Creating a Virtual World Mindset: A Guide for First Time Second Life Teachers

Sharon Stoerger

VOL. 24, No. 3

Abstract

Education technology proponents argue that tech-savvy students want active learning opportunities that enable them to produce, as well as consume, content. Some educators have responded to this rhetoric by appropriating virtual worlds such as Second Life (SL) for teaching and learning. While SL rewards exploration and experimentation, the technology alone is not enough to create a student-centered learning environment. At present, there is little guidance for teaching in these digital spaces. Therefore, many educators who venture into this space rely heavily on teacher-centered approaches. This practical guide is for individuals who want to create effective SL teaching and learning experiences.

Résumé

Les adeptes des technologies de l’éducation argumentent que les étudiants technophiles recherchent des opportunités d’apprentissages actives leur permettant de produire, de même que de consommer du contenu. Certains enseignants ont répondu à cette rhétorique en s’appropriant certains mondes virtuels tels que Second Life (SL) pour l’enseignement et l’apprentissage. Alors que SL récompense l’exploration et l’expérimentation, la technologie ne peut, à elle seule, créer un environnement d’apprentissage centré sur l’étudiant. Actuellement, il y a peu d’encadrement pour l’enseignement dans ces milieux électroniques. Ainsi, plusieurs enseignants qui s’y aventurent misent en grande partie sur des approches centrées sur l’enseignant. Ce guide pratique est pour ceux et celles qui veulent développer des expériences d’enseignement et d’apprentissage efficaces.  

Introduction

Virtual worlds such as Second Life (SL) have the potential to alter the teacher-centered structure found in many schools today. In SL, individuals come together to collaborate and create in a common space. These virtual world experiences also extend the boundaries of the traditional classroom where collective intelligence, as opposed to individual expertise, becomes an important approach. Virtual worlds are typically designed to support real time social interaction; rote learning and “sage on the stage” teacher-centered techniques can be unproductive. Thus, emphasis is placed on the importance of moving toward student-centered approaches – ones that are aligned with constructivist ideals – when engaging in virtual world educational initiatives.

The literature notes the absence of an established pedagogy for digital environments (Levine & Sun, 2006; Natriello, 2005), as well as a lack of pedagogical guidance for teaching in these spaces (Bonk & Cunningham, 1998). While the geographical distance between the teachers and students that the technology affords can encourage student independence (Wedemeyer, 1981), Cousin (2005) asserts that the similarities between the physical and virtual worlds make it possible for teachers never to leave the traditional classroom. In other words, many teachers draw from their physical world classroom experiences (Natriello, 2005). To move away from teacher-centered techniques patterned from behaviorist models, Wedemeyer (1981) argues that a new way of thinking is needed.

However, the technology alone will not cause educators to move away from teacher-centered practices that draw from behaviorist ideals (e.g., Bruckman, 1998; Fanderclai, 1996; Wedemeyer, 1981). As Wilson (1999) contends, it is difficult not to reproduce traditional hierarchies, even in alternative educational spaces. Simply situating a course in SL will not automatically convert the teacher-centered classroom into one where constructivist ideals are the norm. Moreover, SL alone will not transform the learning into something that is relevant to students (Wesch, 2008). Making the shift away from behaviorist ideals that remain prevalent in today’s physical classroom is difficult, even when the teachers embrace the technology.

This is a practical guide designed to help new virtual world teachers get started teaching in SL. Its purpose is to help teachers overcome some of the barriers and frustrations that plague many SL-based courses. The recommendations outlined in this guide are based on observations of SL-based courses, interviews with SL students and teachers, as well as the analysis of the text transcripts that were generated from those courses. SL rewards active learning approaches that encourage exploration of the environment, experimentation with multiple approaches, and participation in immersive experiences. Thus, the recommendations are based on student-centered educational ideals that draw from a constructivist epistemology.

Why Virtual Worlds, Why SL?

In recent years, interest in the educational uses of virtual worlds has grown (de Freitas, 2008). Hundreds of educational institutions have established a presence in SL, and universities have integrated SL into their curricula. These virtual world activities are not solely confined to the space of this digital environment. There is also an active group of educators involved in the Second Life educators email discussion list (SLED) hosted by Linden Lab, the creator of SL and the SL Grid. Further, there are conferences and journals dedicated to virtual worlds and SL. While the use of graphical virtual worlds for educational purposes is not a new concept (Hughes & Moshell, 1997), three-dimensional virtual worlds are powerful in that they have the potential to support active learning, disrupt the physical classroom hierarchy, enable users to construct an identity, and encourage social interaction.

Active Learning

According to Brown (2002), individuals who traditionally produced knowledge (i.e., the faculty) are now becoming consumers of knowledge that the traditional consumers (i.e., students) produce. One feature that makes SL unique is that the content is created by its users. Educators suggest that virtual worlds such as SL are powerful in that they enable students to learn through seeing, knowing, and doing within visually rich and mentally engaging spaces. Moreover, virtual worlds can enable students to learn new practices while they also engage in these and other types of what-if experimentation (Halverson, Shaffer, Squire, & Steinkuehler, 2006). There are benefits for teachers, as well; they can explore and experiment with new learning models in-world that may also influence what takes place in the physical classroom.

Through real-time interactions with other users – also known as “residents” in SL – and with content, students may gain interpersonal and professional skills that will help them outside the virtual world (JISC, 2009). Students can plan by mapping out strategies to overcome challenges and navigate charted and uncharted paths. They also employ intellectual decision-making to explore alternatives or different viewpoints by modifying the visual display—for example, by selecting the avatar’s expression or switching between first- and third-person viewpoints. Further, through a process that is a “combination of context, activities, and action” (Kalay, 2004, p. 196), students are able to create a sense of place.

The “Classroom” Hierarchy

Commonly accepted educational roles and boundaries can become blurred and extended in the virtual world environment. Jenkins, Purushotma, Clinton, Weigel, and Robison (2008) argue that collective intelligence is integral to the in-world experience. These authors draw from the work of Levy (2000), who claims that “in such a world, everyone knows something, nobody knows everything, and what any one person knows can be tapped by the group as a whole” (p. 39). Individuals from around the world can come together to have shared experiences and engage in shared practices. In the context of SL, specifically, everyone is a teacher; everyone is a learner.

Because SL can be disorienting to new users, teachers need to take the time to learn the interface and the culture. Moreover, familiar ways of delivering content (e.g., lectures, rote learning) may not be as effective in SL. Teachers must also learn how to create interactivity between students and the virtual worlds. The role of the students participating in SL changes, as well. In this participatory culture, they must be social, less passive, and acquire virtual world literacy skills.

Identity Formation

Not only do residents of virtual worlds construct the content, but they construct their identity, as well. Individuals construct their identity in virtual worlds through their avatars. These digital, graphical characters can be used in a variety of ways – to greet, signal group identification, interact, and even create feelings of closeness. Stated another way, avatars can foster a sense of the real – one that is corporeal but digital at the same time. In a virtual world like SL, presence is expressed to an individual or to a group through images presented on a computer screen. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for residents to feel that their personal space has been invaded if another avatar gets too close to theirs while in-world.

It is through avatars that individuals come to understand embodiment in virtual worlds (Taylor, 2002). Role playing through an avatar is extremely popular with young people; Jenkins et al. (2008) argue that this form of identity play allows them to understand themselves and those around them. Residents may use the avatar as a way to experiment by relying on stereotypes and caricatures to form their avatar’s personality. While a fixed library of clothing and assorted accessories are available to residents of SL, some individuals spend a considerable amount of time customizing their avatars to present a certain look. Further, the avatar can serve as a type of doppelganger (i.e., double or look-alike).

Social Interaction

Socializing is another way to convey presence and embodiment in virtual worlds. Avatars “speak” through text chat or voice and are also able to display emotions and gestures (e.g., laugh or jump to express happiness, yawn to express boredom, wave to express a greeting). Students can chat with each other in real time, and they can also “see” each other while doing so (Boulos et al., 2007). Virtual worlds provide students and teachers the opportunity for reflection, as well. Chat logs capture spontaneous class discussions automatically; they are free and available to review at any time. According to Nesson and Nesson (2008), the persistence and physical nature of SL can enable educators to create a different type of distance education, which may “permit the creation of a class community in a way that has not previously been possible in distance education” (p. 274).

Avatars attend formal events like weddings, funerals, and class sessions. Virtual world advocates like Cory Ondrejka (2008) – the former Chief Technology Officer at Linden Lab – believe that SL fosters these and other types of ritualistic activities, as well as the development of community and collaboration. Group affiliation can also enhance social interaction. In SL, one of the possible group affiliations is “librarian.” This label often serves as a signal for others to approach the user and ask questions. This affiliation also provides others with a sense of trust; they know and understand what a librarian is about. In this type of learning ecology, the “cross-pollination” of global and local ideas through group interactions and socialization can be powerful (Brown, 2002).

Getting Started with SL

Learn about SL

There are numerous resources available to learn more about education in SL. They can be accessed prior to downloading the SL client and registering for an account. These resources include blogs, online videos, websites, and wikis. A list of specific sites are listed at the end of this guide, but the Second Life website (http://www.secondlife.com) is a good starting point to locate information about SL tasks, frequently asked questions, and SL communities. Details about the system requirements that ensure an optimal SL experience are noted at http://secondlife.com/support/system-requirements/ .

Register for a SL Account

Users are able to join SL by completing the online registration form at https://join.secondlife.com/?lang=en-US. There are three, brief sections to complete: 1) First, Tell Us About Yourself; 2) Next, Create Your Second Life Personality; and 3) Just a Few More Details. To complete the creating an account process, users must agree to the Terms of Service (http://secondlife.com/corporate/tos.php) and the Privacy Policy (http://secondlife.com/corporate/privacy.php).

Create a Free Avatar

The “Next, Create Your Second Life Personality” section of the SL online registration form asks users to create a first name, choose a last name from a predetermined list, and select a starting look. The username includes the first name and last name, which also serves as the login ID. First names are case sensitive and must be 2-31 characters in length and contain only letters and numbers. Once users login to SL, they are able to modify their starting appearance or purchase a new look. This includes skin, clothes, hair, and gender. There is even the option for users to transform their appearance into a non-human avatar such as a solar system, a ferret, or a dragon, just to name a few. While the users’ appearance can change, the username cannot.

Complete a SL Orientation Program

New SL users are initially sent to welcome areas or information regions. Orientation Island is an example of a common starting point. These sections of SL enable newcomers to learn some of the basics of SL such as how to fly and how to change the appearance of the avatar. Users who need additional assistance becoming familiar with the SL environment or simply need a refresher course typically visit one of the many help and how-to sites in SL. A few of the more popular examples include Help Island, Public Orientation Island, and Virtual Ability.

SL Basic Skills

The learning curve in SL is steep, and it requires users to investigate and interact with the environment. Individuals wishing to effectively navigate the SL terrain need to acquire a basic set of technological skills. While the orientation locations serve to provide new users with the start of a foundation, completing one of these programs alone may not be enough. Many individuals come into this world with little or no virtual world experience. For new SL teachers, some advanced in-world preparation is necessary to ensure that the class sessions are not hampered by SL-related difficulties. Once the SL technological skills outlined in Table 1 have been acquired, individuals can use this digital environment at a more advanced level.

Table 1. Basic SL Technological Skills

SL and Student-centered Learning Experiences

Once the SL basic skills have been mastered, teachers should think about ways to create active learning experiences for their SL students (Table 2). In the physical world, the teacher typically has to accept the classroom as given. SL gives teachers the flexibility to modify the space to fit the learning needs of their students. For individuals who want to experiment with teaching and learning in SL, a specific classroom space may not be needed. Rather, the class members could meet in a public area. Sharing SL space with others, renting a section of an island, or buying land are options, as well.

Table 2. Constructing Student-Centered SL Learning Experiences

Not only do the teachers need to acquire SL basic skills, but the students do, as well. Training sessions ensuring that all students have the core competencies will enable them to focus on the class material rather than on the technology. Even when students have completed some form of SL training, questions and problems will arise during class. It can be beneficial to have another teacher present to team teach the course – one teacher leads the sessions while the other teacher works with students who need assistance dealing with non-course related issues. This approach saves valuable class time and helps to ensure that students have a successful experience.

Technical difficulties can thwart an instructor’s plans for the class. Enlisting the aid of an assistant who is well-versed in the technological aspects of SL can be beneficial, as well.

At present, teachers need to select ways to communicate with their students both in-world and out-of-world. In SL, text chat, instant messaging (IM), and voice are options. These media have their strengths and weaknesses, so teachers need to determine which mode will support their educational interactions. Because SL is not an information repository, it may be necessary for some teachers to establish out-of-world forums to communicate with students. Examples include course management systems, discussion groups, and email.

In addition to establishing the form the class communication will take, teachers should develop activities that take advantage of the immersive and collaborative features that the environment affords. Exploring gastric disorders including ulcers and cancer at The Virtual Stomach Museum, building a three-dimensional poster presentation for a final project, or writing scripts that may be used for a classroom scavenger hunt are examples of hands-on activities that promote active student learning. In an active learning situation set in a visually rich virtual world such as SL, the teacher facilitates the learning process. Instructional methods that are more common in the physical world – transmitting facts to students through lectures – do not exploit the affordances of SL and may not be effective in this digital environment.

SL Instructional Tools

Some teachers attempt to create an experience in their classroom through the use of reusable information objects to support the learning process (Table 3). For example, SL teachers can design an information object on a small SL parcel of land that enables students to experience a poem through notecards and soundscapes. The students can read the poem and listen to it simultaneously. Kiosks may be used to create a scavenger hunt experience. Clicking on different portions of the kiosk allow the students to access materials such as novels, stories, movies, and URLs to out-of-world resources. Sandboxes, or a piece of land set aside for residents to practice their building skills, are often recommended to students who ask where in-world they can practice their newly acquired skills.

Table 3. Second Life Instructional Tools Categories

Gifting is a practice used by many SL teachers. In the physical classroom, a teacher may distribute handouts to the students. A similar practice takes place in the SL classroom but with a slight variation. Instead of handing a piece of paper to a student, the SL teacher places information items in the students’ inventory. Notecards, landmarks, images, and scripts are examples of gifts teachers may give to their students. Because appearance is often a discussion point for beginners, clothing items, hair, and heads up displays (HUDs) are other gifts individuals may receive from others.

In SL, these gifts can be given to residents when they are in-world and even when they are not. For students who are not in-world when an item is placed in their inventory, a blue box will appear at the top of the computer screen the next time they log in asking them to accept or discard the item. The gifting practice, however, does not have to take place solely in-world. Items may be shared among students and teachers via external communication media such as email or through postings to an outside discussion forum such as Google Groups. References to out-of-world resources may be gifted, as well. These may be links to information about guest speakers, educational projects, out-of-world communication devices, and instructional videos.

Information management can be difficult in SL. Some teachers choose to use a forum such as Google Groups or the Moodle course management system to facilitate this process. However, adding another medium to the learning equation may create unforeseen problems, particularly for students who are familiar with the medium. Some teachers assume a certain level of computer skill when students venture into SL. However, students may not be familiar with many external communication modes. In cases where students experience difficulties with Google Groups, for example, the teachers may find themselves teaching a class on that forum.

Many educators, particularly in higher educational settings, would not consider their physical world classroom to be an instructional tool. The teacher may be able to move to a different room or reposition the tables and chairs, but not many changes are made to the room itself. That is not the case in SL. The residents have control of the virtual space; teachers can reconfigure their entire SL space as needed or simply adjust a small detail about the learning experience. Teachers may also take their classes to other SL locations. For example, classes discussing natural disasters can visit NOAA’s Tsunami Demonstration where students can experience a virtual tsunami and witness its effects. Students reading the play Macbeth can explore the SL Macbeth island, and the discussion of that work can be conducted in Shakespeare’s Global Theater.

While not designed for educational purposes as such, there are SL-specific tools that facilitate the teaching and learning process. Text chat, IM, and voice are part of the SL system and can be used to assist individuals in navigating the virtual world interface. Group notices, which appear as a blue box upon logging into SL, enable residents to share information with members of a group. Also, the SL menu system can enable residents to control their teaching and learning experience. For example, residents can use the SL World menu option, environmental setting, to adjust their light settings from late night to midday. SL search is another environmental tool that can assist students and teachers in finding employment, events, groups, and land.

Teachers who have been involved with SL for several years may have formed extensive social networks to resources and residents. In terms of resources, teachers may share SL location-based linking or SL URLs (SLURLs) with their students. Clicking on a SLURL will take individuals directly to that location in SL. Instead of taking class time to teleport individual students to the class site, the teacher can post the SLURL in advance, enabling students to transport themselves to that location. This type of activity enables students to practice using SLURLs to transport themselves to different in-world locations.

Referring students to in-world “experts” is another example of social network resources. For instance, teachers who introduce scripting to their students may ask students to thank the author who provided the scripts for free. Another example can be seen when teachers refer students to other avatars. When questions related to buying land, selling virtual products, or establishing an educational presence in SL are raised by students, the teacher may refer them to SL residents who have experience in those areas. Individuals who are attempting to “sell” the idea of SL to their colleagues and administrators may find it beneficial to meet with in-world experts who have successfully accomplished this task.

Wearable information objects are another type of instructional tool, and they come in a variety of forms. They include items such as costumes and other apparel pieces. Some teachers change their appearance for each class period; others are able to modify their appearance during class without disruption. Maintaining a professional look is important to some teachers and their wardrobe often includes a business casual-type of outfit. In contrast, some teachers are more playful with their appearance. During a discussion about using appearance as a teachable moment, the teacher may transform himself into a ferret. For a class on griefing (i.e., actions that negatively disrupt the in-world experiences of another user), the teacher may arrive to class dressed for war. In addition to changing the appearance of an avatar, SL residents may have multiple avatars or alts that serve different instructional purposes. The purpose of the alts may vary. Some users want to experiment with appearance, whereas others wish to match the avatar to certain themes such as Steampunk.

Other wearable information objects include devices such as HUDs and foreign language translators. There are a number of different types of HUDs available in SL. One type of HUD enables residents to alter their movements in a way that differentiated them from SL newcomers – the walking style is efficient and smooth. In addition, HUDs are available that will broadcast text chat and voice simultaneously. Foreign language translators are available in SL, as well. More than 60% of SL residents live in non-English speaking countries (Linden, 2008). Therefore, it is not uncommon to encounter an individual in-world who speaks languages such as French, Turkish, or Korean. Automatic translators work with multiple languages, and many are available for free. In general, these translators enable residents to have a conversation in a wide variety of languages. However, the translator devices only work when residents use text chat; there is no voice equivalent at the time of this writing.

General Considerations

While many of the features available in SL present possibilities for residents, the technology itself can also create complications. First, computers must meet the SL system requirements, otherwise residents may not be able to participate in SL life to the fullest extent. Also, some Internet connections, including dial-up, satellite Internet, and various wireless Internet services are not compatible with SL. Further, graphics cards that are not recommended for use with SL may not work. These high system requirements may prevent some individuals from using SL. For example, Dumbleton (2007) argues that technological requirements can create difficulties, especially given that “dedicated graphics cards are not the norm in school and college computers” (p. 60).

In addition to the system requirements that may serve as a barrier to the virtual world, there are times when SL is inaccessible. Technical difficulties are typically reported on the Second Life Official Blog. The problems may be resolved within a matter of minutes, or residents may not be able to login for several hours. There are times in-world when the SL system freezes and residents have to logout and login again. While the technical affordances can make certain actions possible in-world, the technology can also created difficulties for the residents of SL.

While text chat is typically a more stable communication medium in SL, the technology itself may complicate chat discussions, as well. For example, in SL, it is not uncommon for the system to “crash.” This can cause portions of the conversation to be lost. Additionally, these system problems may block students and even the teacher out of the discussion. Lag – which slows down communication and movement – may also result in the delay of the appearance of messages. These technical difficulties may complicate in-world teaching and learning, however, they are not unique to SL. In fact, similar software and system malfunctions have been reported as frustrations in other synchronous chat environments (e.g., Harmon & Jones, 2001).

Conclusion

Use of graphical virtual worlds for educational purposes is not a new concept. The MUDs of the 1990s, for example, enabled educators to transgress the boundaries of traditional education. Bruckman (1998) observed that the use of educational technologies that enable a more student-centered approach has not resulted in dramatic changes to the teaching or learning process; rather, the opposite has occurred – these technologies tend to be used in very unoriginal and instructionist ways. Most virtual educational spaces simply replicated a physical classroom model (Haynes, 1998). Virtual worlds such as SL are new and unfamiliar territories. There is a learning curve, and simply navigating the space is challenging for some individuals.

Advocates for educational technology argue that SL has the potential to be an effective learning environment. In SL, individuals come together in a shared space and engage in shared practices. The virtual world experiences also extend the boundaries of the traditional classroom where individuals collaborate, cooperate, and network to create knowledge. MUDs and more complex virtual worlds such as SL are designed to encourage interaction. In these digital environments, teachers who adopt a “sage on the stage” approach may be less effective than their counterparts who function as a “guide on the side.” Regardless, as the educators working in MUD environments discovered, it is difficult for teachers to incorporate student-centered practices into their virtual world teaching.
SL is a complex tool that requires effort to master. This world also requires a different mindset on the part of the teachers and the students – one that is open to experimentation and exploration. Simply adding SL to the curriculum is not enough. Teachers and their students must first acquire basic SL skills. Once the SL basic skills have been mastered, teachers can then begin to create active learning experiences for their SL students. This practical guide is design to assist individuals who want to teach and learn in SL.

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Second Life Education Resources

Second Life Discussion Lists

https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators

Second Life Education Wiki

http://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life_Education_Wiki

SL Land

Once teachers have determined their educational space needs, they can find out more at the following: purchasing land (http://secondlife.com/land/index.php); renting land from groups like New Media Consortium (http://virtualworlds.nmc.org/) and EduNation (http://www.theconsultants-e.com/edunation/edunation.asp). On occasion, SL land owning residents provide temporary access to their space for educators who want to try out teaching and learning in SL. Post a note to the SLED discussion list to determine what might be available.

The SL search feature is another way to locate land for sale. However, buyers should be cautious, because some sellers are slum lords – SL landlords who disturb their tenants with unprofessional and questionable business tactics.

Second Life Official Blog (includes reports of system down time)

https://blogs.secondlife.com/community/technology

Second Life Support Portal

http://www.secondlife.com/support

Virtual Ability Island

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Ability/170/99/22

Sharon Stoerger works in the School of Library and Information Science at Indiana University. E-mail: sstoerge@indiana.edu