Assignment Week Five: Twitter
Click the link below to read an essay on Twitter and the notion of learner control.
Click the link below to read an overview of Twitter activities.
Assignment Week Six: Virtual Field Trips
Click the link below to learn more about the Virtual Forbidden City.
One of the papers I have most enjoyed reading has been the one on virtual field trips. As a result, I decided to contact the author of that study, Dr. Cox. Click the link below to read the email I sent him. I have yet to receive a response.
Assignment Week Seven: Simulations, Gaming, & Virtual Worlds
Click the link below to read an essay on simulations and gaming.
One of my Second Life journeys:
Below is a screen capture of me in the fountain of the Rossio - the main square in Lisbon, Portugal. They did a pretty nice job recreating the actual square. I visited the inside of one of the buildings, and they had beautiful, hand-painted ceramic tiles lining the walls, which is characteristic of the Portuguese culture. There was a neat little electric trolly that I got to ride in for a bit. I also visited the theater and a flea market. The cafe was a bit of a disappointment, considering the cafe is such a popular hangout spot in the country. It was reduced to a basic, single table and four chairs. There were no foods, waiters, or other visitors. I just ran into one other girl in the whole square, but she didn't want to talk.
Overall, Second Life is pretty cool, but there is nothing like going to a place in real life. I can see, however, how it could be used to help people get acclimated to different surroundings like universities, for instance. I can also see how Second Life can be valuable if you cannot afford to go so some of these places. Additionally, there is a huge motivating factor, especially for younger learners who love this type of activity. Thus, if used correctly and with enough training, there is some solid instructional value here; there is high user control, interactivity, and adaptability.
