• In the Spanish classroom Second Life can be used to take students to place, virtually, that they may never have a capability of visiting in real life, such as a Spanish-speaking country or to view a traditional celebration in Spanish culture. These locations can sometimes be very expensive to visit in real life; such as a trip to Puerto Rico my school is planning for this coming summer. (For one student, the cost is $1,700 and for a teacher the cost is close to $2,000.) Comparing prices to travel and Second Life being free to use, and I am sure Second Life seems more cost-realistic and logically the better choice is funding is an issue, which I know in my life can be an area of concern as well as in the live of others in my school district.
• Having the capabilities of showing my student authentic creations of individuals fully immersed in the Spanish culture brings substance to their learning. In some cases I can explain, to the best of my ability, a ritual or holiday, but if there can a real-life experience for the student, they can come to appreciate Spanish culture more easily.
• Once a user has registered to use Second Life it is pretty easy to locate places to gain knowledge about various cultures.
• Here are some locations in Second Life and what individuals may learn and experience while visiting these locations:
o El Fuego Pottery: Your Mexican Connections: Handicrafts imported from Mexico. Ceramic vases, pots, fireplaces and fountains available in hand painted tile designs. Mexican indoor/outdoor fireplaces, chimeneas.
o Napoleon 's Empire - Spanish Court: Individuals can view a Spanish ship, a castle that mimics El Castillo de Leon and more.
o The Sphinx Center: (Salsa Tango Romantic Dance Garden) View active dancers of Salsa and the Tango. You can also become a participant and dance these authentic dances!
I even found a mailing list sign up page online (reference source #2) where educators can send and receive news about Second Life and education. With Second Life the possibilities seem endless when it comes to education.
Reference Source #1 - www.secondlife.com
Reference Source #2 - https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators
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