Risk and Responsibility: A Self-Study of Teaching with Second Life.

This article argues for the use of self-study as a research methodology for learning technology scholars to advance knowledge and improve practice in the use of emerging technologies in the classroom. It reports on a self-study conducted on the use of the Second Life multi-user virtual environment (MUVE) in a graduate level seminar entitled "Educational Media Theory." The article details the experience of the professor and the students in using the Second Life MUVE and it highlights the specific teaching and learning issues that arose as a result of using the technology. Through an examination of the data, I identify the assumptions based on personal interest and epistemological commitments, which led to problems in introducing the technology in the course. These problems were addressed through revising the syllabus to create scaffolds for student learning with the Second Life environment. The broader implications of the study regard the impact of student expectations and prior knowledge on the trajectory of the use of a technology in a course and the issue of student safety, which is raised when social technologies are used in the classroom. Adaptations to teaching methods to address such issues are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]