Second Life

AJ Kelton / AJ BrooksDirector, CHSS Technology Services Unit

College of Humanities and Social Sciences @ Montclair State University

Blending the real and virtual worlds

for a hybrid learning experience

What do you already know about Second

Life?

Why Second Life?

What is Second Life?

Officially Launched in 2003 (beta in 1999)

“Second Life is a 3-D virtual world entirely built and owned by its residents.”

A flexible space for learning and exploration

An opportunity for people to interact in a way that conveys a sense of presence lacking in other media.

Generalized rather than contextual, applicable to almost any discipline, business, industry, etc...

What is Second Life?

Second life is NOT a game - there are no rules or a fixed goal-oriented purpose.

10-15K sign ups daily - over 13 million total

30 - 60K residents on at one time - avg 50K(2000 census puts Montclair and Little Falls at about 50K)

over $1 million spent daily (real US dollars)

Well over 300 educational institutions with thousands of meters of land dedicated to education

A Universe of Virtual Worlds

Platforms

Adult - 22Teen /Tween - 18

“Kids” - 15

55 virtual platforms80.8 million users

Show me the money

“We don't see any slowing in the market adoption of virtual worlds technologies and expect investment in the space to continue. In fact the market is growing significantly, with the rate of adoption of virtual worlds increasing as the technology matures and has more to offer both consumers and enterprise customers.”

Christopher Sherman, Executive Director of Virtual Worlds Manageme

The CHSS Pilot Project

Recreate What Exists

Recreate what exists, differently!

Walk into a story

Always “On” Content

Traditional Spaces

Create Something New

Engage Your Students

The CHSS Pilot Project

ENWR 105:18Introduction to College Writing I

ENWR 105:18

• The technology use was required

• Notification prior to the start of classes (MWB / MWH / MWO)

• Full support from the Department

• Open and Clear Communication

• Email prior to class starting

• Posting syllabus prior to class

• Expectations clearly outlined in syllabus

• Expectation of use

• Expectation of access

ENWR 105:18

Assignments

• Explore NMC’s Orientation Island

• Group work

• Info Island field trip

• Research and share relevant SL places

• Alternate meeting place

• Library research (RL and SL)

• Friends, Groups, and Landmarks

• Final Project: Dorm

Courses

• Jack Baldwin-LeClair (Political Science and Law): Jurisprudence and Cyberlaw

• Patty Keefe-D’Urso (English): 2 section of Introduction to College Writing II

• AJ Kelton (English): 2 sections of Introduction to College Writing I and New Student Seminar

• Laura Nicosia (English): Art of Fiction

• Leslie Wilson (History) : The Study of History and New Student Seminar

What does it take to teach a technology rich

class?• Relevance

• Planning

• Flexibility

• Experimentation

• Research

Challenges

Business

Collaboration

Genome Island

NOAA

Spaceport Alpha and Delta

The Second Louvre

Renaissance Island

DANTE’S INFERNO

The Lost Gardens of

Apollo

San Francesco Assisi

InfoIsland

Princeton

The Sistine Chapel Vassar

Vassar Island

Abbott’s Aerodrome

Kelly Employment Services

?

MUVEing Education Forward

An Unconference for Anyone Interested in Second Life as a Tool for Teaching

and Learning

Monday, June 23rd, 2008University Hall - 7th Floor

8:00am to 3:00pmFree and open to all

http://capricorn.montclair.edu/mediawiki/index.php/MUVEing_Education_Forward

MUVE is a Multi-User Virtual Environment

Second Life

AJ Kelton / AJ Brooks

Blending the real and virtual worlds

for a hybrid learning experience