Download and create an avatar in Second Life or There.com or some other 3-D online space. Many theorists and researchers are saying that this is the next learning context. How do you feel about this based on your experiences there? How would a 3-D learning context improve learning and/or cognition? How might it hurt learning and/or cognition?
I have known Avatar for many years and never been really into its concept. Second Life is a three-dimensional modeling tool based on simple geometric shapes that allows users to explore the virtual world, socialize with other residents, trade virtual objects or properties, participate in individual or group activities(Wikipedia). According to Claudia L’Amoreaux at Linden Lab, the San Francisco company that created it, at least 300 universities around the world teach courses or conduct research in SL (Michels, 2008). The first time I profoundly explored Second Life was requested by another CECS class for a SL virtual meeting.
Second Life might be a good tool for visually motivate students for learning in limited aspects such as role playing. There are existing obstacles to integrate Second Life to improve learning or cognition. The first difficulty I encounter was enormous time for download. The video buffering took few minutes and still couldn’t get it through sometimes. In addition, the archive videos shown for the themes were not even audio/video synchronized in some sites I visited. After I visited a couple of other locations and found out their setting design concept is quite limited, it would be either one or two story building for indoor activities and a circular open exhibition space with several bulletin boards stand around. The idea of Second Life is encouraging users to optimize their creativities and imagination in virtual world; I truly don’t see the approach employed in their destination design.
The fun part of Avatar is that it enables users to create their own appearance with a variety of hair, face features, clothing and accessories…and so on. Second Life offers females far more attire choices than males. Unfortunately, the female images in Second Life are sexualized and stereo-typed. According to Being Female in Second Life, female Avatars exhibit large breasts, too large lips, too thin waists, exaggerated hips and buttock and were frequently seen scantily clad.
 |
| Female Avatars in World - Second Life |
The author addressed that Second Life was obviously a virtual world created by men, for men as the image of women within the platform was clearly based on adolescent male fantasy (Bloggershai, 2011), which can damage learners’ cognition at different levels. Over all, I am not convinced that Second Life a good program for learning or cognition.
References
Bloggershai. (2011, January 31). Being femal in Second Life.
Michels, P. (2008, February 25). Universities us Second Life to teach complex concepts.
