the “darker sides” of the in-world experience - violence, sex, drugs and rock & roll

The label of “gaming” poses an image problem for SL insofar as its potential uses in secondary and/or higher education

Without proper directions, goals and objectives, SL is as aimless and as pedagogically bereft of meaning as any other poorly designed or poorly deployed classroom lesson

However, with constructivist However, with constructivist pedagogiespedagogies

However, with constructivist However, with constructivist pedagogiespedagogies

ComprehensionComprehension soars when millennials soars when millennials engage with their avatars and co-journey engage with their avatars and co-journey through the learning environment’s through the learning environment’s unfolding episodes and processes (Dede)unfolding episodes and processes (Dede)

Learning communities Learning communities are fosteredare fostered

Collaborative knowledge-buildingCollaborative knowledge-building develops and cognitive capital is develops and cognitive capital is distributed among groups and individualsdistributed among groups and individuals

ComprehensionComprehension soars when millennials soars when millennials engage with their avatars and co-journey engage with their avatars and co-journey through the learning environment’s through the learning environment’s unfolding episodes and processes (Dede)unfolding episodes and processes (Dede)

Learning communities Learning communities are fosteredare fostered

Collaborative knowledge-buildingCollaborative knowledge-building develops and cognitive capital is develops and cognitive capital is distributed among groups and individualsdistributed among groups and individuals

Each site is “always on” and “always full of content”

Sites may appear vacant, but may be filled with content

Meet Students in Meet Students in “Interesting” Places“Interesting” Places

Meet Students in Meet Students in “Interesting” Places“Interesting” Places

Second Life permits the Second Life permits the use of unconventional use of unconventional

educational settings and educational settings and hands-on experiences hands-on experiences

that would be that would be difficult/impossible in difficult/impossible in Real Life. Such as…Real Life. Such as…

Second Life permits the Second Life permits the use of unconventional use of unconventional

educational settings and educational settings and hands-on experiences hands-on experiences

that would be that would be difficult/impossible in difficult/impossible in Real Life. Such as…Real Life. Such as…

Dante’s Inferno and Linden HillsDante’s Inferno and Linden HillsDante’s Inferno and Linden HillsDante’s Inferno and Linden Hills

Second Life Second Life providesprovides

Second Life Second Life providesprovides

Guided Inquiry,Guided Inquiry, where experience is where experience is central to learning central to learning

ScaffoldingScaffolding of in-world prior experiences of in-world prior experiences through seeking, sieving and synthesizing through seeking, sieving and synthesizing experiencesexperiences

DecentralizationDecentralization of the class, where of the class, where knowledge is created across a community knowledge is created across a community rather than delivered from an individualrather than delivered from an individual

Guided Inquiry,Guided Inquiry, where experience is where experience is central to learning central to learning

ScaffoldingScaffolding of in-world prior experiences of in-world prior experiences through seeking, sieving and synthesizing through seeking, sieving and synthesizing experiencesexperiences

DecentralizationDecentralization of the class, where of the class, where knowledge is created across a community knowledge is created across a community rather than delivered from an individualrather than delivered from an individual

In the process, In the process, we…we…

In the process, In the process, we…we…

Share and exchangeShare and exchange resources, cultural resources, cultural knowledge, stories and experiencesknowledge, stories and experiences

Engage in Engage in social explorationsocial exploration using a using a multiplicity of perspectives and points of multiplicity of perspectives and points of viewview

Apply Apply critical thinkingcritical thinking and problem-solving and problem-solving in context and in processin context and in process

Unlearn assumptionsUnlearn assumptions about communities about communities and the “Other”and the “Other”

Share and exchangeShare and exchange resources, cultural resources, cultural knowledge, stories and experiencesknowledge, stories and experiences

Engage in Engage in social explorationsocial exploration using a using a multiplicity of perspectives and points of multiplicity of perspectives and points of viewview

Apply Apply critical thinkingcritical thinking and problem-solving and problem-solving in context and in processin context and in process

Unlearn assumptionsUnlearn assumptions about communities about communities and the “Other”and the “Other”

Exposure Exposure to the to the

“Other”“Other”

Exposure Exposure to the to the

“Other”“Other”

But, how do we teach content and skill sets

using Second Life

Q: How do we teach content (novels and stories) & skill sets (like writing and editing) using Second Life?

Q: How do we teach content (novels and stories) & skill sets (like writing and editing) using Second Life?

Pedagogical considerations:Pedagogical considerations:Pedagogical considerations:Pedagogical considerations:

AsynchronousAsynchronous participation and deep participation and deep reflection at each user’s pacereflection at each user’s pace

SynchronousSynchronous virtual exchanges to heighten virtual exchanges to heighten immersion and foster interactionsimmersion and foster interactions

A combination of A combination of mediatedmediated,, situated learning- situated learning-environments (teacher established challenges) environments (teacher established challenges) and and free,free, evolvingevolving situated learning situated learning environments (to experience virtual environments (to experience virtual exploration)exploration)

AsynchronousAsynchronous participation and deep participation and deep reflection at each user’s pacereflection at each user’s pace

SynchronousSynchronous virtual exchanges to heighten virtual exchanges to heighten immersion and foster interactionsimmersion and foster interactions

A combination of A combination of mediatedmediated,, situated learning- situated learning-environments (teacher established challenges) environments (teacher established challenges) and and free,free, evolvingevolving situated learning situated learning environments (to experience virtual environments (to experience virtual exploration)exploration)

If you build it,If you build it,they will comethey will comeIf you build it,If you build it,they will comethey will come

Construct 3-D SitesConstruct 3-D SitesConstruct 3-D SitesConstruct 3-D Sites

Autonomous Autonomous LearningLearning

Autonomous Autonomous LearningLearning

Students visit the always Students visit the always available siteavailable site

Students visit the always Students visit the always available siteavailable site

They enter the learning space

Explore and orient themselves

Encounter your assigned tasks

They can open search engines and visit my pre-

selected urls. I control the environment.

They receive tasks to

accomplish (whether I am with them or

not)

Students write essays on Notecards and deliver them to me via an “inworld email” system or

deposit them in items.

Creating Notecards is as easy as opening a file.

Their Notecards can be as long as they need to be.

An effective virtual An effective virtual learning environment learning environment

(VLE) may:(VLE) may:

An effective virtual An effective virtual learning environment learning environment

(VLE) may:(VLE) may:SupplementSupplement face-to-face interaction face-to-face interaction

Be used Be used in combinationin combination with other multi- with other multi-media (e.g. videoconferences embedded media (e.g. videoconferences embedded within the SL platform or concomitant with within the SL platform or concomitant with SL)SL)

Be an adjunct to Be an adjunct to BlackboardBlackboard or another or another more linear, asynchronous interactions with more linear, asynchronous interactions with discussion groups and blogs discussion groups and blogs

SupplementSupplement face-to-face interaction face-to-face interaction

Be used Be used in combinationin combination with other multi- with other multi-media (e.g. videoconferences embedded media (e.g. videoconferences embedded within the SL platform or concomitant with within the SL platform or concomitant with SL)SL)

Be an adjunct to Be an adjunct to BlackboardBlackboard or another or another more linear, asynchronous interactions with more linear, asynchronous interactions with discussion groups and blogs discussion groups and blogs

Hold Meetings In-Hold Meetings In-worldworld

Hold Meetings In-Hold Meetings In-worldworld

Ultimately, We MustUltimately, We MustUltimately, We MustUltimately, We MustMake the environment part of the learning experience—not an end unto itself

Enable metacognitive reflection on the SL experience

Construct feedback loops and self-renewing frameworks to inform our praxis

Investigate the pedagogical successes and failures of using Second life for our classes and disciplines

Make the environment part of the learning experience—not an end unto itself

Enable metacognitive reflection on the SL experience

Construct feedback loops and self-renewing frameworks to inform our praxis

Investigate the pedagogical successes and failures of using Second life for our classes and disciplines

For discipline-specific For discipline-specific

uses of SL in the uses of SL in the class:class:

For discipline-specific For discipline-specific

uses of SL in the uses of SL in the class:class:

““101 Uses for Second Life 101 Uses for Second Life

in the College Classroom” in the College Classroom”

Dr. Megan S. Conklin—Elon UniversityDr. Megan S. Conklin—Elon Universityhttp://trumpy.cs.elon.edu/metaverse

““101 Uses for Second Life 101 Uses for Second Life

in the College Classroom” in the College Classroom”

Dr. Megan S. Conklin—Elon UniversityDr. Megan S. Conklin—Elon Universityhttp://trumpy.cs.elon.edu/metaverse

The CHSS Pilot ProjectThe CHSS Pilot ProjectThe CHSS Pilot ProjectThe CHSS Pilot Project

Recreate What ExistsRecreate What ExistsRecreate What ExistsRecreate What Exists

Walk into a storyWalk into a storyWalk into a storyWalk into a story

Always “On” Always “On” ContentContent

Always “On” Always “On” ContentContent

Traditional Traditional SpacesSpaces

Traditional Traditional SpacesSpaces

Create Something Create Something NewNew

Create Something Create Something NewNew

Engage Your Engage Your StudentsStudents

Engage Your Engage Your StudentsStudents

ChallengesChallengesChallengesChallenges

Genome Genome IslandIsland

Genome Genome IslandIsland

The Second The Second LouvreLouvre

The Second The Second LouvreLouvre

NOAANOAANOAANOAA

BusinesBusinesss

BusinesBusinesss

Spaceport Alpha and Spaceport Alpha and DeltaDelta

Spaceport Alpha and Spaceport Alpha and DeltaDelta

Renaissance Renaissance IslandIsland

Renaissance Renaissance IslandIsland

San Francesco San Francesco AssisiAssisi

San Francesco San Francesco AssisiAssisi

InfoIslanInfoIslandd

InfoIslanInfoIslandd

PrincetonPrincetonPrincetonPrinceton

The Sistine The Sistine ChapelChapel Vassar Vassar

The Sistine The Sistine ChapelChapel Vassar Vassar

Vassar Vassar IslandIslandVassar Vassar IslandIsland

The Lost Gardens of The Lost Gardens of ApolloApollo

The Lost Gardens of The Lost Gardens of ApolloApollo

Abbott’s Abbott’s AerodromeAerodrome

Abbott’s Abbott’s AerodromeAerodrome

????

So many thanks to the numerous educators in Second Life who have shared their Second Life experiences, photographs and thoughts for this presentation!

AJ Kelton (SL: AJ Brooks)keltona at mail.montclair.eduhttp://www.sorry-afk.comSlideShare: sorry.afk

Laura Nicosia(SL: LauraMaria Onomatopoeia)nicosiala at mail.montclair.eduSlideShare: lauranicosia

Heidi Trotta (SL: Heidi TeeCee)trottahe at shi.eduhttp://heiditrotta.comSlideShare: trottahe

Riad TwalTwaltiad at shu.eduhttp://pirate.shu.edu/~twalriad