[SL] Best Practices For Education in Second Life
The following best practices were developed by Global Kids, Inc. through the summer 2006 Camp GK in the teen grid of Second Life. Over four weeks, 15 teens spent three hours a day, five days a week, participating in interactive, experiential workshops about pressing global issues. Over the course of the program the teens picked a topic of concern -- child sex trafficking -- and built a maze to educate their online community and inspire them to take action. In its first eight weeks, the content-rich maze was visited by 2,500 teens, amongst whom over 450 donated money to an international organization committed to eradicating this global crime against children.
Below is a review of general concepts. For more details download the pdf.
Best practices for working in TSL
1. What happens in the teen grid stays in the teen grid.
2. Create multiple places of meaning.
3. If you build it, they will come.
4. Go beyond TSL.
Best practices for bringing a youth development model into TSL
1. Build, build, build!
2. Don’t just build; design and manipulate avatars.
3. Think globally, act locally.
4. Know when teens know best.
Best practices in workshop design and facilitation in TSL
1. Use real world content when addressing real world issues.
2. Don’t wait until someone has the floor to start typing.
3. Don’t fear multiple communication channels.
4. Incorporate processing into the activity, not just as a final step.
Best practices in program design for TSL
1. Employ effective, rigorous, targeted recruitment.
2. Replace the dominant TSL culture with the GK Island culture.
3. Carefully design and build the tools required.
4. Ensure the program is designed for the recruited participants
