Virtual+Worlds

=2007 Research - What is Second Life?=

//"[|Second Life] is a 3D online digital world imagined, created and owned by its residents."// The platform is developed by Linden Lab. Residents engage in a range of activities including socialising, attending musical events, playing games & sports, dancing, shopping, running businesses, building structures, scripting objects, attending meetings and presentations and undertaking training and education.
 * [|Wikipedia entry on Second Life]
 * [|Video - Introduction to Second Life]
 * [|Slideshow - Education Redefined in a MUVE: Education in Second Life]

=What I have learned in Second Life:= Initially there was a it of a learning curve for me and I really needed a guide, I needed some direction, a tour... Second Life is a very addictive environment for me, there's lots to explore, lots to learn, and lots of people wanting to share knowledge. It's been a great place to test alternative communication styles, to network with colleagues, educators and virtual librarians.

Once you're in, you've been shopping and dressed up your avatar, you need to prepare yourself to attend meetings, conferences, workshops or lectures. What I mean by this is you need to get into top gear, there's a lot going on in here, there's instant messaging, chatting and controlling your avatar (//having attended a number of workshops and meetings in Second Life, for me, the presenter, lecturer needs to be animated, just like in real life, nothing worse than someone just standing there talking//). When I started there was no audio capability, now this option has been thrown into the mix and people use headsets as well as chat, which is great because it caters for everyone and their communication style.


 * What else do I need?** A network. Learning doesn't really happen for me if I don't have a network of friends in here too. It's great to catch up with friends in here, great to attend classes with someone you know, a colleague, someone you can chat to on the side, share ideas with.


 * Facilitation change.** What was really interesting for me, was to attend a class in Second Life, to learn from a facilitator that has been doing this for a while. To experience learning as a student and think about the difference in the experience and how I would apply my teaching style to this environment.

Here are five things to keep in mind when getting started with teaching and learning in Second Life;
 * 1) **Engage**: When facilitating in Second Life, you can't just lecture people, you need to connect with them - engage them. It's quite different learnign in this environment than doing an online course in a static, solitary environment, Second Life is a platform to interact with people.
 * 2) **Add Value**: You need to value add, to build a community. Holding a one-off event wont be as successful as adding to the existing community. Second Life is very community focused. Make sure you check out the educational community of [|Jokaydia].
 * 3) **The Backlash**: The media often builds things up and tears them down, praising new things and the minute something bad happens, watch out! You've seen it happen to celebrities, Social Networks (like myspace and Facebook) and probably Second Life as well. Propaganda! In 2006 SL was praised as revolutionary. In 2007 there was a complete turn around. Yet 1/2 a million people use SL regularly and this number is growing.
 * 4) **The Dark Side**: The common theme in the media in reports about Second Life is sex, vandals and perverts! These reports are overblown and this scene is totally avoidable. Sexually oriented areas take up less than 18% of land in SL. You really have to go looking for it. As in real life, you just have ti be smart, keep your distance.
 * 5) **Beta Technology**: As with any new technology, SL is prone to crashes and bugs, but is continually upgraded and always improving. It's still a niche area, although it boasted 8.7 million residents in August 2007 (estimates of 495, 000 active users). 114 million people visited myspace in June 2007. One day we'll all look back on virtual worlds and comment on how clunky they were.

=Second Life Statistics=


 * Statistics (April 2007):** * Total accounts: over 6 million
 * Active users: approx. 600,000 (10% total)
 * Premium (paid) accounts: approx. 80,000
 * Peak concurrency: approx. 40,000
 * Average concurrency: approx. 25,000
 * New signups a day: approx. 25,000
 * Age: average is 30 (was 37 in 2006) with approx. 16% over 55
 * Gender balance: 60% are men, 40% are women

New Statistics - 26 June 2007

 * **Total residents** (=unique avatars) - 7 609 806
 * **Logged in last 60 days**: 1 759 370
 * **Online at any one time** : around 30 000
 * Resident figures are contentious.
 * Slightly more men than women
 * **Average age is in 30s or older**
 * Not the only online virtual world - eg. ( [|There], [|ActiveWorlds] or for kids, [|Club Penguin)]


 * In October 2007;**
 * **Total residents** (=unique avatars) - 10,043,250

Check out the full list of online virtual worlds with examples: Virtual Worlds Resources - Jo Kay and Sean FitzGerald Check out some of the TAFE projects in Second Life -[| http://www.flickr.com/photos/jokay/]
 * [|Second Life as a Virtual Learning Environment]
 * http://del.icio.us/secondlife/education
 * http://www.wit.wikispaces.net/virtual_worlds_immersion_1

from Jo Kay's collection...
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Some Interesting Reading

 * [|experience auditory and visual hallucinations like those experienced by schizophrenic patients]
 * [|trained architects designing and experimenting within Second Life]
 * Other education examples and screenshots

= = =More Resources=

Beginners Guides

 * JoKay & Sean Fitz have everything you need on this page of their SL wiki.
 * [|System Requirements]
 * [|More Guides & Downloads]
 * [|Tutorial Videos from Torley]

Blogs

 * [|sledpicatune] - Second Life Education Group
 * [|jokay] - actively exploring Second Life in education
 * [|Aussie Second Life news source]
 * [|New World Notes]

Wikis

 * [|Second Life Best Practices in Education]
 * [|jokay and sean fitz] explore Second Life in eduation - **a Wiki worth visiting**, loads of educational resources, SL Guides, newbie tips and check out the [|uses in education] list. While you're there, have a look at Jo & Seans calendar of upcoming educational events they are running in SL.

“designer” Freebies and cheap Clothing in SL! || * [|The Avatar as a New Literacy]
 * ===Virtual Identity=== || ===SlideShare=== || ===Videos=== || ===Flickr=== ||
 * [|StyleDisorder] - list of some of the best
 * [|SecondLife: A Real World Change>]
 * [|3D Virtual Worlds for Education] || * [|Second Life Introduction - video]
 * [|Second Life Video Tutorials] || * [|2007 SL Best Practices in Education Conference]
 * [|Second Life] - general shots ||

My thoughts about Second Life in Education
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News Items
[|Stardoll] - Kids socialize in a virtual world as avatars - 04/06/07

Places to go
http://www.waxlyrical.net/blog/?p=255 - Lists some places to go in Second Life