Second Life: Educational Aims of Learn It Town

Having now gotten my bearings in Second Life and Learn It Town as a whole, today I chose to explore some of the more intentional classroom-type exercises evident in Learn It Town.

First off, I visited the hotel again, the first place where I had stumbled upon some learning engagements.  This vocabulary-building exercise is a great way to engage students in situation-specific language building.  As mentioned previously, giving students a low-pressure scenario to rehearse these skills is an excellent way to build confidence.







I also found a (seemingly) random sign with the months of the year!












While strolling along the shore (one of my favourite things, especially in anticipation of my upcoming seaside holiday) I found a series of daises with what looked like screens in front of them.  When I walked around them, I discovered pictures on them; and when I stood on the dais, each picture was explained to me (e.g. "this is a boat).  This appears to be one of the simpler activities, intended to introduce basic vocabulary of a location.

I also returned to a few of the activities I explored with my professor when she initially brought me into Second Life.  They range from grammar exercises to vocabulary practice to TPR (total physical response) activities.  I really appreciate how some activities are more interactive, whereas others are meant to be independent, and others still can go either way.  With a 3D VLE, I feel that you are more likely to have some asynchronous elements, so this sort of flexibility does a good service to the students.

I feel like I've gotten a pretty good handle on Learn It Town.  Stay tuned for my explorations of EduNation!

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Currently reading:  almost done with Taming of the Queen...expect many more books in the week ahead!
Current high:  six weeks down, and it's time for the first holiday!
Current low:  tension in my shoulders...nothing a good massage in Bali won't fix :)

Second Life: Exploring Learn It Town

Today's Second Life gallivanting brought me to some more familiar locations - restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, and so on.

My first thought as I explored these locations:  what a great way to teach vocabulary!  Instead of holding up a picture of a banana or a beer, have them interact with the objects in a virtual setting.  A group scavenger hunt in one of these environments could be a really fun way to learn some new language.

Better yet, students can even practice conversations for these locales in a low-pressure scenario that mimics real life.  Using speech or chat, learners can rehearse basic exchanges with cashiers, servers, and more.  I discovered an exercise like this was already built into the Learn It Town hotel, as well as vocabulary in the tapas bar.

I love the possibilities available in locations as simple as a bus stop or "The Gad," everyone's favourite clothing store!  As a drama teacher, I believe in giving students a low-pressure first attempt at what could be a nerve-wracking situation.  I think this could be a great and authentic way to rehearse conversation skills.

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Currently reading:  a perusal copy of our school's winter musical!
Current high:  G10 drama kiddos rocking their auditions today
Current low:  hearing "why are you so gay?" come out of a student's mouth this afternoon

Second Life: The Adventure Begins

Greetings, readers!  This week my grad school assignments bring me to explore Second Life daily for a week, taking a "journey as a tourist in this world."  I've begun by exploring parts of Learn It Town.

Today I hit a few landmarks within the town and wandered to see what else I found nearby.  I visited the Learn It Town Cinema, Theatre, and Helicopter Pad.  (Sadly, the helicopter was unavailable to fly at the time - another day!)

The Cinema seems like a great way to share the experience of a film with distance students.  I have tried in the past to watch TV shows or movies with friends on Skype, but there's inevitably at least a second or two of lag time, so one person's reactions are a bit ahead.  This is a much better solution to having everyone enjoy the film together.

As a drama teacher, I was of course drawn to the theatre.  If I was using this space as a teacher, I would love to build in wings, a fly space, and other technical elements for students to learn from.

Second Life is built on a series of islands, so naturally, they are surrounded by water.  As a lover of beaches, I was enamored of strolling by the water.  I even found a boat that I could paddle around in while watching the dolphins play.  I discovered completely by accident that I can walk underwater!  I was walking along the shore, got my feet wet, and suddenly found myself immersed in the ocean.  Through that I found a surf board, caught a wave and wiped out, said hello to a shark, and piloted a submarine.  My real-life reactions to all these discoveries were huge!

Overall my first solo day in Second Life was really exciting.  Tomorrow I'll take a look at some of the more intentionally educational aspects.

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Currently reading:  still The Taming of the Queen!
Current high:  a lovely and much-needed evening with two dear friends
Current low:  two very challenging classes today...time to reflect

IMVU, Second Life, and World of Warcraft

Last day of blogging about my impressions of social worlds...let's see what it holds!

IMVU

First impressions:  I have seen ads for IMVU across the internet, mostly alongside screencaps of very busty avatars.  However, it does have accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, and has been advertised on The New York Times, USA Today, and The Tonight Show.
Age range:  Designed for ages 15 and up.
Pros:  It seems to have the same pros as any other 3D avatar-based site:  connection with individuals around the world, customisability, and so on.
Cons:  As I expected from the advertisements I have seen, sexual content is a given.  They do their best to filter adult content for users under 18, but there are apparently some cracks.  Common Sense Media explicitly states, "IMVU wasn't created with educational intent, and we don't recommend it for learning."  Language is not monitored in chat rooms at all.
Overall rating:  2 out of 10

Second Life

First impressions:  This is the only platform I have explored that I have had any recent personal experience with.  So far it has proven to be highly customisable and easy to use as a virtual learning environment.
Age range:  Second Life is designed for users of all ages, but best for those ages 16 and up.
Pros:  In my own experiences thus far, I have seen a lot of ways Second Life can be used as an educational environment.  You can create games, have round-table discussions via chat and voice, and explore new worlds.
Cons:  If your computer doesn't have an advanced enough graphics card or other system requirements, it can be hard to run the program effectively.  It does require a device that is in top-notch condition for effective play.  There is also a fair amount of adult content out there, so users must be very carefully monitored.
Overall rating:  7 out of 10

World of Warcraft

First impressions:  While I have never interacted with World of Warcraft, it is everywhere in pop culture; I have heard references to the game in television, movies, and my daily life.
Age range:  World of Warcraft is best for users ages 16 and up.
Pros:  Clearly this is one of the big dogs in the MMORPG world - well known, widely used, and respected.  It seems like a truly immersive experience; a beautiful world, thousands of users to interact with, quests and battles.  Clearly it is beloved to the point of addiction in some cases.
Cons:  After a free trial period, this is a paid service.  As is implied with the world "warcraft" in the title, it's known for being somewhat violent.  The age range also leads to some sexualization and drinking/drug references.  It is hard for me to visualize the educational uses of the game.
Overall rating:  6 out of 10

Reflections
As an elementary school drama teacher, I am still trying to figure out how any of these platforms might fit into my current teaching practice.  However, it is interesting to reflect on the directions in which education might be moving.  Only time will tell how deeply these platforms will be used in classrooms of the future.

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Currently reading:  I don't usually blog daily - so still the same!  I'll start slamming through books on vacation in just one week :)
Current high:  making scalloped potatoes for dinner
Current low:  the weekends always fly by, thank goodness there's just 5 contact days until break!

Wizard 101, Webkinz, and JumpStart

Today I chose to visit three worlds with which I have at least a passing familiarity:  Wizard 101, Webkinz, and World of Warcraft.

Wizard 101 

First impressions:  During my gap year before university, I worked as a live-in nanny for four kids, ages ten, seven, five, and three.  The three eldest children, the two oldest girls in particular, were big fans of Wizard 101.  They enjoyed going on quests and interacting with others in the game.
Age range:  Designed for users ages 10 and up.
Pros:  Engagement is the first thing that springs to mind.  The world is immersive, fun, and exciting for young users.  It is also clearly a safe environment, designed for young people; nothing sexual, no references to drugs or drinking, etc.
Cons:  There is definitely an agenda to get kids interested in the game via the free content, then convince them to open a premium account and pay for enhanced gameplay.  I'm also not sure of how customisable it might be for classroom use.
Overall rating:  6 out of 10

Webkinz

First impressions:  This is another one that was used by a charge of mine.  During a summer nannying job, the seven-year-old I worked with used Webkinz.
Age range:  Intended for users ages 8 and up, although there is also a junior version for children as young as 4 years old.
Pros:  Again, clearly highly engaging.  There are also tools that teach real-world responsibility; care for the virtual pet, money management, and so on.  The chat options are mostly pre-scripted, making it a very safe environment for users who are still learning digital citizenship.
Cons:  Consumerism at its finest - needing to buy real-world goods to enhance virtual gameplay.  It's a genius marketing move, but doubtless a nightmare for the parents who have to endure the wheedling and begging.  The games also seem to have limited educational application.
Overall rating:  3.5 out of 10

JumpStart

First impressions:  This one was familiar to me from my youth!  I remember playing JumpStart games on CD-ROM.  My friends and I absolutely loved them.
Age range:  JumpStart is meant for children ages 3 to 10.
Pros:  Age appropriateness is the first thing I note!  For someone who teaches elementary school, an educational website for young children is a great find.  This seems like one of the best for making learning truly fun, and covers a variety of disciplines.  Users cannot interact with one another, which means no inappropriate content generated by other users.
Cons:  The only negative I could find was related to slow loading and occasional lag time.  The lack of interaction can be a con, as it cannot be a platform for an online classroom.  Otherwise, seems to be a safe and fun world to explore.
Overall rating:  8 out of 10

Reflections
While some of these sites were much more geared toward the age group I primarily work with, they are still fairly consumer-driven and ad-based.  JumpStart is the first avatar-based 3D virtual world I have come across that I think would be appropriate for elementary school students, my current teaching population.  We'll see what my last day of blogging holds...

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Currently reading:  still indulging my Mad Men addiction
Current high:  planning my first presentation to colleagues...nerve-wracking!
Current low:  working on the weekend, much to the chagrin of my friend SV...

vSide, Blue Mars, and Twinity

Today we examine vSide, Blue Mars, and Twinity.

vSide
First impressions:  Seeing the word "party" on the main page did not seem like a promising start, at least for my educational purposes.  Once again, we find a site that is free to join, but has premium add-ons available for purchase.
Age range:  Intended for ages 13 and up.
Pros:  I found it quite challenging to find any positive aspects to this site, other than the fact that it clearly meets teens where they are.
Cons:  The environments have many bars and clubs, not the ideal situation to put young students in.  Overall it seems very shallow; based on appearance, partying, and consumerism.  This consumerism is further perpetuated by the abundance of ads peppering the site.
Overall rating:  2 out of 10

Blue Mars
First impressions:  Blue Mars has some aspects of vSide with its avatar-based world and chat, but seems to run a bit deeper.  The site seems fairly small, and not very current - the copyright dates the last update as 2010.
Age range:  Blue Mars appears to be targeted at adults.
Pros:  Seems similar to Second Life in its customisability of "cities," not unlike islands.  I find the fact that it is set in the future on a different planet particularly intriguing.
Cons:  The lack of currency is a bit of a concern.  In addition, since I primarily work with younger students, an adult environment does not seem like the best fit for my purposes.
Overall rating:  4 out of 10

Twinity
First impressions:  Twinity's main page shows pictures of hot tubs, cocktails, and parties.  Once again, I'm not sure if that's the sort of environment I want to be bringing students into for educational purposes.
Age range:  It is not explicitly stated, but I would guess ages 13 and up.
Pros:  My understanding is that in Twinity, they are recreating major world cities for users to explore, which seems like an exciting and fun feature for teachers and students.  There is also a big emphasis on user-generated content.
Cons:  On the whole, it seems to be fairly average for a site of this kind - nothing all that new or unique that other platforms are not doing.
Overall rating:  6 out of 10

Reflections
Yesterday remains my strongest day for sites that I can see a viable use for.  I think with many of these sites, I would really need to go in and see for myself what else they have to offer beyond avatars and customisable spaces.

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Currently reading:  same!
Current high:  chatting with my sweet G5 girls on duty this morning
Current low:  the sheer exhaustion that hits on a Friday night after a full week of work

Google Earth, Trace Effects, and Kaneva

On to day two, we're examining three new platforms.



Google Earth
First impressions:  This was the first tool I came across that was familiar to me.  I have not used it extensively, but am more or less accustomed to the platform.  I did use it within my classroom a few years ago in a unit on map skills.  Clearly Google is a big name, and this is a service that is purely free to use.
Age range:  Best used with ages 12 and up.
Pros:  Google Earth allows users to travel the world without leaving their homes.  It provides incredible opportunities for exploration and learning, and the classroom utilizations are innumerable.  It is also available on a variety of devices from smartphones to computers.
Cons:  The platform doesn't seem particularly intuitive for young users.  The only major safety concern is the link to YouTube with open searching.  Students could access inappropriate content through that, so careful monitoring is necessary.  The tool is not as easy for the user to modify as some others we have examined.
Overall rating:  7 out of 10

Trace Effects

First impressions:  The first thing I noticed about Trace Effects was that the site is .gov and affiliated with the US Department of State, giving it a lot of clout.  Trace Effects seems to be designed specifically for use by classrooms and teachers.
Age range:  Designed for children aged 12 to 16.
Pros:  Trace Effects is a tool that has been designed for English language learners.  There is a teacher resource guide available with clear links to gameplay, and suggestions of lessons.  It seems to be a very engaging environment for learners, and provides ample opportunities for authentic learning.
Cons:  The recommended ages for use are fairly limited.  Online reviews suggested slow loading times can interrupt game play and pull the user out of the experience to some degree.
Overall rating:  8 out of 10

Kaneva
First impressions:  Kaneva seems like a smaller network than those I had looked at previously.  There's not a huge web presence for the site other than their own pages.
Age range:  Not articulated, but I would say ages 13 and up.
Pros:  The site seems to be highly adaptable, allowing users significant control over avatars and spaces.  It being a smaller network, that may make it a safer space to take students into.
Cons:  For all of the sites I had looked at so far, I checked them out on Common Sense Media for a user review of the experience.  The fact that Kaneva is not listed there is somewhat telling to me.  The fact that the network is so small implies to me that the places created may be limited.
Overall rating:  5 out of 10

Reflections
Today's finds brought me a lot closer to what I might find useful as a teacher!  From one tool I have already used with students to some interesting new ideas, it seems that there are some intriguing possibilities.  I am excited to continue to explore the worlds available.

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Currently reading:  pressing on, although a new addiction to Mad Men has distracted me from reading
Current high:  one of my G2 students showing AMAZING instincts and leadership today!
Current low:  a sobbing PK kiddo who needed lots of cuddles this morning