"Adolescent Literature and Second Life: Teaching Young Adult Texts in the Digital World" by Laura Nicosia
After reading this article and having the opportunity to experience Second Life, it would seem that SL is a valid and useful tool in education. It gives students and alternative and fun way to learn what is being taught to them in school. With the technological advancements that have been developed in recent years, young adults are embracing and using technology in their everyday lives. Using SL in the classroom to teach literature is a great way to get the children engaged in the novels and come out with a much deeper understanding of the story. Being able to take field trips to the places being described in the novel or having students engage in discussion in SL, seems like a more interesting and effective way to teach the goals of the lessons. Nicosia describes many benefits that using SL have in regards to education, that it would seem foolish for teachers to not use it in their own classrooms, when possible. I wish these types of learning environments existed while I was in school, because I would have certainly have been more engaged in the lessons and also less self-conscious of expressing my thoughts in class, or in world. Even meeting in SL for MEDI503 has helped me to share my thoughts more, and also helped me to understand the technology more. Safety issues are not a huge concern in SL, as other parts of the Internet, due to the security measures they take with the teen grid and such. Therefore it would not be too risky to use in the classroom. I hope I have a chance to use SL with my future classes.
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After our first adventure in Second Life, I read Nicosia's article as well and wrote a journal entry in response to both our meeting and Nicosia's thoughts. Although at first glance Second Life appears somewhat strange as a meeting place for an online class session, it was one of the most interesting, benefical, fun, and hands-on education experiences I've ever had. I sat back and put myself in my students' shoes and thought the same thing as you Noelle! Just think, if as adults we were this engaged in Second Life imagine how much our students would gain from it. In the article, Nicosia states, "It's time to adopt and adapt!". As teachers it is true that we are always reinventing the wheel; however, without phenomenal technological advances such as Second Life students may not have an opportunity to have an alternative outlet to express themselves. Nicosia is absolutely right, in order to expose students to these digital literacies it is up to teachers to take a chance and a risk to explore different medias within the classroom environment. I completely agree with Noelle, I have a strong desire to incorporate not only Second Life but a multitude of other resources we have been introduced to into my own classroom.
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