Virtual Worlds

Part of the series ICT for the Non-Specialist

The potential of using virtual worlds in education is explored by both teachers and pupils in this programme.

After joining the Schome project, which investigates how education can work with virtual environments, assistant head Mike Adams is able to investigate the educational benefits of virtual world Second Life.

Pupils at John Hanson School Community School, Andover, also show how they use software to build within virtual worlds.

Steve Thompson from the University of Teeside then works with pupils at Freebrough SE College, Cleveland, as part of a Second Life project to virtually redesign and rebuild Cleveland's Skinningrove Jetty.

Steve also leads a training session for those working in education who want to explore Second Life's benefits for collaborative learning. Head of maths Helen Perkins describes what she sees as the educational benefits of using virtual worlds with pupils in the classroom.

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Comments about Virtual Worlds (7)

HelenMyers on 06 November 2009

I have just watched this video a second time as I am likely to be involved in a project with pupils in Teengrid. I am p ...
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Duration: 15:00 minutes
Published: 15 December 2008
Licence information for Virtual Worlds

Featured in

BETT

Area

ICT for the Non-Specialist

Series

Whiteboard Tips and Techniques

Group

Whole School:

ICT across the school | ICT Learning | Media Literacy | Whole School

Stages:

KS3 | KS4 | Secondary

Roles:

Teacher

Support Materials

Downloads

Publications (Word document)Download (59 Kb)

A list of publications recommended in support of the programme

This Virtual Life: Chris Pim (Word document)Download (81 Kb)

Background on one of the projects highlighted in the programme

Useful websites

Education Guardian: it's a world of possibilities Article discussing the use of Second Life in higher education

Times Online: education Article discussing how universities are using Second Life for teaching and learning

Freebrough: specialist engineering college Website for one of the schools featured in the programme

Virtual Worlds: adventure rock Case study of a virtual world created for children

Online worlds: teaching in second life Evaluation of teaching and learning in virtual worlds

John Hanson community school Website of one of schools featured in programme

South East grid for learning: get a second life Project with the Open University to investigate the potential for online collaborative learning using Second Life

Comments

- HelenMyers
  (Associate)
  
  Second Life
  
  6 November 2009 - 15:46
  I have just watched this video a second time as I am likely to be involved in a project with pupils in Teengrid. I am particularly interested in how we will be able to use the environment to practise languages. If anyone has any particualr advice / projects to share, please let me know! In SL I am Karelia Kondor and I am based in Edunation on the ALL / mflresources plot.... do a search.
  - Report the 'Second Life' comment made by 'HelenMyers'
  - Reply to the 'Second Life' comment made by 'HelenMyers'
- GroovyGuzi
  
  Second Life and Modern Foreign Languages
  
  25 April 2009 - 09:10
  I have written a substantial section on using Second Life in teaching Modern Foreign Languages in Module 1.5 at the ICT for Language Teachers website (ICT4LT):
  
  Section 14.2.1, Module 1.5
  http://www.ict4lt.org/en/en_mod1-5.htm#secondlife
  
  I also manage the Second Life HQ building of the European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL). The building is equipped with facilities for holding meetings and giving presentations, and there is a holodeck on the roof. It is located on the EduNation III island, next door to the site of the new CALICO HQ (under construction):
  
  http://slurl.com/secondlife/EduNation%20III/9/29/22/
  
  EUROCALL and CALICO (USA) have recently teamed up to form a joint Virtual Worlds Special Interest Group (VW SIG) for teachers of Modern Foreign Languages:
  
  http://www.eurocall-languages.org
  http://www.calico.org
  
  Graham Davies
  Emeritus Professor of Computer Assisted Language Learning
  http://grahamdavies.wikispaces.com
  - Report the 'Second Life and Modern Foreign Languages' comment made by 'GroovyGuzi'
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- leoncych
  
  Learn 4 Life Island
  
  31 January 2009 - 15:05
  I also have an Island in Second Life - I'm currently orienting teachers in SL and we have a Holodeck project mentioned by Chris which will be launching in March 2009 - so if you're interested in getting involved details here (including film of the holodeck).
  
  http://www.l4l.co.uk/?p=188
  - Report the 'Learn 4 Life Island' comment made by 'leoncych'
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- rikomatic
  
  a good introduction
  
  13 January 2009 - 16:49
  For those with no background in virtual worlds, this is a nice introduction for educators. Thank you for sharing this.
  - Report the 'a good introduction' comment made by 'rikomatic'
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- csmith9
  (Associate)
  
  Indexing Second Life for Educators in Second Life itself
  
  12 January 2009 - 17:31
  Indexing Second Life for Educators in Second Life itself ...
  
  I'm doing this on International Schools Island (isi) in three towers ... Information, Technology and Curriculum (Towers) ... and a Medical Centre.
  
  SLURL (how you get there) is
  http://slurl.com/secondlife/International%20Schools/64/90/24
  or
  http://tinyurl.com/2o44dw
  
  There is also a Blog that archives the initial building and ongoing development of International Schools Island at
  http://internationalschoolsisland.info
  
  More general information about Second Life and Virtual Worlds for teaching and learning can be found at http://www.shambles.net/secondlife
  
  Lots more to say but I'll finish this by mentioning that there is also a Holodeck on isi that works in exactly the same as in Star Trek ... if only we had these in Real Life classrooms !
  
  Shamblesguru Voom (in SL)
  Chris Smith in RL
  - Report the 'Indexing Second Life for Educators in Second Life itself' comment made by 'csmith9'
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- stmedia
  
  The Skinningrove Jetty Project
  
  10 January 2009 - 11:36
  The Skinningrove Jetty Project has moved on since the program was made. You can find out more (including pictures of the designs the students made) at http://www.jettylaunch.wikispaces.com
  
  Steve Thompson
  Community Engagement Coordinator
  Institute of Digital Innovation
  University Of Teesside
  E- s.d.thompson@tees.ac.uk
  - Report the 'The Skinningrove Jetty Project' comment made by 'stmedia'
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- PeterTwining
  
  Finding out more about the Schome Park Programme
  
  10 January 2009 - 10:48
  If you would like to find out more about the Schome Park Programme then visit the Schommunity website at http://www.schome.ac.uk/ or go directly to http://www.schome.ac.uk/wiki/Schome_Park
  - Report the 'Finding out more about the Schome Park Programme' comment made by 'PeterTwining'
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