Second Life

My initial experience with Second Life was not a great one. Confusion, frustration and anxiety are just a few words I can use to describe the experience. Like most things, it took some investigating and getting used to. I am proud to report that I have become a fan of Second Life for social networking. Can Second Life be used in the classroom? Yes it can, for those students who 1) are visually able, have fine motor control, and can physically and mentally attend for long periods of time. Second Life is beyond a doubt, a social networking tool and definitely not a tool one might use to teach an eight year old a lesson on how 1 plus 1 equals 2. My concentration is early childhood education and unfortunately I give Second Life, a PG-13 rating. Since the average user is male and 39 years of age, it is simply not the place for children in this day and age. Conversely, Second Life could expose the hearing impaired or physically disabled young adult/adult who might not normally socialize with his or her peers outright, to the virtual world where their disability does not hinder his or her ability and does not influence how others react to and treat them. Second Life guarantees anonymity and affords the disabled the opportunity to exist in a virtual world where they can escape their reality for a time. This can be a truly liberating experience for them and anyone else seeking a little "freedom".




I found some interesting press on Second Life in the New York Times recently. SL is definitely being used in different ways.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22Avatar.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=second%20life&st=cse

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/fashion/22Avatar.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=second%20life&st=cse.