http://campustechnology.com/Articles/2009/02/18/Real-Life-Teaching-in-a-Virtual-World.aspx?Page=1
This is an article from Campustechnology.com that discusses the benefits of educators using Second Life, an online virtual world, in the classroom. While many parents don’t see how social Internet technology, such as this website, can benefit students in the classroom, teachers who have used Second Life have a lot to show for it. Second Life is an amazing tool that can be used in the classroom or as the classroom by creating a virtual campus. All the resources are already right there on the Internet. Teachers can show Power Points and videos on the site and can even construct the learning environment in a way that was impossible before. Teachers can create the setting of a book, the prehistoric world, or even the surface of another planet and make it all interactive and entertaining, so learning doesn’t have to be boring. Students and teachers can also communicate by microphone or text. You can even visit different websites while you’re online and it doesn’t matter where you live, classes on Second Life can be taken from any computer anywhere.
Right now, there are thousands of people using Second Life for educational purposes. Some universities, like Harvard, even have Second Life virtual campuses. Even though the site is free to join, there are fees for virtual “land.” Educators do get discounts, however. There is also the problem of the computers used. It takes a good computer to run the graphics. Fortunately, almost all computers sold today are capable of using the site easily. Despite these minor setbacks for some, Second Life seems like a very good alternative to traditional teaching and may even one day become the standard teaching style.
