Second Life is a popular persistent online virtual "world" where users from around the globe can explore digital environments and interact with other users. More and more institutions of higher education are using Second Life to create unique virtual learning experiences. The technologies powering Second Life are similar to those that power various popular computer games, but are directed to a purpose of building community and interaction.

For information regarding the BGSU Island, visit:

BGSU Second Life Virtual Campus Homepage

To visit BGSU island:

Bowling Green State University Island

Here are some useful Web Sites on Second Life

New Media Consortium (NMC) (Second Life campus observer - get updates on what educators are doing)

NMC Calendar of Events (current and upcoming events at the NMC Campus in Second Life)

Second Life Education Mailing List (SLED) (mailing list with many educators who post questions and answers daily)

Second Life Research Listserv (listserv focused on research issues in Second Life)

Metaverse Journal (Australia's virtual world news service)

List of Great Educational Venues

By clicking on the links below, you are directed to the Second Life server

• Campus:Second Life (Pathfinder Linden's hosted space for educators)
• Global Kids Island (The Main Grid location that reports on activities at the Global Kids location in the Teen Grid.)
• Harvard Law School's Austin Hall
• New Media Consortium Campus (private sim, Electric Sheep build, free sign up for access; overview movie)
• Ohio University Second Life Campus
• Northern Illinois University, Glidden Campus
• The Sistine Chapel (Vassar Island)
• Democracy Island (NYLS)
• Info Island (Incorporating SL & ICT Libraries, TechSoup)
• The Port (Swedish Art Wiki)
• Virtual University of Edinburgh (Vue)

Education in the Sciences and Health

• UC Davis' Virtual Hallucinations
• Heart Murmur Sim (medical assessment experiment, built 3/06)
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Second Life
• Second Life Medical Library 2.0
• Consumer Health Library
• HealthInfo Island
• Spaceport Alpha (incorporating International Spaceflight Museum and Second Life Planetarium by Chaac Amarula)
• Solar Eclipse Planetarium (Aimee Webber)
• Svarga (Laukosargas Svarog's virtual eco-system)
• A Sexual Health SIM in Second Life (University of Plymouth)

Examples of Second Life in Education

Example of Education Model or "Walkthrough"

Information & Communications Technology (ICT) Library on Info Island

Useful Scripts for Teaching

Building Tutorials

Best practices for organizing SL Events

Blogs and Wikis on Second Life and Education

MUVE forward by Topher Zwiers

Second Life Library 2.0

Second Life in Education

SIMTEACH