Get a Life!

     Have you ever had any days when you felt you couldn't be bothered to change out of your trackies, get off the couch and head into uni for class? Some people around the world are avoiding that problem by attending classes in the online virtual world of Second Life. Unbelievable, but true. After hearing a fellow student mention the education uses of this program, I was intrigued and did a bit of research to find out more.
     Second Life is a a free online world, where people create their own avatar, and control it as it explores the virtual space. It seems the possibilities are limitless, with people building, designing, making music, learning, making friends and more all online. And did I mention you can fly?
     Plenty of educational bodies have set up shop in Second Life, including Harvard university. The benefits of learning like this, according to those involved, is that it becomes accessible to anyone with a broadband connection, and it allows users to gain a sense of community, as the avatars gather in the same online space, to learn and discuss. Not quite the same as a real university campus in my opinion, but apparently it is pretty communal. This type of forum also easily lends itself towards allowing students to gain an international perspective, as group members could easily gather in Second Life, form any part of the physical world.
     Education in Second Life has become such a big focus, that the sector has its own wiki and delicious account to keep track of updated articles and news. Groups are using it to study health, midwifery, science and more. The possibilities seem infinite! I am not sure if I would like to leave my course and transfer online, apparently people flying overhead is quite a distraction. But it is interesting to keep an eye on... Check out this video if you're interested in finding out more...