Texas State Technical College has announced a new accredited course in Digital Media, to be taught entirely in Second Life from the autumn of this year. The course is very wide ranging, covering computer applications, professional development, basic graphic design, digital imaging, digital publishing, computer illustration, fundamentals of photography and design communication. If any subject matter is to test the waters for entirely-virtual world based learning, this is the one.
It's slightly tricky to work out whether this is the usual Second Life hype or whether it is actually a serious innovation in learning. On the one hand, Second Life and other virtual worlds have been used in the past by academic institutions for distance learning. Indeed, academia has a track record of pioneering new forms of communication, like the internet. However, it looks as if this college may be going about Second Life in a slightly new way. It is fairly unique in that it is the primary place for the course to be taught, suggesting this isn't just a traditional distance learning course with a bit of Second Life added on to catch a few headlines. It is also using the 3D world appropriately; the image below shows a demonstration of the inner workings of an SLR camera through a 3D model – something obviously not possible in conventional teaching, let alone distance learning.
And therein lies the key to making a success of teaching in 3D worlds – it makes little sense to use the same techniques that might be appropriate in a real classroom, or in a conventional distance learning course. The platform has its disadvantages, but it also has unique features which, if used correctly, can bring benefits rather than gimmicks. It may be this current balance towards the gimmicky, or even half hearted, use of virtual worlds in education which is really holding them back from reaching the mainstream.
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