UK: Brave new unreal world

Gilly Salmon, professor of eLearning and learning technologies at Leicester University, has bought an island for $3,000. A mere snip, you might say, but it is not even real. She acquired it from Second Life, Linden Lab's web-based virtual world, to identify the educational benefits, or otherwise, of cyber learning.

"The university thought I was mad, but then they always do," she says. "It seemed a lot for something that doesn't exist." Salmon even used her own money which she got from a teaching award to pioneer her experimental research island.

The Leicester Island's Media Zoo, created in collaboration with TwoFour Learning, a media company based in Plymouth, is like a game involving avatars. These creatures are the alter egos of real internet users: they can look like you, or how you'd like to be. (Salmon's is noticeably younger, thinner and blonder!)

But, as Richard Wallis, head of TwoFour, says, it is not a game, but a virtual existence giving students the potential to learn. It will also showcase the university's eLearning facilities. Salmon adds: "In five years' time, operating in Second Life will become as normal for students as walking into a lecture theatre."

Salmon is already working with archaeology undergraduates who are studying the ancient Finnish society of the Saami. Her team has created an online tent typical of that era, and Saami-dressed avatars of the students can walk round it, visit each other in it, discuss the characteristics of the people, and role play. She believes that this experience will enhance their understanding of the subject, giving them insights they would not find by just reading about it.

"Our island is a pleasant and creative environment set up for the groups of learners, researchers and teachers to collaborate and explore. We plan to build on the very best of what we already know about using online environments for teaching and learning and find out the benefits of the new characteristics and opportunities."

Avatar student visitors to the Media Zoo island, guided by a creature called Birdie, can wander around four glass biomes and two seminar biomes, interact with animals, sail round the lagoon or take an airship tour.

On the serious side, the project team will also examine what universities can do to enhance learning in Second Life that they cannot do on real life campuses: it will find out how learners benefit; which disciplines benefit the most; how avatars learn and teach; and ask if virtual worlds are just a gimmick, and if they are divisive.

At the interactive launch of her Media Zoo project just before Christmas, Salmon marshalled a formidable collection of supporters, 'giants of history', and their avatars for her creation, ranging from Chaucer to Schramm. "Einstein would have appreciated the anonymity of avatars. Picasso would have been enchanted by Second Life, both as an area of creation and to display his works."

She described her island as 'fun'. "There's a little bit of magic about it. And all of us here must wave our wands to create a fabulous education for the future."