EDTEC700MULE

This website lists virtual campuses, science and health, and Second Life skills.

Great example of middle school student created projects on Teen Second Life. Note how sixth graders hire 8th graders using Lindens and project manage collaborative problem solving. Doable, highly engaging and tied to core content.

A great video with awesome flow and experiential rationale in its explanations. Emphasizes the engagement factor related to students' technical skills. Discusses enhancement and role playing. Check out "smoodle" segment... around 4:10. It showcases the value of SL through locations, tools, and more.

I looked this up to help complete this weeks COMET 2 assignment. SEARCH notecards It made it really clear.

See page links as well at Viewer 2.0 box top right with MORE links.

Ning site is dedicated to teachers exploring the potential of using MUVEs for teaching and learning about Social Studies. This is the group Virtual Pioneers in Second Life. Many links to great educational projects for K12 teachers and ISTE.

Stellar design! A detailed and fantastic virtual world educational environment/activity design now being developed by U of Oregon for K12 teachers attending a summer program. Virtual Oaxaca will combine a virtual world space with a journey to the real Oaxaca. Please read for a great example of blending "real", online and virtual world spaces into a comprehensive, collaborative, CREATIVE! and reflective learning experience.

Wow this is great. I just recently visited Oaxaca and was fascinated by the culture. I was only able to stay in the city for a couple of days and I felt I really wanted to learn more about the indigenous population and it's effect on the Oaxacan culture. This is a great way to learn more and interact for those who cannot visit. It is definitely a rich and magical place.

Ning groups and forums for SL - some examples of how to implement in the classroom.

I haven't gotten a chance to check it all out, but this page offers a link to a math playground in SL as well as another website that utilizes web 2.0 to teach math. I think it is funny that we are learning about all of these in our educational technology program, yet my district blocks all the pages from being viewed. I wonder if in the world of cyber bullying we will ever be able to convince the district that there is use for programs like this in the general education curriculum.

I couldn't find the math playground in SL, but I loved the one on the website! If that site isn't blocked in my district, I am using it on Monday! This will be a great way to get my kids' attention and let them practice some skills they need work on.

Second Life interactive game - good ideas for game-based interactions

T.H.E. article describing impacts of the Teen Second Life closure and alternatives for K12 educators.

This is a great interactive science museum featuring nasa artifacts and space facts. You can even travel to Mars and explore the surface!

Thanks for sharing this site I really enjoyed it. In 8th grade science we teach a unit on Astronomy. I liked being able to travel and see the Earth from space.

This article discusses students needs in education in the 21st century and the successful emerging virtual learning communities out there in Web 2.0.

One of the greatest challenges we face as high school physical education teachers is getting our students to be motivated. Although it is costly to have this sort of virtual reality equipment at our school, it is something that we can possibly plan for the future and have as an activity for days in which our teaching areas are affected by rainy day, construction, testing, or for students who cannot have long exposure to the sun. Sounds fun ☺

Yeah, I think in PE (or in any content area), finding a way to connect with our students and motivate them is crucial. I envision being able to integrate a Wii game system with a 3D Muve so that our students will actually have to be physically active in order to move their avatar in the virtual world,

Carolina, Does the P.E. curriculum call for daily physical activity? Perhaps one or two days a week students can meet in a computer lab and work in SL. They could build a gym, and post fitness goals on its walls. Also, there are many web sites out there that they could use to calculate calories in and calories out. Just a thought... Great article. ;)

Although physical education in second life would be more of a skills analysis or cognitive application as opposed to actual physical activity, there are breakthroughs in virtual reality applications for physical education.

This SLURL drops you right in front of the Sistene Chapel. When you enter there is a reference card to your right that explains how to view the art. It is amazing. You can fly up to the ceiling and actually touch the artwork by Michaelangelo. I would love to take my 7th grade students here or a similar site when we study the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The tapestries by Rapael come to life when you touch them.

I will definitely check this one out. I wow my students with Google Earth's street view and 3D buildings to show them the world. My student population see very little outside of their community, so it comes in handy. I am always looking for news ways to have them "see" the world. Thanks for the links. Now I will continue to pester my IS dept. to loosen up a little and let us have access.

Cynthia, we found the Sistine chapel too ... my group just loved this stunning location. I did not try touching the tapestries! I think we'll go back and check that out. Thanks for mentioning this feature we did not explore!

Systems Thinking and Game Design through the eyes of a 4 year old. Interesting observations about the value of games in understanding problem solving and social interactions. Not directly related to virtual worlds - although good for understanding WHY virtual worlds and online games might be valuable student learning experiences.

I have been trying to export Google Sketchup creations into SL and happened on this tool: SketchLIfe I am about to try it and will report on the ease of use.

SketchUp models to Second Life 

A great place to learn how to use your avatar for people like me who are a little frustrated. Plus there is a lot of free stuff to collect. Non-threatening! I didn't have anyone approach me and ask if I liked vampires like I did on Discovery Island. I also acquired a great picture changer there. Some very useful freebies. If you are a collector - go to ISTE.

I was there too! I appreciated all of the resources and free tools. I got a ISTE t-shirt and hope to be sporting that at the next class.

I enjoyed the learning aspect at this location, mostly due to its utility and choice. I found it simple to navigate and gain a better understanding of SL.

"ROLE Magazine is a monthly publication dedicated to highlighting the many facets of Second Life™ and to showcase the most interesting people, places and things in a high quality magazine production." Just stumbled across this while looking for educational areas - interesting publication.