Description
In recent years there has been increasing use of virtual worlds in Higher Education, particularly in Second Life. This practical handbook is a pedagogically-informed text that guides staff in the use of Second Life in the fields of further and higher education.
The book has been designed to support teachers who want to use Second Life and provides both an overview and a detailed consideration of the opportunities this immersive world offers for teaching, learning, assessment and research.
To assist readers, Maggi Savin-Baden has included:
* A glossary of terms
* Details of challenges and mistakes to avoid
* Examples of good practice
* Links to websites and other sources of help
This book is designed both for those new to Second Life as well as those with experience of teaching in virtual environments. It will help teachers to progress from getting started with Second Life to developing their teaching within the environment
Contents
List of Figures viii
List of Tables ix
List of Examples x
Acknowledgements xi
Introduction 1
Part 1: Getting started in Second Life 5
1 The value of Second Life for learning in higher education 7
2 Practical tips for getting started 18
3 Planning and designing learning in Second Life 33
4 Teaching approaches to use in Second Life 50
Part 2: Developing your teaching in Second Life 63
5 Purposeful pedagogy 65
6 Being a teacher in Second Life 78
7 Equipping students for learning in Second Life 90
8 Assessment for learning in Second Life 108
Part 3: Shifting boundaries 121
9 Harnessing technology for learning 123
10 Researching immersive virtual worlds 132
11 Futures and possibilities 147
Appendix A Second Life: module exemplar 158
Appendix B Dealing with challenges and mistakes in Second Life 162
Glossary 174
Weblinks 182
References 187
Bibliography 201
Index 207