Thanks for the resource link. This sounds very interesting and I am going to look into it. The name of the program (Second Life) has an intersting connotation that implies rebirth through education. Although you harbor reservations, the program seems to have good intentions. I would definitely like to know more.

Thanks
Andre


----- Original Message ----
From: "Bakin, Barry" <barry.bakin at lausd.net>
To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List <technology at nifl.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, September 5, 2007 6:32:14 PM
Subject: [Technology 1261] Re: Second Life for Survivor class


I just came across a blog (thanks to a mention on Classroom 2.0) by an educator (Kevin Jarrett) exploring with second life http://www.storyofmysecondlife.com/ that can certainly be of benefit to those wondering about whether or not to experiment with Second Life. Make sure you check out the video about the educational uses of Second Life that he links to on the page. (It's a youTube video so it will probably be blocked if you're accessing this message from a school). 

There's also a link to a video made by kids in Second Life that is quite amazing. The video the kids made is at http://youtube.com/watch?v=nK54WRu0jW4 It's also a youTube video so it will probably be blocked but it's worth watching from another location. The subject matter is horrific and moving (one child soldier's experience from abduction to rescue) but even disregarding the topic, it's a positive example of how virtual worlds can be used in education.

I'm far from convinced yet that the positives of using Second Life as an educational tool so outweigh the negatives (for me) that I'm ready to invest the time and effort needed to implement doing so with my students, but this video certainly adds weight to the positive side of the equation.
 
Barry Bakin
ESL Teacher Adviser
Division of Adult and Career Education
Los Angeles Unified School District


       
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