Elaine Plybon on Oh!VirtualLearning!

This article is a part of the I (heart) EdTech blog swap initiated by Simple K-12. I appreciate the opportunity to be a guest blogger and for the opportunity to have Scott be a guest-writer on my blog. We are both busy, busy people, so naturally we are posting these on the last day of the blog swap – but we got it done!

First, a bit of background. In “real life” I am a Chemistry teacher and Instructional Technology Specialist at the Jack E. Singley Academy of Irving ISD in Texas. I also volunteer as the chair of the Discovery Educator Network (DEN) Leadership Council for Texas. In Second Life ™ I am Celestia Cazalet, a member of the DEN Leadership Council in Second Life™.

I am a virtual world veteran. I began my understanding of the power of human interaction in a virtual world with my involvement in the MMORPG (massively-multiplayer online role-playing game) called Ultima Online in the 1990s. I spent several years in that world, building my skills and developing friendships, some which continue to the present time. When I was first approached about exploring the MUVE of Second Life™, I was skeptical. I had never used a virtual world in my professional life before, so I was covering new territory. However, after a few weeks of involvement, I could see the tremendous power of developing a professional learning network within this (or other) virtual world(s).

Unfortunately, after having been a Second Life™ resident for a few years now, I have to say that I am becoming disheartened by the lack of true innovation being accomplished in Second Life™. Developing collaborative relationships with educators in that world is valuable, yes, but cannot be the only reason I choose to continue my citizenship in that world. In order for Second Life™ to be a truly valuable tool, we must find those uses for it that can only be accomplished in that world.

When one enters the virtual world, they are much more likely to be exposed to replicas of “real-life” buildings and terrain than unique vistas. The DEN’s own presence is represented by a replica of Discovery Communication headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, that is uncannily correct. Professional development in-world is often delivered through very traditional means – presenter at the front of an auditorium with a PowerPoint, participants sitting and listening, asking the presenter to please speak slower so the slides have time to rez. There might be an occasional break-out group, or polling station being used. How does this differ from the first-life experience?

Let’s try to step outside our comfort zone. I’m confident there are so many things we can accomplish in Second Life™ that cannot be accomplished anywhere else – we just haven’t found them all yet. In order for Second Life™ to be relevant and engaging, we must begin the search. I don’t have the answers, but I know all of us - the community of educators in Second Life ™ - do. Give me your opinion, and if you have found innovative uses for this or other virtual worlds, join the discussion!
*******************************

Thanks!

Elaine