| Background |
| What are they? |
Second Life® - The chosen 'world' |
Second Life offered the project team the best opportunity to customise a world to create a learning environment for meeting competency-based outcomes. Whilst all three virtual worlds examined could be used for communication and team-building learning, Second Life was the only one that allowed the team to quickly, and without many IT skills, create buildings and activities that were theme- and subject-based.
Second Life also offered the project the opportunity to have its own island, where learners could be away from the rest of Second Life residents. As in real life, Second Life participants cannot build or live or remain on another resident’s land unless that resident gives permission. Therefore, if you don’t own land, you can participate only in places and activities already existing within Second Life – and only then if in public spaces or the owners give you permission.
By having a ‘private’ island – invisible to all Second Life residents apart from those invited – the project team could ensure that no strangers or uninvited residents entered.
For the above reasons, Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE (GippsTAFE) chose to buy an island in Second Life in order to enhance the project and provide for ongoing development of virtual worlds as a learning tool.
For some learners, particularly the older ones, this offered great safety. One of the mature-aged ‘painting and decorating’ students really enjoyed working in Second Life but did not feel safe in the wider Second Life community, despite knowing a range of protective strategies.
GippsTAFE pre-paid monthly land taxes on the island for two years, providing a significant opportunity to explore the potential of Second Life fully, before deciding whether to ‘sell’ or keep the island.
Links:
Find out more about Second Life Project: www.secondlife.com
Australian Flexible Learning Framework