Presentation made quarterly to the Teaching and Learning Centers at Portland Community College to explain to instructors what Second Life is from an academic standpoint, and why they may be interested in exploring it in their teaching and learning.

1. What is Second Life?
...and, how is it being used in
teaching and learning?

2. Welcome!
Monica Martinez-Gallagher
Instructional Multimedia Specialist
Curriculum Support Services
50 minute presentation
-15 minutes for questions
Presentation References are available on the handout.

3. Link to Campus SL Movie

4. Second Life is...

5. The Metaverse
"The term metaverse comes
from Neal Stephenson’s 1992
novel Snow Crash , and is now
widely used to describe the
vision behind current work on
fully immersive 3D virtual
spaces. These are environments
where humans interact (as
avatars) with each other
(socially and economically) and
with software agents in a cyber
space, that uses the metaphor of
the real world, but without its
physical limitations."
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaverse

6. Other Places in the Metaverse

7. a 3-d Environment...

8. ..a whole world, in fact...

9. Where people use Avatars

10. ..to interact with each other...
from http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2155113860&size=o

11. ..and build persistent spaces...

12. ..using real-world metaphors...

13. ...creating objects...

14. ..that they own the creative rights to..
from http://www.slideshare.net/HVX.Mica/second-life-education-in-a-virtual-world-slidecast

15. and can trade for Linden, the local currency
1 $ USD = 266 L$

16. Socializing & Community Building
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=218975557&size=l

17. ..to start and join groups...

18. to explore...
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2104119317&size=l

19. ..share imagination...
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2108895941&context=pool-
380688@N20&size=o

20. ...and learn.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?
id=635524780&size=l

21. Why use Second Life for education?

22. movie: What is Second Life?

23. Defining the Problem
Drop out Rates in online classes are 10-20 % higher than in face to
face classes (Carr)
Students involved in distance education report that they feel isolated
and disconnected (Kerka, Twigg, Besser)
http://flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/1403332724/in/set-72157602071394385/

24. Chickering and Gamson's 7 Principles
For Good Practice in Undergraduate Education:
1. Encourages contact between faculty and students
2.Develops Reciprocity and cooperation amongst students
3.Encourages active learning
4.Gives Prompt Feedback
5.Emphasizes time on task
6. Communicates High Expectations
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

25. Encourages Faculty/Student Contact
from http://flickr.com/photos/kqedquest/1403332724/in/set-72157602071394385/

26. Develops reciprocity & cooperation
amongst students
from http://flickr.com/photos/garyhayes/310171635/

27. Encourages active learning

28. Gives prompt feedback
from http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=473319574&size=o

29. Emphasizes time on task
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=749755166&context=set-72157600103187148&size=o

30. Communicates high expectations
from http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=481802006&context=set-72157600103187148&size=o

31. Respects diverse talents and ways of
learning.

32. Rovai's Seven Qualities for building a sense
of community at a distance:
1. Transactional Distance
2. Social Presence
3. Social Equality
4. Small Group Activities
5. Group Facilitation
6. Teaching Style and Learning Stage
7. Community Size

33. Defining The Solution
"Feeling a part of a community of learners has a direct impact, not
only on retention , but also on student's perception of successful
university experiences." (Wellman, Wehlage)
quote from http://www.slideshare.net/intellagirl/engagement-in-second-life-learning

35. ALL of its' affordances, AND...

36. NMC Horizon Report

37. Less theory, more action!
How is Second Life currently being
used in higher education?

38. Science!

40. "Watch The World"
by Robbie Dingo

41. A few more examples...

42. Architecture

43. Humanities

44. Atmospheric Sciences

45. Political Science

46. Awareness & Activism

47. Higher Ed's SL presence: a partial list
from http://simteach.com Wiki

48. Next Steps:
-Get a Second Life Account
-Join the SLED List
-Join the PCC.EDU and OCCDLA Groups in Second Life
-Explore the simteach.com Wiki

50. Questions?
http://flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2104067335&size=l