Virtual Worlds: Learning and Teaching in a Digital Age

Today was the last day of the Second Life labs. As expected, not many students came, most of them probably working frantically towards finalising of the assignments. One more week … and it is hand-in time. However, what we were shown today was brilliant, with creative endeavours that had me amazed, because while I consider myself to be rather creative, I would have never had the ideas that some of the students had.

Wait and see … either come to the Second Life (assignment) Party on Monday, or wait to see some of the work revealed here on the blog (and Judy’s blog).

Anyway, there was an interesting case of blended groupwork. The group (Postgraduates) that had always been working together very well and smoothly, had two members in the lab, and the third in a different location, but all three were together in Second Life, finalising, discussing and working on their project. A very impressive process, which appeared so seamless, if I had not known the third group member was not physically in the lab, but “only” virtually, I wouldn’t have realised.

I am hoping to get a wee focus group together to explore the groupwork issues in more detail, but we shall wait and see, what with the students being busy with the assignments, the “bribery” (heh, we’ve all been students once, haven’t we?) of book vouchers and free lunch might not be enticing enough. Cross your fingers! Also for getting enough interviewees for a closer look at identity issues.

Last but not least, the reason why my MACS lecturer pal and I were laughing out loud tonight? One of the students built an underwater disco, and thus my avatar (still clinging onto the green balloon that I was given as a Trostpreis because I had lost out on the Coconut Shy) was dancing in rather silly moves and grooves. It actually made me laugh out loud in Real Life, until my Real Life partner looked on, bemused. When my pal joined the disco, you had both our avatars, both with green balloons, dancing in different styles and both looking incredibly silly.

See Judy’s blog for a snapshot of our adventure.

More laughter ensued, which lasted for quite a while. (Sadly, the server had a hiccup, thus I couldn’t save the snapshot – but check out Judy’s blog). This is definitely up for an Oscar nomination as “funniest”.

So … not only assignment work but also laughter, amazement, and a display of creativity that has me – to use the term again – gobsmacked. I think we are on to something here.