Ok, first things first. I've been doing my reading, but I did not have internet access for 4 nights, and last night I was too exhausted from heat and driving ALL day long to even think about posting. So I will spend the next few nights doing double duty and creating more than one post: a way to kind of catch up and stay true to my original plans. With that said, let's move on to the next reading.
"Role Play Study in a Purchase Management Class" by Bjorn Jaeger addresses a very interesting use of Second Life: teaching students how to become more affective buyers in the business world. Jaeger argues that developments of virtual worlds like Second Life have enabled the design of more sophisticated on-line role play environments which both mimic real world environments more closely than before, and which go beyond what is possible in real world domains. Role play has high learning value in educational domains where skills such as critical thinking, group, communications, debate and decision making are of high importance" (116). He goes on to discuss how SL meets the four requirements of Media Richness Theory and gives examples of each (117-120).
Jaeger also discusses on how SL exceeds the use of video conferencing stating as one reason the fact that "all participants observes [sic] the same virtual environment in which they can easily group themselves according to team membership and their role in the meeting in the same way as in real life" (120).
I am finding that one recurring theme for the use of SL in education is the feel of proximity that it gives users. You begin to feel that you are in close proximity to other users via avatar. This is something that is missing in any type of video conferencing. Another recurring theme which I have not touched on much is the ability to invite outsiders into the learning environment. In this instance, Jaeger was able to invite experts from major corporations who are familiar with the buying process and what is necessary to complete a transaction.
While we might not be slaying literal virtual dragons with this type of role play, we are slaying metaphorical dragons (the naysayers of virtual worlds for educational purposes). Perhaps one day, they too will be nothing more than a myth, a bad memory.
"Role Play Study in a Purchase Management Class" by Bjorn Jaeger addresses a very interesting use of Second Life: teaching students how to become more affective buyers in the business world. Jaeger argues that developments of virtual worlds like Second Life have enabled the design of more sophisticated on-line role play environments which both mimic real world environments more closely than before, and which go beyond what is possible in real world domains. Role play has high learning value in educational domains where skills such as critical thinking, group, communications, debate and decision making are of high importance" (116). He goes on to discuss how SL meets the four requirements of Media Richness Theory and gives examples of each (117-120).
Jaeger also discusses on how SL exceeds the use of video conferencing stating as one reason the fact that "all participants observes [sic] the same virtual environment in which they can easily group themselves according to team membership and their role in the meeting in the same way as in real life" (120).
I am finding that one recurring theme for the use of SL in education is the feel of proximity that it gives users. You begin to feel that you are in close proximity to other users via avatar. This is something that is missing in any type of video conferencing. Another recurring theme which I have not touched on much is the ability to invite outsiders into the learning environment. In this instance, Jaeger was able to invite experts from major corporations who are familiar with the buying process and what is necessary to complete a transaction.
While we might not be slaying literal virtual dragons with this type of role play, we are slaying metaphorical dragons (the naysayers of virtual worlds for educational purposes). Perhaps one day, they too will be nothing more than a myth, a bad memory.
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