Designing Environments in Second Life for Enhanced Learning and Discussion

1. Second Life activities were programmed for use in two courses: Jazz History and History of Music Education in America. Both courses are part of the Finish@UT program and are 8 week courses, not the traditional 16 weeks long. The environments were constructed by two architects in Second Life. They were given vivid descriptions of the rooms, MP3 files for the ambient music, and ideas of interaction for the students to use in their visit. The choice was made to have a “lobby” for the students and where they could touch a “concert poster” to teleport from the lobby to the individual simulations. The land was accessed by invitation only so as to protect the learning environment for the students during the course. Designing Environments in Second Life for Enhanced Learning and Discussion Dan Keast, PhD Associate Professor of Music and Chair of Music Keast_D@utpb.edu The University of Texas of the Permian Basin (Odessa, TX)

2. LEFT: The first simulation in the Jazz History course simulated the story of Robert Johnson meeting the devil at the crossroads. RIGHT: The swing ballroom sim provided the students the opportunity to touch instruments on the stage – see the layout of the band, dance, and compare the opulent room to the New Orleans brothel the week prior.

3. RIGHT: the Bop club features a basement bar with one light above stage, intimate seating, heavy smoke, a trio, and mismatched chairs LEFT: The Cool style sim is a classroom complete with pencils in ceiling, my personal handwriting on the chalkboard, and a vibraphone.

4. In the History of Music Education course, students visited this simulation of a one-room schoolhouse. The next week, the environment is set to evening and the teacher/student bot avatars are exchanged for a singing school master. To visit the simulation, visit the SLURL: http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/UTPB%20La%20Mesa/207/81/26