e-Learning Weekly

Second Life is a virtual world where more than 5 million people interact and lead parts of their life online. Quin Parker, in her article ‘A second look at second life’, discusses how educational institutions are opening schools and offering classes in the virtual world. Major Univeristies such as Harvard and New York University have been investing into real estate and education on Second Life. Now younger high school students will have an opportunity to experience this online immersion through a new restricted and safe area for teenagers. Parker refers to Gifted and Talented (GAT) students from the UK, who have been attending virtual class rooms with a range of topics including archaeology, physics, ethics and philosophy. It is believed that this virtual environment will allow students to explore such topics, direct their own learning and discussions, plus gain insight into the functioning and regulation of communities. 

This sounds like a valuable experience for those students who wish to participate, such as the extension or GAT students identified. I assume that these students are attending virtual classes outside their regular classes. I am unsure of the willingness of all students to contribute to such activities in their own time outside of school.

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