Everyone loves the online world, especially, when it becomes a virtual world. I think some of the benefits of Second Life to e-learning are that it allows for a more appealing visual view of the presentations, a more entertaining way of learning, and better communication/interactions between two or a group of people. Students who are growing up along with the changing world of technology enjoy a cooler and better way to interact. Most schools today use a similar environment like Second Life as the basic design for something like a course or school orientation on the Internet. They have audio and video, and even though they are only avatars, sometimes there are real people interacting with you. Overall, this is very production and it provides for fast communication if a student is in need of help in a synchronous matter.
The big pitfall of using something like Second Life is cost. How do you know the other person who will be using this program has the necessary software and hardware, plugins, etc., to run the program. A program like Second Life requires the person on the other end to have sufficient Graphic and Audio cards, a fast computer with a top-notch CPU, and not to mention fast Internet connection. Even with a FIOS Internet Connection, sometimes logging in a virtual setting like Second Life can take time and patience out of you. Not everyone has these tools, and most people probably can’t afford to upgrade their computer or hook up high-speed Internet.
When you create something this advance, you also have to think about disabled individuals who might not be able to view it at all. The virtual world is a fun and interactive place for people to join, but if you can’t access it at all then you can’t really participate. The designers have to take into accounts the cons listed about.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
You say "Most schools today use a similar environment like Second Life as the basic design for something like a course or school orientation on the Internet. They have audio and video, and even though they are only avatars, sometimes there are real people interacting with you."
ReplyDeleteDo you have an example? I did see your references to Ohio University and Duke's virtual classes, but didn't realize this was becoming common for orientations. Sounds interesting.
One thing I wonder about Second Life graphics is that everything in Second Life is "built" by users, so are you referring to them as the "designers" that need to consider the end user before creating too complex scenes? I know sometimes I have to wait while the area I'm in fully evolves. It's a little bit disconcerting to watch my avatar's clothes slowly come on while standing in the middle of other avatars!