Difference between revisions of "Second Life"

Second Life’s capacity to offer immediate presence in its virtual environment is compelling. The education community is now the fastest growing in Second Life, particularly in the groups: Second Life Education (SLED), Healthcare Educators and [http://www.nonprofitcommons.org/ Non-Profit Educators]<ref> [NPSL operate in Second Life through ‘TechSoup’, a web facilitator that aims to lower the barrier of access to this virtual environment for social benefit organisations around the world, creating a virtual sandpit for its interactive community. In offering free office space to qualifying non-profit groups, TechSoup facilitates environments where NPSL can meet virtually and network, create cooperative learning platforms, foster outreach and education, fundraise and explore ways of utilizing the space. A certain degree of infrastructure is in place to ensure these environments are active and participatory. </ref> are leveraging their profiles and aims, sourcing collaborative partnerships, and mapping new connections for support. These sectors see Second Life as a cost effective way-forward in distance learning, with 143 accredited educational institutions, representing 19 countries, already participating in its vibrant, active, and dynamic community.<ref> [Post 1960, generations brought up after the general introduction of digital technology , have a greater understanding of the concepts of Second Life, as they are engaged with interactive virtual games and simulations for long periods of study. As such, they are seen as having different neurological requirements for learning, being more naturally motivated to learn in highly interactive, media intensive virtual environments, than traditional lesson formats. This underpins the importance of implementing strategies in virtual worlds that will greatly facilitate and enhance the delivery and practice of e-learning.</ref>  

There are a number of possibilities to adopt Second Life aspects for strategic engagement in the virtual world, for the benefit of adult learners and non-profit organisations. Whether this is to network, socialise, promote, occupy, facilitate e-Learning, or other activity. The diversity of its activities has the potential to reach people not normally connected to the activities of non-profit organisations, but who come across an event or reference to it embedded in Second Life whilst being virtually interactive.

Evidence suggests that academic engagement, with software created for e-Learning platforms, have begun to merge open-source project tools with Second Life’s virtual environment capabilities. Together they are transforming teaching pedagogies, methodologies and traditional learning environments, presenting a contemporary shift in knowledge exchange and experience.   

 

'''Implementation for Non-Profits'''

Utilising the virtual environment of Second Life, as an instructional tool for e-Learning, provides people with a lived experience of a radically different model of education. Implementation requires that goals, activities, feedback, and consequences be aligned to desired learning outcomes. With sufficient structure and guidance learners can reach instructional goals managed in ways that minimize distractions and extraneous mental load.