Second Life: is it safe? What is it?

I have known about Second Life for a while now, but what with other things being of more importance and my own reluctance to get hooked in there, I have put it off. A web designer friend of mine however has been using SL for some time and loves it. What’s more she makes real money out of it.

I was wondering how students may be able to use it and avoid all the bad press SL has had, so I asked my friend to write a short article about it.

Firstly, for a more detailed explanation of it read the wiki definition of Campus : Second Life and explanation.

This is what she said. I asked her to direct the article to teachers as many of you are of that persuasion.

“I’m often asked why I spend time in an online game. Firstly, Second Life is not a game. Its roots can be traced back to games such as The Sims, but SL is a new form of online interaction, a social environment where you can be who you want to be, a platform to examine, redefine and experiment with identity, a virtual world where everyone is beautiful and I am in complete control.

Second Life is part of a broader trend towards user-generated content, (pundits predict 80% of internet users will be in virtual worlds within four years) and for educators it’s a startling innovation in interaction and expression. Compared to distance education and traditional forms of online learning the 3D globally networked virtual classroom has endless possibilities. Often online learning doesn’t require much engagement with course material, but in Second Life there is real-time interaction, which means students need to engage in the discussion. And the interaction is genuinely exciting.

The Teen Second Life Grid is strictly for teens (13-17), with no adults allowed. Both worlds are separate from each other, and no inworld travel or communication is possible between them. For educators who work with Teens, Linden Labs clearly state ” there is the opportunity to buy a private island on the Teen Grid and participate, but you will not be able to leave that island and visit the Teen Grid mainland. Teens from the mainland will be able to visit your private island if/when you choose, but they will be automatically informed that there are adults present. Also, if you are planning to use a private island on the Teen Grid, you will need to provide a background check for security and safety reasons.

But it’s not all about expanding your brick and mortar classrooms for a science lab on Mars or a thatched hut in fourth century Britain, learning is a constant factor in Second Life. My happier experiences include coming to grips with Feng Shui and understanding the physics behind surfing waves. It’s give and take n the virtual world. I teach you, and you teach me, that’s the basic principle in the Second Life Community”.

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Written by Susanna Duffy, virtual assistant.   Smooth stuff is where you can find her if you want her help.

Recently Susanna has become a prolific Lens master at Squidoo

Susanna is an excellent writer and is very conscious of educational issues.

If you are worried still about kids being where they should not be, in SL, keep your credit card safe.

SL is one of the many new Web 2.0 second generation web sites. They are interactive, social and have much user content, like wikipedia.

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