Naife Subahi

Second Life:

• What was your general reaction to using Second Life?

It was amazing. I mean second life can replace an actual classroom once students have avatars that represent them. In other words, second life offer classroom participation once it utilized effectively.

• Most online courses are very text heavy. Second Life and other virtual worlds software relies on a more visual experience. How do you think teaching an online course using Second Life or something similar might change the nature of the course.

 Teaching experience in traditional classroom is basically depends on lecturing, which basically make students to be knowledge receiver. However, utilizing Second Life in teaching allow students to engage in classroom virtually. In other words, Second Life allows students to run, walk, and fly which is not permitted in regular classroom. This feature create the feeling of a video game that attract students to particicpate.

• Some of the people in our class changed their genders when they went into Second Life. How do you think this might impact an online course discussion?

In my opinion, I do not this will affect the online course. In fact, before using the second life teachers can ask their students to write on a paper their nick names in order to avoid confusion among students. However, some students could change their gender by choosing avatars that is opposite to their gender.

• We toured different sims (virtual simulations) in which one could hold a class discussion. How do you think having a discussion of a Shakespeare play in castle or similar setting would impact/change the discussion, if at all?

Places and environment have a direct effect on students. In other words, creating the atmosphere of certain classes like Shakespeare play will help students to understand the topic. For instance, watching a movie about Macbeth will facilitate the understating of the play. Yet, being part of the play through second life will help them to live the experience.

• Some of the people in our class changed their genders when they went into Second Life. How do you think this might impact an online course discussion?

I think it may have a slight confusion. But, once I knew my classmates by their nick names, it was not an issue for me.

•  Some people in the class had technical problems which interfered with their ability to use Second Life. Does this sort of issue mean the technology is too complicated to use and simpler solution, like D2L, might be better? Why do you think this?

I believe that technology makes our life easy, but it is not reliable somehow. I had a technical issue which represented in internet connection. This issue could be a real obstacle not only to utilize second life, but other types of educational software.