Learning and Teaching in the Virtual World of Second Life

Virtual worlds are increasingly incorporated into modern universities and teaching pedagogy. Over 190 higher education institutions worldwide have done teaching in the virtual world of Second Life (SL) . This book is based on the first Scandinavian project to experiment with the design and testing of teaching platforms for life long learning in SL. In 2007, it created a virtual island or "sim" in SL called "Kamimo Education Island." The project generated a number of courses taught in SL, and instructed educators in the use of SL. This book disseminates the experiences and lessons learned from that project and from other educational projects in SL. The book identifies the gaps in traditional forms of education. It provides a roadmap on issues of instructional design, learner modeling, building simulations, exploring alternatives to design, and integrating tools in education with other learning systems.