Education Unleashed: Participatory Culture, Education, and Innovation in Second Life

Part of the Volume on the Ecology of Games: Connecting Youth, Games, and LearningWhile virtual worlds share common technologies and audiences with games, they possess many unique characteristics. Particularly when compared to massively multiplayer online role-playing games, virtual worlds create very different learning and teaching opportunities through markets, creation, and connections to the real world, and lack of overt game goals. This chapter aims to expose a wide audience to the breadth and depth of learning occurring within Second Life (SL). From in-world classes in the scripting language to mixed-reality conferences about the future of broadcasting, a tremendous variety of both amateurs and experts are leveraging SL as a platform for education. In one sense, this isn't new since every technology is co-opted by communities for communication, but SL is different because every aspect of it was designed to encourage this co-opting, this remixing of the virtual and the real

Massively Multi-Learner: Recent Advances in 3D Social Environments

In this paper we review work on developing an atypical MMO for use as a learning tool in traditional college settings. The MMO under consideration is Second Life by Linden Lab in San Francisco, CA. The platform is unusual in many regards. “Residents” play by creating content for use by others, gathering in ad hoc communities and constructing fictional narratives unrelated to the typical medieval combat genre prevalent in MMOs. It is this ability to add content and lack of an inbuilt narrative which has already attracted the attention of educators worldwide. We review a range of the education work already undertaken in Second Life and comment on its prospects for use more specifically in a Computer Science curriculum

Designing for mod development: user creativity as product development strategy on the firm-hosted 3D software platform

The thesis is designed to improve our understanding of user participation in Web-based development practices in the commercial setting of the 3D software industry. It aims to investigate whether the creative capacities of users and their contributions to the online firm-hosted 3D platform are indicative of a novel configuration of production that influences the processes of product development across firm boundaries. The thesis mobilizes the user participation literature developing in media research as its main theoretical framework. It builds on insights derived from work on user participation in media sites as seen through a cultural lens, in particular, as developed in Henry Jenkins' notions of 'participatory' and 'convergence culture'. The user participation literature is supported by a combination of insights drawn from work on communities of practice and user-centred innovation so as to offer a more robust approach to examine and appreciate the firm-hosted 3D platform as a site of user participation. More specifically, the conceptual framework for the study provides a basis for an examination of the ways a software developer finn encourages user participation in a market and of how this enables and facilitâtes particular modes of user creativity. These are shown to shape and maintain a firm-hosted platform that aids product development efforts that are expected to benefit the developer fimi. An empirical study of the platform, Second Life, provides the basis for the analysis of finn-user interactions which are shown to underpin a distinctive finn leaming process in the context of product development that occurs across permeable fimi boundaries. The thesis yields insight into the way a developer firm invites its user base to partner with it in product development, indicating how aspects of user participation associated with non-market dynamics are embedded in commercial activity and professionalism. The pivotal role of users is revealed in the design, development and sustainability of a firm-hosted 3D product. The findings point to interesting relationships between the distinctive creative capacities of users and the range of capabilities afforded by the firm-provided design space. Variations in user participation and contributions to product development suggest that particular patterns of learning opportunities occur. The analysis yields several new concepts including a 'modification effect market' which are used to extend existing conceptualizations of user participation in digitai development practices in the commercial setting of the 3D software industry

Second Life: the seventh face of the library?

Viewpoint/Discussion Paper Purpose This paper gives a brief introduction to Second Life, an outline of how one academic librarian has got involved with using it and reviews the issues that have arisen from a library perspective. Approach It offers a reflection on whether library activities in Second Life are different to library services in the real world and suggests that Second Life is just another ‘face’ of the library. Findings Second Life is still in the very early stages of development. There are various barriers and challenges to overcome before it can be used widely within universities. However, this paper shows it does provide an opportunity to experiment and explore what information resources are required in this environment and how librarianship and librarians need to evolve to cater for users in a three dimensional world. Originality/value This paper is based on personal experience and offers as many questions as answers

Extending the Classroom through Second Life

Second Life is a three-dimensional (3D) electronic environment where members can socialize, hold virtual meetings, or conduct economic transactions. Utilizing virtual environments like Second Life is believed to provide educators with a new medium for teaching and information dissemination that bypasses the normal boundaries associated with traditional online and face-to-face interactions. This unique platform not only provides educators with traditional online teaching conventions but also allows for simulated social interactions, which are essential to student-teacher relations in the classroom. This paper presents a series of field trials and focuses on one recent case study of the integration of Second Life into an introductory computer course. The benefits, lessons learned and effective practices of integrating the technology are provided. The case study findings are supplemented with results from student surveys. The study found that the integration of Second Life activities improved students’ learning experience. Furthermore, students participated in the Second Life activities in the case study showed higher learning motivation and better performance. Limitations of this study and future research directions are also provided

Second Life as a Learning and Teaching Environment for Digital Games Education

Previous studies show that online virtual worlds can contribute to the social aspects of distance learning, improve student engagement, and enhance students’ experience as a whole [4]; [3]. This paper reviews previous research of using online virtual worlds in teaching and learning, compares Second Life with traditional classroom sessions and the Blackboard, and discusses the benefits and problems of using virtual environments in the post-sixteen education and how they affect students’ learning. It also reports a study of using Second Life as an educational environment for teaching games design at undergraduate level, and investigates the impacts and implications of online virtual environments on learning and teaching processes and their application to digital games education. The sample was 27 first year students of the Computer Games Modelling and Animation course. Students’ views on using Second Life for learning and teaching were collected through a feedback questionnaire. The results suggest that virtual learning environments like Second Life can be exploited as a motivational learning tool. However, problems such as identify issues and lacking of role markers may change student behaviour in virtual classroom. We discuss this phenomenon and suggest ways to avoid it in the preparation stage

Interactive e-learning through Second Life with Blackboard Technology

AbstractIn todays’ economically viable worldview scenario, everyone wants to earn sufficient money which can be spent to maintain better lifestyle. There are many factors such as people living in the remote areas without appropriate communication systems or the physically challenged people et al who are not able to attend the traditional college system hence they seek an alternative option to gain education. E-Learning is a best alternative that provides suitable opportunity to all such individuals to obtain the desired qualifications or degrees as quality education even without attending any face to face college system in the educational institutions. The most positive point in E-Learning is that students find opportunity for access to the course materials anytime and anywhere whenever they find time through the use and application of electronic gadgets. Today, every reputed educational institution especially universities worldwide run their distance learning courses under the E-Learning system. Most powerful feature of E-Learning is that it remains an extremely interactive experience. Too many applications and tools are already available abundantly in the market today to promote E-learning in multiple ways. Take for example Moodle, Blackboard, LectureCast, Classroom 2.0, ELE (E-learning Environments) and E-Learning 2.0 amongst others. In this paper, we have focussed on the Second Life by Linden Lab (USA) for educational trainings. It has special instructiveness as we compare to rest E-Learning training methodologies available before us nowadays. It gives an opportunity to the students to attend virtual classrooms and attend lectures. The good thing is that Second Life develops a sense of presence in the students who feel as if they are physically present in the university campuses and spend time with their faculty members or peers. There are several other impeccable and strong features in Second Life. We have focused on Second Life education project to connect with Blackboard which we have already started to use in our university