#10 - Virtual Worlds

This is a big thing for me to step out and try....thanks for all of the tips....without them and talking to others that had already experienced second life it would have been IMPOSSIBLE....I still have a long way to go to actually enjoy it.... I can see how kids would really take to this (and I saw it at summer school) ...but I am still having difficulty with using it in an elementary school with out an adult watching....I also see problems with people getting lost in time...it's very addicting....and time escapes....hours flew by like seconds....and life happened while I was totally involved with a computer screen...the other night is was 11:00 and I was still investigating....I do see how simulations would totally keep students involved...I began to look around for things that were like second life...but not quite so involved... In looking around...I've found this site that is just starting with a kind of simulation for kids...it also includes games - http://games.noaa.gov The new one that is kind of similar to a virtual world is called Waterlife - Where rivers meet the sea. I am sure that more things will be coming out for the younger children...I just hope that they are a little less time consuming...