A Second Life?

Second Life. That name perked my interest in the discussion that we had today in MAE812. It is about a virtual world.

I was initially confused about the idea of learning in technology. What did it mean? How can I learn in technology? The term often used was 'learning with technology'. I understood that as much as that has been the way I have been teaching to my students. I have used Audacity to help my students learn to speak and pronounce. That's learning with technology.

I went on the web to find out more about it and below are links to three articles regarding this virtual world.

http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article-southeastasia.asp?parentid=77713
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=76368
http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=72990

All three are newspaper articles. Each of them very different.

The first is about how junior colleges and polytechnics in Singapore have used this virtual world to help students become more meaningfully engaged in their General Paper (GP) lessons through the realistic discussions or real world scenarios. It was a point raised by Phillip in today's discussion. Immersing students in this virtual world helped them to be able to see and experience situations that could previously only be a pigment of their imagination. Issues of poverty, environmental concerns, starvation when discussed in GP lessons are based on ideas that are generated from a student who is not able to see the actual situation. I can recall with clear trepidation how much I abhore GP lessons. Lessons were dry and my tutor expected us to be experts about issues that we have never dealt or experienced. With a virtual reality world, this could change tremendously. Ideas could developed more easily and a more active and lively exchange can happen in the virtual world unlike a two-way conversations in a classroom situation.


The second is about how three government bodies have bought stakes in the virtual world. Each government body may have their own agenda in pursuing a plot in cyberspace. My two cents on this is that they may have aspired to be ahead of the game when cyberspace overtakes the world wide web in the next decade. My hope is that by being more aware of the action in cyberspace, these agencies will also be more prepared in tackling the negative aspects of virtual reality.

The third aricle is the most interesting to me as it talks about the advanced world that exists. It is a revelation of how far behind I have been in keeping myself updated of the virtual world and cyberspace which may even be far more advanced that the 'real world' we live in. Imagine! A world that has 7.6 million residents buying and selling in their virtual homes, in their second life. It also speaks of the unsavoury elements that exists and its laws. However, inorder not to tamper with creativity, each different countries is left with their own interpretations of what is illegal in their own virtual world.

I have to stop here. It is really overwhelming to learn of how ignorant I have been. It is going to be a challenging task to work with such advances. It is absolutely frightening. I need a SECOND LIFE!