Comments on: Second Life to teach cultural awareness? http://www.teach42.com/2007/05/08/second-life-to-teach-cultural-awareness/ Education and Technology by Steve Dembo Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:47:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Matt Crosslin http://www.teach42.com/2007/05/08/second-life-to-teach-cultural-awareness/#comment-68184 Matt Crosslin Fri, 11 May 2007 16:37:29 +0000 http://www.teach42.com/2007/05/08/second-life-to-teach-cultural-awareness/#comment-68184 My fellow bloggers at EduGeek Journal are already hooked on SL. They have already convinced their school to buy an island (do a search for UT Dallas SOM or just UTD from the map). I wonder what they have seen about this issue. It would seem that SL would be a place that is more free of racism. But, like Bud says - it's people that are the problem. And I guess they don't see the need to check real life problems at the door before logging in to SL. Sad. My fellow bloggers at EduGeek Journal are already hooked on SL. They have already convinced their school to buy an island (do a search for UT Dallas SOM or just UTD from the map). I wonder what they have seen about this issue. It would seem that SL would be a place that is more free of racism. But, like Bud says - it’s people that are the problem. And I guess they don’t see the need to check real life problems at the door before logging in to SL. Sad.

]]> By: Bud Hunt http://www.teach42.com/2007/05/08/second-life-to-teach-cultural-awareness/#comment-67921 Bud Hunt Tue, 08 May 2007 21:54:24 +0000 http://www.teach42.com/2007/05/08/second-life-to-teach-cultural-awareness/#comment-67921 Yes, SL could certainly be a great place to challenge stereotypes, but it can also be a place where those assumptions are reaffirmed, too. I've noticed in my explorations of Second Life that appearance is everything to lots of folks. That's sad. Seems like Second Life isn't all that different from First Life. Consumerism, racism, plenty of 'isms. My first SL avatar had blue skin and foot high pony tails coming out of the sides of its head. I was told that I needed to "fix" my appearance by many that I met. What's the point of changing the rules if folks simply want the old rules but new bodies? Sure, SL has great potential -- maybe it's us people that are the problem. Yes, SL could certainly be a great place to challenge stereotypes, but it can also be a place where those assumptions are reaffirmed, too.
I’ve noticed in my explorations of Second Life that appearance is everything to lots of folks. That’s sad. Seems like Second Life isn’t all that different from First Life. Consumerism, racism, plenty of ‘isms.
My first SL avatar had blue skin and foot high pony tails coming out of the sides of its head. I was told that I needed to “fix” my appearance by many that I met.
What’s the point of changing the rules if folks simply want the old rules but new bodies? Sure, SL has great potential — maybe it’s us people that are the problem.

]]> By: Chris Craft http://www.teach42.com/2007/05/08/second-life-to-teach-cultural-awareness/#comment-67897 Chris Craft Tue, 08 May 2007 17:02:54 +0000 http://www.teach42.com/2007/05/08/second-life-to-teach-cultural-awareness/#comment-67897 If you think this is even a remotely interesting topic, go read this study <a href="http://www.tophe.net/papers/Lee-Hoadley-ICLS06.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.tophe.net/papers/Lee-Hoadley-ICLS06.pdf</a> It's called "Ugly in a world where you can choose to be beautiful": Teaching and learning about diversity via virtual worlds" and details high school kids in SL learning about diversity. Chris If you think this is even a remotely interesting topic, go read this study

http://www.tophe.net/papers/Lee-Hoadley-ICLS06.pdf

It’s called “Ugly in a world where you can choose to be beautiful”: Teaching and learning about diversity via virtual worlds” and details high school kids in SL learning about diversity.

Chris

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