GP boring? Innova spices it up with Second Life (Thanks to http://www.straitstimes.com/ )
Launched in 2003, Second Life is an Internet-based digital world which now has more than 9.3 million 'inhabitants' from across the globe. -- PHOTO: LINDEN LABSGENERAL Paper students at Innova Junior College can claim to see things from diverse points of view. They have assumed different identities in Second Life, the highly popular virtual reality world.
Innova is one of at least two educational institutions here which have tapped the popular virtual community for teaching purposes.
Nanyang Polytechnic uses it to teach courses in digital entertainment and society.
Earlier this year, a National Institute of Education (NIE) team worked with Innova teachers to hone students' thinking and writing skills using Second Life.
Launched in 2003, Second Life is an Internet-based digital world which now has more than 9.3 million 'inhabitants' from across the globe.
For the study, the NIE team bought a 'private island' which was named YOUtopia. Sets like rural peasant shacks and modern office buildings were built.
About 40 Innova students were put into groups of four or five and each assigned a character.
For a lesson on globalisation, for example, students might assume the identities of peasants or corporate bigwigs. They then grappled - from their identities' viewpoints - with such issues as their country's bid to join the World Trade Organisation.
The students did not need to have face-to-face meetings but posted their comments on an online forum instead.
Read the full report in Tuesday's edition of The Straits Times.
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