Second Life and education....

For my Alternative Learning Environments class we had an online meeting in Second Life last Thursday. It was an interesting experience to say the least. I had already had some experience in this area since I have researched it for my Virtual Classrooms Blog. We all first meet into a little conference room and I was surprised to see that everyone looked like they were there. Our Teacher, Dr. Roby, began by asking a series of three questions. After each on was asked the responses flew by at what seemed like 100mph. I was very overwhelmed to say the least. I felt like I couldn’t type fast enough to get my thoughts in edgewise. After that we began teleporting to other various places such as a museum, someone’s house, Venice, Paris, and even a pub for our wrap up!

Now let me give u a little bit more information on what Second Life is all about in case you’re a little bit lost. Second life is a free 3-D virtual world that allows user to explore and create through their avatars. Avatars are the animated charters that each user must create in order to sign up for the site. One you have your avatar you can explore, create, and use second life. Second life is growing fast and is not only being used for social networking anymore. Now it is also being used more frequently for business purposes as well as educational purposes. According to the official site you must be 18 years or older to join, but teens ages 13-17 are encouraged to check out Teen Second Life.

As far as educational uses go it seems like there could be quite a few. I would think distance leaning would be one of the top benefits. I came across an article about a teacher, Dr. Fishwick, who holds his classes on a virtual island in second life that he created. My own Second life class meeting, as I told you about before, was another example. There are a number of other interesting educational uses for Second Life that I have come across also. Please take a look at the wikki Second Life in Education for more information. Oh and check out the picture below…It’s a snap shot of my class session in Second life! My avatar is the one in the jeans, with the red shirt, and blonde hair right in front. My professor’s avatar is in the back right with the red shirt and gray slacks.

The wonders of WiZiQ...

One of the courses I am taking for my masters this quarter in GED 578, which is Alternative Learning Environments. For this course we were each asked to create a Wikki on a certain educational topic. For my Wikki I was assigned to write about virtual classrooms. Through my research I came across a great site that I had never heard of before. The site was called WiZiQ.

WiziQ is a website that allows people to teach and learn online in a virtual classroom. The virtual classrooms have interactive whiteboards and you can sign up for a wide variety of different classes. The virtual classrooms also have voice and video support. The site has an educational database that you can search to find information, such as power points, on specific topics. You can also use the database to upload and share you own information. WiZiQ also makes networking with other students a snap with features that allow you to important contacts from your existing email account. The site is free for a basic membership or you can upgrade to a paid premium membership if you want to.

I was very amazed with this site and kind of surprised we have not learned about in my Alternative Learning Environments class. WiZiQ actually reminds me of a cross between Skype and blackboard. Its amazing that you can have an online class where you can not only see and hear your professor but also interact with them, as well as other classmates, on a virtual whiteboard. I also really liked the fact that if you miss a session that you would have liked to attend you could always go back and listen to the recording. I think this would be an amazing tool for teachers and could hold a lot of great possibilities!

Check out this video to see what its all about!


Video URL

Online learning with Skype...

Skype is an online service that allows you to make calls over the Internet. All you need is a microphone and a web cam, if you wish, to get started. Most of the features Skype offers are free such as the Skype to Skype calls. Other services such as calls to land lines and cell phones come at a nominal charge.

I actually had my first experience with Skype just a few days ago and I must say that I was very impressed. I had a meeting with my college professor and it was very nice to be able to actually see her talking to me. It was a cross between talking in person and talking on the phone. I didn’t have a web cam at the time, but since then I have purchased one and began telling friends and family about the service. It’s nice to be able to talk to my family in Hesperia, that I don’t get to see very much, and see them as well.

Once I purchased the web cam I also began thinking about the many educational possibilities Skype holds. How amazing would it be to take you class on a field trip to the zoo…in Africa! With Skype it possible and only a phone call away. The class could be able to tour the zoo through the eyes of the web cam with hearing a tour guide at the same time. I can only imagine the other possibilities that Skype could open up to teachers and their classes.

Check out links below to discover more about Skype!

Skype Video Tutorial:

http://edtechteacher.org/skypetutorial.html

See me, Hear me: Skype in the classroom:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6515247.html

Seven things you should know about Skype:

http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7032.pdf

Making a video call with Skype:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWq7n4w3cq4