July 2007 — News

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Second Life: Do You Need One? (Part 4)

by Patricia Deubel, Ph.D.

4. Process/Structure v. Outcome
Similar to Purpose v. Experience, traditional educators seek a structure to their inworld activities, while digital learners self define a process to reach the outcome they have decided upon.  While traditional educators ask for a syllabus or outline or at least a list of steps they should follow to become integrated into the environment, digital learners may ask: "How can I build a sword so I can?..."  Again, digital gamers are familiar with self-investigation to determine what is needed to "win the mission" and seek only resources and support.
 
5. Topic-Based Social Network v. Outcomes-Based Social Network
Both traditional and digital visitors typically create or join a social network.  Traditional educators typically connect with groups that have topical connection with their real-world roles and interests.  Traditional P-12 teachers connect with P-12 teachers, librarians with librarians, and professors with professors.  Digital learners typically form social networks based upon "who can help me create this sword?" or other outcomes-based issues.  Digital learners then typically end up in extremely diverse networks, further expanding their cultural experience in the digital world.  Digital learners are also constantly faced with challenges to their established real world social norms and ask some very tough questions about those real world dividers.  Many traditional visitors remain in those topic-centered social groups, which typically consist of people of common interest and backgrounds, providing them less immersion into the diversity of the digital environment.
 
6. Re-Create v. Create
Most traditional educator-visitors soon ask how they can find the space inworld to create a "classroom."  The result is typically a walled building, with ceilings, desks and chairs, and a lectern at the front next to a PowerPoint screen.  Digital visitors may also request space for a "classroom," but it is more likely to end up being a platform floating in the sky, with clouds instead of chairs, and digital media streamed onto the side of a giant bubble floating in the middle of the space.  Other digital educators stay away from formal classrooms and meet their students on a beach, in a cave, in a tree, or inside a giant squid, all depending upon the mood or content of the day.

While appearing to be more cute than anything, this point represents a key distinction between the traditional and digital person.  While the traditional educator approaches the virtual world to learn how it can be used in education, the digital educator approaches the environment asking how this experience can change the entire practice of teaching and learning.  One seeks to perhaps adapt their current practices to fit a new environment, while the other looks to completely transform what they do based upon the opportunity provided in the virtual world.