Virtual Environments

Today's presentation by Glen Gatin was very good! This presentation helped me realize how important it is for teachers to teach their students about the whole world of technology. If students are unfamiliar with this new world of technology, it is going to make it very hard for them to find jobs, as many jobs now require this as a skill.

Teacher's today are so lucky to have all these great resources! Virtual Environments, crazy! but cool! There are many different virtual tours online that teachers can take their students on. By using these virtual environments as a resources it will allow for students to take field trips, that they would not normally get to go on. Another thing I liked about the idea of the virtual environments, is that many students learn by visuals. We hear so much about multiple intelligences, this would be a great way to reach those visual learners.

This is a resource I am going to use in my future classroom, no matter the subject! If it is safe, I will use it! I can either take my students on a trip through Rome for my Social Studies class, or take them on a trip through space for my Science class. There are so many options!

I wish we would have had more time to talk about the safety of Second Life, as I am still a little sceptical about sending my students out into this unknown world. I know there are a lot of great things teachers can do with it in regards to education, but I would like to learn more about how to keep my students safe while using this resource. I am also a little sceptical because I do not want my students to get caught up in this virtual world, and forget about reality.