Education in Second Life - Part I

I then desired to give my attention solely to the search after truth, I thought that a procedure exactly the opposite was called for, and that I ought to reject as absolutely false all opinions in regard to which I could suppose the least ground for doubt, in order to ascertain whether after that there remained aught in my belief that was wholly indubitable. Accordingly, seeing that our senses sometimes deceive us, I was willing to suppose that there existed nothing really such as they presented to us ... (René Descartes)

The express purpose of all media, whether they be Second Life, Renaissance paintings or Enlightenment philosphy, is to communicate. An aspect of Second Life that has excited many educational institutions is its didactic potential.
For instance, at the University of Saskatchewan, initiatives are being taken to “explore” the possibilities of creating online lectures, something that is would have a great impact on the quality of education available to distance learners.

Other proponents are less cautious, and enthusiastically extol the virtues of, for instance, teaching history through Second Life. Says one person: “How else could students so easily experience a period of history as when they are immersed in a virtual replica of it?”

Moving to a more philosophical evaluation, we are urged to believe that education in Second Life is like being given a “blank canvas and tools” to which we need only “bring our own inspiration and imaginations [to] make it happen” (Wiggins). (However, it is unlikely that John Locke would ever have warranted the notion that virtual knowledge counted as the experiential knowledge he suggested, when imprinted on the "blank canvas" (tabula rasa) of our minds, was the basis of our education.)

We'll try it out in the next blog.


References:
Descartes, René. Discourse on the Method of Rightly Conducting the Reason and Seeking for Truth in the Sciences; 1637. Literature.org. http://www.literature.org/authors/descartes-rene/reason-discourse/chapter-04.html

Locke, John. An Essay Concerning Human Understanding; 1690. http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/locke/locke1/Essay_contents.html

MaryAnnCLT. Educational Uses of Second Life. YouTube. Aug. 17, 2007. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOFU9oUF2HA

Ondrejka, Cory. “Education Unleashed: Participatory Culture, Education, and Innovation in Second Life.” The Ecology of Games: Connecting Youth, Games, and Learning. Edited by Katie Salen. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Series on Digital Media and Learning. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press, 2008. 229–252.

Renaissance Island. Second Life. http://world.secondlife.com/region/ccff7ba5-7c09-454f-8829-a7b4c501403e

Sibbald, Kirk. (2008-01-25). A virtual University takes shape in Second Life. University of Saskatchewan On Campus News. http://www.usask.ca/communications/ocn/08-jan-25/9.php

Wiggins, Cheryl. Education in Second Life: Explore the Possibilities. YouTube. May 27, 2007. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMGR9q43dag&feature=related