Many colleges and universities around the world are currently exploring how Second Life and other virtual environments can enhance learning by providing experiential active learning opportunities. Miami Dade College will soon purchase an "Island" and begin creating a virtual presence that could include a Welcome Center, teaching and learning areas, informal meeting and office space, links to MDC resources, video streams and more. The Virtual College, in collaboration with College Training and Development and Information Technology, was awarded a Foundation Grant, "Second Life: Moving the College to Incorporating MUVEs (Multi-User Virtual Environments)," that will help launch this project.

Join us for a presentation that will introduce the education possibilities of Second Life. Discover how you can visit Genome Island and walk through a 3-D cell or watch a flower reproduce. Explore NASA's Ames Research Center where you can ride through a hurricane, float on a weather balloon or walk into a real-time weather station. Experience Renaissance Island where you can visit the Globe Theatre and have a conversation with Shakespeare if he happens to be around. Visit ESL Island, where your students can practice English with native speakers or practice speaking almost any language all over the Virtual world.

Course Title: CTD0260 Second Life in Education: Get a M.U.V.

Objectives:

As a result of successful completion of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• List potential educational uses of Second Life
• Describe the process for setting up an avatar and getting started
• Describe how to get help and access additional resources