How can virtual worlds like Second Life enhance the teaching and learning experiences for students? What are the implications for the arts and society?

Many universities and schools are incorporating Second Life into their study and curriculum. The Open University, Harvard, Texas State and Stanford have all implemented virtual campuses where classes are taught online and students can meet and interact. Around the globe, Second Life experiences are linking students and educators and promoting education in a scholarly atmosphere. Educationally, Second Life provides “rich sensory immersive experiences, authentic contexts and activities for experiential learning, simulation and role-play, modeling of complex scenarios, a platform for data visualization and opportunities for collaboration and co-creation that cannot be easily experienced using other platforms.” It uses building and scripting tools that are easy for anyone to learn. Second Life engages students in an interactive environment, to many’s dismay it is not a passive game playing technology. Some examples of areas that may find Second Life useful are design and digital art, business and computer programming and multimedia and virtual tourism. Incorporating Second Life into Education will artistically, continue to inspire digital creativity and societally, promote the technological learning experience.
sources: http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/educationaluses
www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/11/14/second.life.divorce/index.html?iref=newssearch