Dr Mike Hobbs and I visited the University of Salento, Lecce, Italy on an ERASMUS staff exchange. Introducing a class of psychology masters students to the notion of a 3D virtual world was an interestingness exercise, as the students had not previously been aware of the existence of these worlds. Drawing upon Second Life as an example, and showing video footage and images from 'in world', the possibilities of this technology as an aid to learning were explored.The contrast between the more didactic approaches to pedagogy in the Italian classroom and the more collaborative and constructivist possibilities were of real interest to the audience.
As psychologists, they were extremely interested in identify, and intrigued by the need to create an 'avatar' (a virtual representation of themselves) to navigate in Second Life. A class exercise on 'what avatar would you be?' revealed some interesting answers, and summarised below are the main groupings for answers.
Italian celebrities (8) 7 film stars plus 1 footballer
International celebrities (11) mainly film stars or singers 2 Kate Middleton
Animals (3)
Body descriptions - (8) all with 'thin' as key descriptor
Intellectual suggestions (3) (Patch Adams, clown therapist; Rita Levi Montalcini, Italian Nobel Prize winner; Pablo Neruda, Poet)
In terms of our broader research interests, identity and fame; identity and body image; identity and imagined possibilities are themes to explore further. For more information see Mike Hobbs students work at Anglia Ruskin in Second Life at Anglia Ruskin University Island and Debbie Holleys webpage http://drdebbieholley.com.
Find us in SL: Mike is Austin Thatcher and Debbie is Deb Khaos
As psychologists, they were extremely interested in identify, and intrigued by the need to create an 'avatar' (a virtual representation of themselves) to navigate in Second Life. A class exercise on 'what avatar would you be?' revealed some interesting answers, and summarised below are the main groupings for answers.
Italian celebrities (8) 7 film stars plus 1 footballer
International celebrities (11) mainly film stars or singers 2 Kate Middleton
Animals (3)
Body descriptions - (8) all with 'thin' as key descriptor
Intellectual suggestions (3) (Patch Adams, clown therapist; Rita Levi Montalcini, Italian Nobel Prize winner; Pablo Neruda, Poet)
In terms of our broader research interests, identity and fame; identity and body image; identity and imagined possibilities are themes to explore further. For more information see Mike Hobbs students work at Anglia Ruskin in Second Life at Anglia Ruskin University Island and Debbie Holleys webpage http://drdebbieholley.com.
Find us in SL: Mike is Austin Thatcher and Debbie is Deb Khaos
