Second Life and Distance Education

Second Life and Distance Education

Second Life as a platform for Distance Learning

Second Life is a virtual world that attempts to simulate the real world where people use life-like avatars to conduct a number of activities online. It is a virtual place where people can come together for a mutual purpose without ever leaving their computer. Second Life first appealed to the gaming and social chat audience, but as time went on, people started to see the potential for using Second Life as a type of virtual conference room. This research will explore the potential for extending this concept into the distance learning community.

Exploring the Possibilities

The University of Florida was one of the first to use this new platform for in-world (logged into Second Life), distance learning classes. The University of Florida uses the forum where professors can lead groups of student through online discussions (Hoover, 2007). The idea of teleconferencing and distance education are not new. However, the use of Second Life provides the change to present aesthetics, emotion, and other dimensions that are missing from other conferencing platforms. The University of Florida has two islands (reserved sections of the grid), for its uses. At the current time, Students still meet in a real-world classroom, using Second Life to enhance classroom instruction.

Thus far, approximately 25 universities and technical schools have a presence in Second Life (Simteach.com, 2008a). A visit to these their teleport sites in Second Life reveals that these universities and campuses utilize the technology for a number of purposes. Many use it for a realistic chat interface. However, others like Idaho State University are using Second Life to expand their ability to provide realistic training simulators (Simteach.com, 2008b). Idaho State University has created a realistic training space to support the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).

Play2Train provides students the opportunity for trainers and students to interact in a manner that was not possible in traditional simulator experience. For instance, Play2Train allows the instructor to provide weather hazards that complicate an emergency simulation. The simulator even has a virtual exercise room in the simulated hospital. This platform has the ability to create avatars that look like close to the real person, adding to the realism of the simulator experience. This usage of the Second Life platform represents an excellent example of using Second Life to maximize realistic training experiences for students.

Simulations in Second Life have virtual classrooms where students can sit at virtual desks and listen to a lecture. This method provides instructors with the ability to use 3-D objects and a level of interaction that may not be available in the real world. For instance, they can treat virtual patients and get critique from instructors. The University of Michigan uses Second Life to simulate a public health emergency involving a bioterrorism and a pandemic simulation.

Second Life and Online Education

Traditional universities were the first to take advantage of the many educational opportunities that exist in the online environment of Second Life. However, surprisingly, distance educators have not caught onto the trend. Web 2.0 applications offer users an experience beyond the typical University experience. Second Life offers the ability to add the social element and interaction that is often missing from the distance education experience. If traditional universities and public entities see the opportunity to use Second Life for education, and to disseminate public information, then this would seem like the next logical step in improving distance education programs. Students could attend a virtual classroom that is like a brick and mortar classroom in many ways.

One of the key difficulties in implementing online education in an online world is that students may not have access or the skills necessary to function in an online world. Second Life requires the most advanced graphics cards and systems to run. It will not run on older systems or those that do not meet the minimum requirements. Traditional brick and mortar universities can provide students with the ability to access Second Life through university libraries and computer labs. However, for the most part, distance education students must purchase and maintain their own equipment. They may not always have access to the minimum system requirements.