Our ailing national economy, along with our students’ increasingly enthusiastic embrace of new technology is presenting a need for new education delivery methods. Enter Second Life, the rapidly expanding online virtual world. Second Life, if you have not yet acquainted yourself with it, is a free online service that allows users to explore, build, learn, communicate, socialize, teach, shop – well, the possibilities are only beginning to reveal themselves. But for our purposes, The SCS Media Arts and Journalism department will take a proactive approach to researching and planning the use of emerging 3D virtual world platforms as learning environments and teaching tools.Tulane University already has a substantial presence on Second Life. The School of Continuing Studies has its own region on Second Life.
The header photo you see above this story is our new Media Arts and Journalism Building on Second Life. Additionally, I now have a virtual office (right) in the administration building, also located on the SCS “Island.” I am currently working with our SCS resident Second Life guru, Dr. Kay McLennan, to determine how we might best accomplish two aims:1. How can we design educational programs in Media Arts and Journalism that utilize the best of what 3D virtual platforms have to offer? Interestingly enough, more than 200 universities are already using second life either as a teaching environment or as a supplement to their traditional classrooms. Recently, I joined a Second Life Educators listserve, so that I can network with others who are doing what I am doing – learning as we go. In the coming months, I will be actively communicating with forward-thinking teachers and administrators at other colleges and universities who are similarly exploring the most appropriate and productive uses of 3D Virtual learning environments.
2. How can we teach our students how to use Second Life, so that when we incorporate it into our existing educational environment, they are ready to use it? Further, how can we teach our students the practical applications of 3D virtual worlds in business, industry and corporate America? I see a real need to take a proactive approach in this direction, because American business already uses Second Life and similar platforms in the free enterprise system. Mercedes Benz will introduce a new vehicle exclusively on Second Life. Major corporations with household names already have significant presence on Second Life. One European bank already requires all of its management employees to have their own individual presence on Second Life. This year, the bank will hold its annual conference virtually, rather than in a traditional convention format. These are just a few of the advancements in business as they relate to the use of 3D virtual environments. With this in mind, I have already discussed with Dean Richard Marksbury, my plans to offer a course in 3D virtual platforms in 2010. Dean Marksbury is supportive of this plan. We are in the preliminary stages of planning this, but I want you to be aware of it, and I actively encourage your participation in the brainstorming process.
If you are already a Second Life user, please take some time to explore our SCS Island on Second Life. Two of our instructors, Carrie Lee Schwartz and Joely Corbin, already have some of their students’ design work displayed in one of our buildings.
If you are not a Second Life user, please be aware of the hardware requirements that will enable you to use Second Life on your computer. Click here to see those requirements.
If you just want to quick overview of what Second Life is all about, click here.
The greater Tulane University community is slowly being introduced to 3D virtual learning environments. This coming Fall, Dr. McLennan hopes to teach a TIDES course to introduce business transformations taking place as a result of new 3D virtual world platforms. Meanwhile, please take a few minutes to watch this video about how the worldwide educational community is beginning to adopt Second Life as a credible teaching environment.
Also, you may want to read about how Texas State Technical College now offers a certificate in Digital Media using Second Life as the primary delivery method. Things are moving fast.
I will keep you posted on our plans to incorporate 3D Virtual world technology into our curriculum, and I’d appreciate any input or ideas you have in that regards.
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