Would you like a Second Life? (Disruptive Technologies)

I fell in love with Second Life about a year ago. At first, I was introduced to it by a friend who had explored the virtual world and had begun to attend classes to learn about building objects and creating textures for various virtual world activities. His Halloween haunted house and animated decorations were totally awesome! He has since built a couple of houses, boats, chairs, designed clothing, and assisted others in their journey to learn the skills of creating animated objects.

After seeing what he was doing, I automatically began to wonder how Second Life could be used for educational purposes. Since budget cuts were beginning to have a major effect on field trips and other extracurricular activities, I decided to investigate Second Life as an educational tool and Library Migpalion (my avatar) came into existence.

I must say that I was overcome by the social aspects of Second Life and the escape and maybe the reverting back to childhood feeling that I had upon entering the world. I went shopping! My friend bestowed some Lindens (money) upon my avatar account, so that I could purchase some clothing and not look like a "newbie." I was able to create my own personality, walk, body shape, hair, eye color, and anything else you could imagine. I can not only be a human, but I can change to other forms as I wish. The possibilities are unlimited!

But, I digress. The educational prospects are also unlimited and I began to explore those. I was taking one of the previous Ed Tech courses at Walden when I began to really think about Second Life as an educational tool. I created a video for my final project in the course with my avatar and a compilation of other information that presents Second Life as an educational tool and introduces a keynote speaker.

As a disruptive technology, Second Life brings more to technology than the original gaming idea for which it was intended. Linden Labs has created a community that is ever evolving and the possibilities are amazing. Second Life is disruptive because it incorporates so much more than an interactive game or 3D experience. It is a place to socialize, work, explore, and learn.

Many major companies have a presence in Second Life, and as you will see when you view my video, there are virtual field trips that allow you to view the inside of a Dell computer and many other similar experiences. Colleges have locations within Second Life. You can attend church with live streaming video. Conferences and classes are available. You can set up a business. There is no way for me to list all the qualities and opportunities that Second Life offers.

As for the world of Education and other opportunities that Second Life makes possible, I would like to refer you to another video that I found that is touching and thought provoking. This video focuses on those with special learning needs who may not be able to leave their homes. For them, Second Life allows the opportunity to live as they may not be able to live in the real world. It opens doors for social interaction they may not have without it.

I believe the following video explains how special Second Life is and how it does so much more than other similar applications. I don't think that Second Life will be replaced for a long time. I believe it will be enhanced and continue to grow, but I don't think it will become obsolete for a while.

A Second Life in Second Life


Cynthia Harrison