Second Life is young communication

Contact: Stefan Johansson

Purpose/goal: To examine if and how a digital 3D-world can be used in an educational context.

Results so far

• Co-operation with Kalmar university. Contact with Alistar and a dialogue with Camino Island which is a co-operation between three educational centres in Sweden (Kalmar), Norway and the US.
• A visit at Kalmar University and a lecture for about 50 teaching students where parts of the content illustrated Second Life.
• Active participation in a group at Växjö university which had the topic of Second Life. Discussions, tests and contact with Bryan Carter from the US who teaches Second Life.
• Contact with three university students who where about to write two candidate theses on the subject of Second Life. One of the students lived in Malmö and the other two lived in Växjö. Realization of workshops on the subject of Second Life for teaching students at Växjö university. Introduction occured and accounts where created for the participants.
• Co-operation with art students and the teachers for these. Lecture where Second Life was included as well as further work with the idea of 3D-design.
• Expressions of interest from other schools all over Sweden. Two inquiries from senior high schools in Stockholm of which Nacka senior high school is one.
• Realization of a mingle with youths, teaching students and senior citizens where a test station illustrated Second Life. Support for the library avatars inside of Second Life who on the Island named Svenskt resurscenter (Eng. Swedish Resource Centre) built a station where they spread information.
• Close co-operation with Nätverket SIP (Eng. the Network of SIP) and Studieförbundet Vuxenskolan (Eng. the centre for studies for adults) concerning three other sister projects which also have the topic of Second Life. In the first (Studieförbundet Vuxenskolan) is the Island Svenskt resurscenter built and there 50 different culture events where arranged. In the second (Smålandsgruppen) (Eng. the Småland Group) where 10 culture events arranged on the subject of the countryside. In the third (CFL) Second Life knowledge and experience is spread over Sweden.

Progresses/reverses: Second Life is a very powerful tool and an environment to use in an educational context if the users master the technique. At the same time the technique is the biggest reverse because Second Life demands very much technical knowledge. This brings about that everyday persons will not be able to use Second Life.

Influences on the teaching education/the school: The role of the topic group has been to spread knowledge and information about the 3D-world as a new innovative platform to use in an educational situation. This has been made for the groups and people who we have met.