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Phase I: Research & Evaluate Second Life - You're Not in Kansas Anymore
"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore!"
Overview:
When the SL Tornado grabs you, there is no turning back. You are launched into a world of the unknown with full-blown excitement mixed with reservations on just what this all means. The key is to harness this energy into researching and evaluating SL with a critical eye so that you become the Resident Expert that can facilitate others along the journey towards determining whether SL is right for your school and district.
Critical Steps:
- Develop a blog to document your journey
- Gather as many resources as possible on SL, supportive and critical
- Fully immerse yourself in SL: join educational groups, observe and participate in classes, note pedagogical practices, perfect the art of building, and learn, learn, learn
- Develop the breadth and depth of understanding SL
- Develop a network of people critically evaluating SL
Benchmarks:
- You experience the SL Waves of Existence: overwhelmed to extreme excitement to complete immersion to reality check (spending too much time in SL) to focused use
- You have become a Resident Expert on SL
Potential Roadblocks/Errors:
- Failing to develop the breadth and depth of understanding needed to evaluate Second Life
- Not spending enough time in this phase
- Beginning Phase II before becoming the Resident Expert
- Looking at SL without a critical eye (i.e. letting those that are blinded by SL's bells and whistle deter you from your vision)
Questions to Ponder:
- Why Second Life, why now?
- How does SL meet district, school, and classroom goals?
- Are you looking at SL with a critical eye or with pure excitement?
- With SL and your school/district/classroom, is it better to be bleeding edge, leading edge, following, or catching up?
- What are the ethical and safety concerns and how will you address these?
- What concerns will key stakeholders have in regards to SL? How will you turn these concerns into goals?
- How do standards, assessment, and instruction work in SL?
Resources:
David Jakes' Making It Stick, SL Blogs & Slurls, SimTeach Wiki, TechLearning SL RoadMap
Recommended Time: 3-9 months
Go to Phase II
Go to School Implementation Framework Homepage
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