Second Life from Linden Labs has provided an engrossing virtual world for years, but lately educators have been involved in creating a virtual academic world. That lead ReadWriteWeb to wonder why schools haven’t embraced Second Life by now (h/t Brad).
Educators are not totally on board with a virtual classroom and learning environment, sometimes arguing that teleconferencing and instant messaging have made the virtual world unnecessary. And, of course, we know that, at least for now, the best learning environment is the good ol’ face-to-face variety.
But isn’t there value to an online, virtual-world learning environment, in some capacity?
It seems to me that the children of today who are growing up knowing nothing but the world of computers and online engagement will see how to integrate things like Second Life into their educational life. Those of us who are of two worlds – analogue & digital, let’s say – have a harder time letting go of traditional norms and fully embracing and utilizing new technology and media. I don’t mean we aren’t genuine in our efforts, just that our frame of reference – our education – is rooted in a time when, say, virtual worlds didn’t exist. Or at least not like they do now.
So I’m curious, do you see a future in an online learning environment that includes a virtual world? How can we harness the connectedness of the internet to improve education?
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