Getting Started with Virtual Worlds

Getting Started with Virtual Worlds: Second Life for Educators is a four week online course designed for educators who are completely new to virtual worlds and Second Life. Participants will explore what virtual worlds are and experience their educational possibilities through hands on activities in Second Life.

Participants will create and personalize an avatar, install and use Firestorm, learn to walk, run, sit, fly, control the camera, communicate with others, teleport, use landmarks, take snapshots, and explore virtual locations. As they develop these basic skills, they will consider how presence, avatars, interaction, communication, and shared virtual spaces can contribute to teaching and learning.

Learning takes place through Moodle discussion forums and practical experiences in Second Life. Participants will also use AI and other digital tools such as Colossyan and HeyGen to create, document, share, and reflect on their experiences.

Week 1: Introduction to Virtual Worlds and Second Life

Participants are introduced to virtual worlds and Second Life and consider what it means to learn and interact through an avatar. They introduce themselves using an AI video creation tool, create or access their Second Life account, install Firestorm, enter Second Life, and take their first steps with their avatar.

Week 2: My Avatar and Life in a Virtual World

Participants personalize their avatars and learn the basics of communicating and interacting with other people. They practise text and voice communication, movement, camera controls, teleporting, landmarks, and finding their way around Second Life.

Week 3: Exploring Virtual Worlds for Learning

Participants explore selected locations in Second Life and experience what it is like to learn, communicate, and participate with others in a shared virtual environment. They take snapshots and document their experiences, then use an AI or digital tool to create something based on their exploration and share it in Moodle.

Week 4: Showcase and Reflect

Participants create a final digital showcase of their first experiences with virtual worlds and Second Life. They share their avatar, places they explored, experiences with other participants, challenges, discoveries, and memorable moments.

They reflect on what they learned about virtual worlds, Second Life, learning through an avatar, and the potential of virtual environments for education. They also view and respond to their peers' showcases.

The goal is not to turn beginners into Second Life experts in four weeks. It is to give educators enough guided experience that Second Life and virtual worlds no longer feel unfamiliar or intimidating, and they can begin considering how they might use them for learning.