Second Life is an uncharted world for most educators. What looks like a game as well as a site with bad press will have a hard time making it into the first life of education. It is the uncertainty and of what is out there that will hold teachers back from using this virtual world to educate their students.
Although there are limitations and restrictions in Second Life, there is a Teen Second Life that is a good alternative for educators. Imagine the logistics of taking a group of students around the world to visit top art museums or to see another country to experience the language first had. To put these trips in place in the classroom, educators can take their students on virtual field trips to see any content that relates to their subject. This can all take place in the classroom within the time of class.
Many Universities are building campuses in Second Life. There is a possibility to have this environment a high school level as well. This tool can be used for classes, staff development and exploration. Even with current drawbacks of speed and resourcefulness, venturing into virtual worlds can be a great way to collaborate in an educational or business setting. It is a new way of communication.
Wesley Field (2007) states it best in his blog “Like Elvis records and the internet, this is inevitable and is something that we need, as educators, to be aware of and understand”.
References
Field, W. (2007, March, 26). Concerns about second life for kids.Message posted to
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