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” Robbinsintellagirl@gmail.com

AIM, MSN, Yahoo, Skype: Intellagirl

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