My first challenges were to navigate the site. The slowness
of my computer did not help matters. Using the controls was cumbersome. I was
able to visit a number of sites but I did not know what to do. I finally found
the sandbox through search function and visited some of those but I fail to see
the purpose. Areas were either off limits or for profit and I had no idea of
what to build or how. The video I watched was not very helpful.
I can certainly see the allure of 3D virtual worlds in
education. The idea that students could virtually place themselves in any
historical context and interact with historical figures or plumb the depths of
the oceans and travel to distant galaxies, and go along with the “Magic School
Bus” to see their bodies on a molecular level, are all possibilities that need
to be explored. I have not had time yet to examine the other two VW games that
the authors (Kim, volume 5 2012) mention (Active Worlds
and Quest Atlantis p.9) but I will.
In the Journal of Virtual World Research (Kim, volume 5
2012) ,
the authors note in their introduction (p.2); “However, despite the numerous
claims that virtual environments might be beneficial in educational contexts,
the research has yet to offer sufficient practical suggestions on how to apply
virtual worlds in school-based educational settings (Lee & Kim, 2010).”
If what I saw in Second life was any indication of where
virtual world gaming is headed, I would not endorse the use of them by my
students without very strict controls. It was too easy to change the preference
levels and it seemed everything was for sale, even in the non-profit areas that
were visited. Aside from the possible objectionable content, other problems I
encountered was that my graphics card and processor are not fast enough to
enjoy the graphics without some hesitations and stuttering, it was not a smooth
experience. The cost for me to upgrade is not in the budget at this time and I
am sure many school districts would say the same thing about upgrading the
graphic cards on thousands of machines.
Kim, L. &. (volume 5 2012, May). Between Purpose
and Method: A Review of. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 1-18.
Retrieved from http://jvwresearch.org/
Michael, I have to agree with your assessment of Second Life (SL). The site is resource intensive, you need a fast processor, lots of memory, a good video card, and a fast internet, but if you get beyond those, it’s a lot of fun. I could see the possibility of some males in the class going to some of the “objectionable content” as you called it. I think if SL or sites like it was used in the classroom, there would have to be dedicated worlds exclusive to the grade level of the learners.
ReplyDeleteI like your examples of where virtual worlds (VW) could be used; such as interacting with historical figures, traveling to distant galaxies, or seeing their bodies on a molecular level. I think getting beyond some fundamental hurdles, virtual worlds will have a great impact on education in the future.