Interest is growing, both within our team and beyond, about virtual worlds and the potential they hold for enhancing student learning. Sean Fitzgerald spoke at our final workshop and introduced many of us to one of the most popular virtual worlds, Second Life.
The latest edition of the Knowledge Tree (an e-journal of learning innovation published by the Australian Flexible Learning Framework) contains a podcast and transcript of an inspriring, informative online panel session called Virtual Life Learning (the descriptions of panel members that follow are from the Knowledge Tree introduction).
Jo Kay assists teachers to get into Second Life and other virtual worlds through presentations, tours and workshops and provides resources and research through the Second Life in Education wiki (which Sean introduced us to.)
Also on the panel was another Australian, Glenda McPherson, known as Glenda Arrow in Second Life, of GippsTAFE in Victoria, Australia. Glenda works extensively with vocational learners in Second Life and facilitates the 2007 the Australian Flexible Learning Framework Teaching & Learning in Virtual Worlds Network.
The final panel member was the esteemed Alan Levine (who is currently in Australia). Alan is Vice President of the New Media Consortium Community and Chief Technology Officer of The New Media Consortium, based in Arizona, United States. In Second Life he is a dog known as CDB Barkley.
How can you learn more about Second Life? Read/download this panel session – the current projects discussed are fascinating! Visit the links provided about the work of the people above; watch for conferences such as mobilize this (on Friday, 19 October) where Jo Kay is leading a session in the afternoon, open to interested people exploring Second Life; or look even closer to home – HeyJude is having a terrific time learning about the potential of the medium for education, as is Dean Groom.
Feel free to share any comments and links to other resources about Second Life with the team below.
Until next week!
