MUVEin' on Over: Exploring the Pedagogical
Challenges of Second Life in Higher
Education
Sarah “Intellagirl” RobbinsPurdue Serious Games – October 2007
Mechanics
Form
Examples
Why is SL important for education?
Prensky: “they [today’s “game generation”] want to be to be treated as “creators and doers” rather than “receptacles to be filled with content.”
“Play at being a critic. Deconstruct the game in order to play with it. Instead of accepting the rules, challenge and modify them. Without the freedom to critique and reconstruct, there is no truly free game; we are addicts and nothing more”
Virilio and Sans qouted in Rouzie
Gregory Bateson: play parodies, not reality, but an idea or image of reality held by the players (Rouzie)
Selfe and Selfe: Interfaces express a limited set of options for self-
representation, expression, and interaction, shapes the kinds of identity and modes of communication that are
possible.
Second Life Strengths
Flexible Identity
Stigmergic, Collaborative Environment
Global, Persistent Community
Low Entry Costs
Learning curve
Challenges
• Students and Faculty may find difficulties in the interface prohibitive to learning
• Some students and faculty may find themselves uncomfortable in the space
Advantages
• Students and Faculty can be partners in teaching how to navigate the space
• Parallels between discomfort in the space and acquisition of new knowledge can be drawn
Flexible Identity
Challenges
• Students and Faculty take risks with their identity expression
• Faculty might experience “Image Slippage”, lose their position of control, lack of privileged position
• Difficult identity decisions must be made to establish credibility
Advantages
• Students and Faculty take risks with their identity expression
• Faculty might experience “Image Slippage”, lose their position of control, lack of privileged position
• Difficult identity decisions must be made to establish credibility
Learning Space Fluctuations
Challenges
• Students and Faculty may feel overwhelmed by the environment’s rate of change
• Reuse of favorite spaces may not be possible
• Frequent software updates
Advantages
• Constantly added content provides new exploration and study
• Students can be charged with exploring and evaluating spaces for use by the class
Sarah “Intellagirl” [email protected]
AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Skype: Intellagirl
Intellagirl.comUbernoggin.com