Immersive technology, simulation games, or virtual communities, mean one thing for new learners, engagement. Immersive technology is the technology that allows collaboration and communication in a virtual environment. When most people think of this technology, they think of video games such as the Sims and Grand Theft Auto. These are types of immersive technology that allow the player to create an avatar or character and manipulate their own virtual world. Second Life offers this type of environment, but it allows its user or learner to create and manipulate their environment and allows other second life residents to visit, interact within, or join these communities. Companies like IBM have embraced Second Life in order to save money for business meetings and conferences. According to “Some Facts about Immersive Learning Worlds” blog author Karl Kapp cites analyst firm Gartner about the rapidly expanding virtual world. According to Gartner, “By the end of 2011, 80 percent of active Internet users (and Fortune 500 enterprises) will have a “second life”, but not necessarily in Second Life”. Employers will seek employees with creative collaboration skills. In Web 2.0: New tools, New schools, authors Gene Solomon and Lynne Schrum reveal that schools that create learning environments that foster community building, collective intelligence, and creativity will make their learners more competitive in this new globally connected world. Immersive technology such as Second Life is a plausible solution for these types of environments.
Literature Alive
Literature Alive in Second Life is designed for teaching immersive literature for both teens and adults. The main goals of this community is to provide a learning environment that adds value to students in language arts, professional writing, and literature courses. The community fosters sharing and teaching. Within the Literature Alive community there are several classrooms, projects, and planned projects seeking sponsorship. In “Literature Alive” teachers and authors Guth, Nicosia, and Pastuer share their experience in creating Willow Springs project, an environment in Literature Alive. Instead of students reading a book and doing traditional activities, students created their own environments based on their understanding of the book and the guidance of their teachers. Although students were working in a virtual environment, the teachers were still able to provide authentic and appropriate assessments for their learners.
Launched in 2007 by Jo Kay Wollongong, Joykaydia provides space for users in the virtual world in education, the arts, and social change. Throughout the year Joykaydia hosts several events including the Edublog Awards and ISTE Speaker Series. Jokaydia also features space for educators to meet and provides tools to help users to become more virtual world competent. With its community resources, learning spaces, as well as social spaces, Joykaydia is the ultimate educator’s paradise. In its experimental section, The Virtual Classroom Project, educators are charged with the task of creating a learning project for their learners. In “The Virtual Classroom Project Continues” by Konrad Giogowski, discusses a project with Joykaydia resident and history teacher Annabel Astbury . Astbury created an environment that allowed her students to explore the impact of colonization on the indigenous communities in Australia. Instead of providing just a museum walk experience for her students, Astbury provided her learners with a richly engaging environment that allowed them to build and create their own vision of early frontier life in Australia. The learners were provided with a more meaningful experience. These meaningful experiences lead to awareness and then social change.
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