This presentation is about a blended learning experience utilizing Second Life technology, collaboratively with traditional classroom activities, to teach social work values and skills for an East Carolina University School of Social Work Introduction to Social Work course. In the East Carolina University School of Social Work’s Bachelor of Social Work program, field or practical experience does not come until the senior year. As an instructor, I felt as though this was too late in the learning experience for real-life interaction and that critical learning was being delayed. The focus of this presentation is on the development of learning theory, pertaining to the acquisition of characteristics and skills valued in the social work profession such as diversity, empathy, leadership, and group process, through virtual world exposure to controlled situations and circumstances calling for responses and hence outcomes that are initially only conceptualized but not confirmed until either during or post-activity. Student learning is assessed by observation, discussion, journaling, and survey techniques. Second Life is a 3-d virtual world built by its creators and used by industry, business, private entrepreneurs, community colleges, universities, and private institutions. East Carolina University has been actively using SL since the fall of 2007. Courses taught in Second Life include computer classes, sociology, web design, interior design, recreation and leisure studies, networking, nursing, and social work. Simulations are an everyday occurrence and the virtual world allows for practical application of most knowledge for an assessment of knowledge utility and learner ability. First, this presentation aims to describe the innovative Second Life activities and sites utilized for learning in the social work classroom and for assisting to create affective outcomes toward development of the whole person. For example, having students personally experience discrimination not only led to intense post-activity discussion and strong personal feelings of rejection, but as well as to empathetic statements such as: “The mistreated classmates were very upset and they started to get frustrated. I felt myself feeling sorry for them and I started to feel the same way”; “I can only imagine the anger and hurt that people have to go through”; and “This assignment made me realize that things like this really happen in life and it is not fair.” More student insights will be shared and a demonstration of the activity can be given. Second, this presentation will demonstrate how we attempted to intertwine diversity and cross-cultural issues into the learning experiences. Once again, for example, the discrimination exercise brought insight to non-minority students about how pervasive discrimination is and how it affects not only the one discriminated against but also others witnessing discrimination. Students viewed the Martin Luther King Jr. “I have a Dream” speech in a Second Life classroom and were also able to visit a Holocaust Museum. Student journals confirm the powerful impact that such activities are capable of making on student thinking, feeling, and learning. In a village scenario, students face “cross cultural” issues such as hunger, shoeless children, and unsanitary drinking water and they are asked to make decisions about how to best assist. At times, the best answer may be to assist the many or the culture at large, and not the one, so how do you justify your decision. There is also a plane crash scenario where some survivors are medically ill or physically disabled, and the group needs to chose who will go to the island (limited capacity) and who will stay behind likely to perish. The cultures of ability and disability face stark and difficult realities. Both the village and the plane crash scenarios can be viewed and demonstrated. Third, the presentation will look at the use of qualitative and quantitative measures to assess the effects of virtual, “on-line” learning outcomes. We will present the results of student journals, student surveys, class discussions, and teacher observations. We will also share what we learned from students about how to improve the activities for maximizing the learning effect for social work course materials. Overall, what we have found is that the emergence and use of virtual environments is beneficial to educators and students alike. As virtual worlds are used to develop and foster learning in education, they give participants a sense of “being there.” In the East Carolina University School of Social Work’s Bachelor of Social Work program, field or practical experience is not offered until the senior year leaving a three-year window of learning opportunity open for a variety of experiences through simulations and the utilization of other on-line and virtual teaching techniques. Students and professionals are able to form support groups, visit sites of related interest, and not only meet but also interact with one another in meaningful, enriching ways. Second Life also provides faculty with the chance to connect and communicate with students in a manner not possible in a traditional classroom setting, being able to experience side-by-side the compelling learning adventures created. However educators should be aware of the benefits and possible pitfalls of using virtual and immersive worlds in an educational setting.
