Using the ADDIE Model to Design Second Life Activities for Online Learners

Second Life (SL) (http://www.secondlife.com), a 3D multi-user virtual environment (MUVE), is developed and maintained by its users. Over six million users from over 100 countries have become residents in SL. Non-profit and profit organizations and academic institutions have built islands, established a presence there, and explored the related benefits to their target users. Educators and students who are not familiar with the virtual learning environment should have an opportunity to learn about the rationale of using SL in teaching and learning. This paper summarizes the merits of adopting SL in teaching and learning, issues of SL use, and the use of the instructional-design principle relative to the design of SL learning activities. The authors discuss the process of applying ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation), a generic and simplified instructional systems design model, to the creation of SL learning activities for online learners, and how these activities reflect the SL capabilities. (Contains 1 figure.)