Archive for January, 2008

A couple of weeks ago, I asked whether educators should be focusing on Second Life (as the MUVE of choice for education). The focal point of that question was the graphic released by KZero. Specifically, I asked:

If I were to begin exploration of virtual worlds as an educator with a blank slate – with zero knowledge of any virtual worlds – and were presented this graphic, which virtual world should I select to serve an educational interest? to introduce to learners in a formal learning environment? From behind that same veil of ignorance, given only this graphic, what would be the first strategic choice you’d make in regards to virtual worlds in learning environments: which would you choose?

Based on the graphic alone, I question whether educators should be focusing on Second Life as a MUVE platform. Quite simply, Second Life isn’t where our learners choose to be. Looking at the dotted lines (outermost arc and radii) I highlighted previously, the average SL resident – as represented by the graphic – is in the 0ver 30 demographic. Since my initial post, Stan Trevena offered a more specific look at the age grouping of active Second Life residents in a blog entry at PacificRimX from December 23:

• Under 18 years old: 0.92% or 4,975 users
• 18 – 24 year olds: 24.62% or 133,806 users
• 25 – 34 year olds: 35.88% or 194,948 users
• 35 – 44 year olds: 23.29% or 126,559 users
• 45 and over: 14.77% or 126,559 users
• unknown: 0.52% or 2,818 users

Two notable facts presented in that data. First, right at 75% of all SL residents are 25+ with more than half of those being 35+. Second, there’s less than 5,000 active users on the Teen Grid.

It’s probably easy to see where I’m going with this. If the vast majority of learners in formal learning environments are under the age of 25 – the growing population of older learners notwithstanding – should educators not be looking more closely at other MUVE’s that perhaps cater to and attract our target demographic more than Second Life appears to? Should There not be more of a factor in our discussions about facilitating education via MUVE’s given that, according to the KZero graphic, the average There user is in her early 20′s – and much more likely to be within an educator’s target demographic? Isn’t one of the mantras and justifications for greater use of technology in learning environments simply that educators should be using the tools that their learners are already using?

I know I’m oversimplifying the discussion at this point. I realize, as Aldon and Eloise pointed out on the SLED listserv, there are many other factors that should influence the choice of a MUVE for educational purposes other than a simple popularity contest. Stability, accessibility (in disability terms as well as technological ones), the ability to create rich appropriate educational content and extensibility all impact the conversation.

With that said, for the past year I’ve focused on Second Life exclusively. I’m aware of other MUVE’s, but I’ve not explored them for educational purposes. At the very least, my point is that I believe I need to look beyond Second Life to explore the possibilities in other MUVE’s; if I knew nothing of any virtual world, I would evaluate those that appeared most appropriate, so I believe I should take a step back and do that. At most, if my tunnel vision in regard to Second Life as the educator’s MUVE of choice for learning environments is typical of the SLED community, I believe a concerted effort to explore other virtual environments is a worthwhile consideration.