Virtual Worlds like Second life for elementary school children

[HowieG44]

Good Day

I am presently studying for my Masters in Educational Technology. One of the Seimnars that I am dure to write about is the use of virtual worlds, like Second Life in elementary school educationa dn how it can enhance the learning process.. I am amazed at th eendless possibilitiies. Are there any other elementary educators out there that use Virtual worlds in their teaching?  I am obviously talkingabout a closed environment that is suitable for elementary aged children. 

Could you perhaps direct me towards literature on the subject

 

Greatly appreciated

 

Howie

[Alwin Alcott]

before you start to think about SL for elementary school.... read this

http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Linden_Lab_Official:Teens_in_Second_Life

[HowieG44]

Thak you that is important information

We have a closed world. I wouldn't allow my elementary school kids anywhere near Second Life. 

[Pamela Galli]

I taught elementary for years. The thought of trying to teach a group of people of any age to use SL gives me chills. IMO you would spend all your time training them to use it, not doing anything related to curriculum. But if you did have a group trained enough to work more or less independently, yes, it would be a wonderful tool.

[HowieG44]

Thank you. I may find out that at the end of all my investment into the idea..it is not worth it,

Once the studenst have understood the concept of the Virtual world we are going to try and build in the world. I am hopeful they will master the basics. 

I am optimistic

Howie

[Pamela Galli]

Minecraft will make the concept of building with prims familiar. Using the controls and mastering the UI would take time that most curricula I know of does not afford, in this test oriented era. But worth a try, if you are up for it.

[Naga Mysterious]

I choosed https://www.roblox.com/ for my kids, its similar to secondlife but kidsafe certified

[Callum Meriman]

This is a well discussed topic in ICT pædagogy with a lot of easily findable research from about 2007. Really, a surprisingly large number of papers have been done on it.

There are a number of other applications more suitable to K-7 that provide a meaningful virtual world learning experience in a far more accessable manner. In my state we developed our own application with similar goals - to collaboratively move and place library objects in a 3D space then present that 'world'.

SL is maybe more suited to the year 10-12 agegroups. K-7 get far more benefit from a well organised library of common objects they can place.