One of the most exciting concepts that I have learned in this class has been the use of Virtual Worlds and the creation of avatars. Wow! Technology has enriched the lives of consumers in many ways but for instructors to incorporate virtual worlds into their curriculum for student learning is incredible. Who would have thought that students can now meet in a “virtual” world, be able to coordinate outfits, have a cup of java, tour a college campus and meet at the gallery for an art history course. Teachers can use this software synchronously or asynchronously either by setting up self-guided tutorials or meeting with students for a conference.
The concept of Virtual Worlds can be useful for a collegiate setting maybe (not) exclusively but to supplement any course. Nevertheless, there are a few drawbacks such as setup cost, maintenance fee and is time consuming. I think the hardest selling point to instructors would be the time that would be invested in creating an island. On the other hand, it seems that universities such as Texas State, Harvard, Stanford and University of Maryland University College are using Second Life to incorporate learning into their curriculum. After watching the Educational Uses of Second Life video regarding the opportunities that exist for students to interact with other students, I determined that "virtual worlds" are phenomenal. I’m very impressed…
References:
Moody, M., Oh, Y., Boucher, R. Educational Uses of Second Life (video, duration 7:00). Retrieved August 25, 2008, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HA.
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Kim,
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the idea of Virtual Worlds really excited you as you learned more about them! Do you think this is a process you would want to learn how to do? I agree that it would be a lot to undertake and very time consuming; however, it could be fun!
Tiffany
Tiffany,
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy creating the avatar and I think it is a great marketing idea. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time.
Kim