Sarah Robbins (SL: Intellagirl Tulley, http://www.secondlife.intellagirl.com/, “Second Life for Dummies”) gave a wonderful keynote on how to –successfully- introduce Second Life into the classroom.
The key elements in here view was to clearly define the promise of the program, the tool used for the program, and the bargain between the teacher and the students.
Before using Second Life in the classroom )or any tool), the teacher introducing the tool should make clear the –promise- of the tool…what the tool adds that would not be available without the tool. For instance, if part of the class were to role-play a doctor/patient relationship, Second Life allows the participants to actually dress as doctor and patient.
The second element, the tool, should be able to fulfill that promise. Second Life is young technology and certainly had it’s share of problems, but provides a series of experiences that are unique to its environment. And right now it still seems to be the most accepted tool in its niche.
The third element, the bargain, is critical. Many of the failures of Second Life as a teaching tool come from the student expecting to be told what to do rather than expecting to be participatory (the “is it going to be on the test” syndrome).
She was really and excellent speaker, one of those that makes you feel as though you’re just having a chat.
--dd-
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