Post-semester notes
A total of 13 students from 3rd year, all with no previous experience in Second Life, took this module. At the end of the semester they received an email invitation for an online survey on the use of Second Life. 44% of respondents considered SL to be very effective for their learning, and 62% indicated an increase of interaction with tutors and classmates; 100% had technical difficulties with the software.
While not a scientific research, survey results can be useful as an initial exploration on the benefits and limitations of virtual worlds for digital media technology education.
The questionnaire tool used was SurveyMonkey. Summarized results are presented below.
Section 1: What is Second Life?
1. In your opinion, the main description (or purpose) of Second Life is a
| Percent | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| tool for e-learning | 0% | 0 |
| digital entertainment tool | 11.1% | 1 |
| multiplayer game | 0% | 0 |
| 3D virtual world | 66.7% | 6 |
| 3D instant messenger | 11.1% | 1 |
| Other (please specify) | 11.1% | 1 |
| Total respondents | 9 | |
| Skipped this question | 0 | |
2. When you first created your SL account and logged in, you felt:
| Percent | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Very lost, disoriented, bored, or out of place | 33.3% | 3 |
| Just a little lost or bored in the beginning | 55.6% | 5 |
| Excited and 'knew the way around', not bored | 11.1% | 1 |
| Total respondents | 9 | |
| Skipped this question | 0 | |
3. Now at the end of the semester, how do you feel in Second Life?
| Percent | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Very lost, disoriented, bored, or out of place | 22.2% | 2 |
| Sometimes a little lost or bored | 44.4% | 4 |
| Excited, knowing the way around, not bored | 33.3% | 3 |
| Total respondents | 9 | |
| Skipped this question | 0 | |
Section 2: Learning effectiveness
4. Regarding the activities and assignments you were required to do in Second Life, which of the following would have been easier if you'd had more time? (check all that apply)
| Percent | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting around SL, using navigation tools | 22.2% | 2 |
| Using SL building/editing tools | 77.8% | 7 |
| Finding or creating objects | 88.9% | 8 |
| None (time was enough) | 0% | 0 |
| Other | 11.1% | 1 |
| Total respondents | 9 | |
| Skipped this question | 0 | |
5. And which of the following would have been easier if you'd had more real life tutoring/help? (check all that apply)
| Percent | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Getting around SL, using navigation tools | 44.4% | 4 |
| Using SL building/editing tools | 55.6% | 5 |
| Finding or creating objects | 55.6% | 5 |
| None (assistance was enough) | 22.2% | 2 |
| Other | 11.1% | 1 |
| Total respondents | 9 | |
| Skipped this question | 0 | |
6. Using Second Life for the class added more:
| Agree | Disagree | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enjoyment | 100% (8) | 0% (0) | 8 |
| Technical hassles (lag, etc.) | 100% (8) | 0% (0) | 8 |
| Interaction with your tutor | 62% (5) | 38% (3) | 8 |
| Interaction with classmates | 62% (5) | 38% (3) | 8 |
| Total respondents | 8 | ||
| Skipped this question | 1 | ||
7. Now your self-assessment: how effective was using Second Life for learning (i.e. do you remember: the history and definition of machinima? the definition of SWOT analysis? ethical issues with movies and games?)
| Percent | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Very little, I almost don't remember what we talked about in class | 11.1% | 1 |
| Just ok/satisfactory, I can describe the concepts | 44.4% | 4 |
| Very well, I remember almost all of it | 44.4% | 4 |
| Total respondents | 9 | |
| Skipped this question | 0 | |
Section 3: Effect of SL
8. What was the most beneficial factor of using Second Life for you?
| Percent | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting people from outside school/country | 12.5% | 1 |
| Having fun in classes or assignments | 37.5% | 3 |
| 'Learning by doing' | 12.5% | 1 |
| Creativity freedom (through your avatar or something else) | 12.5% | 1 |
| None (no real benefit) | 12.5% | 1 |
| Other (please specify) | 12.5% | 1 |
| Total respondents | 8 | |
| Skipped this question | 1 | |
9. Please rate the level of interaction and participation inside Second Life as compared to real life lectures for the following people:
| Less participative | About the same | More participative | Response average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yourself | 12% (1) | 38% (3) | 50% (4) | 2.38 |
| Other students | 0% (0) | 25% (2) | 75% (6) | 2.75 |
| The instructors | 12% (1) | 38% (3) | 50% (4) | 2.38 |
| Total respondents | 8 | |||
| Skipped this question | 1 | |||
Here's a short movie about our class taking a trip to the festival in Second Life:
For assignment 1, students were required to create a machinima. Here are the links (in no particular order):
| Team | Machinima |
|---|---|
| Angela & Fadzuli | Hitchhiker's Guide:The Clairvoyant Elevator |
| Mayching & Gillian | Link's "Awakening" |
| Jing Si & Irddy | Bicentennial Man |
| Tedo, Robin & Eric | Terminator 2 |
| Ben & Xavier | Nelson and Twombly |
| Wing Yi & Melvin | On your mark |
Assignment 2 movies
- Assignment 2 in-world presentations:
- Gillian & Mayching: In-Game e-commerce demo