Virtual worlds and Second Life
These are online graphical environments inhabited by multiple users who interact using characters called avatars. Virtual worlds mimic features of the real world, such as gravity, topography, and communication. Many of these online places exist for the purpose of gaming, as in the example of World of Warcraft.
Second Life is primarily a social virtual world. It has an internal economy that allows users to buy and sell with virtual currency that can be traded in for real dollars. All of the content in Second Life was created by users and, unlike a video game, all of the characters one sees online are operated by human beings.
Use in teaching & learning
A virtual world provides the opportunity to build objects and places that don't exist in reality, be they from distant past, near future, or pure imagination. Foreign language students can meet up with native speakers of the target language.
At Notre Dame, the library skills course has been exploring use of interactive learning modules in Second Life. Nearby, the College of Engineering used a mockup of the new Stinson-Remick building to visualize possible learning spaces.
NotreDame info
The University does not officially support any particular virtual world. However, a group representing faculty, the Kaneb Center, OIT, and the library has been exploring the potential of Second Life to enhance student learning. They have built a series of proof-of-concept projects on the island of Sophia in Second Life.
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