Digital Literacies

I have been trying to negotiate second life - although the way I do it, it is more like half life.  At The University of Sheffield I use the InfoLit area set up by Sheila Webber who kindly lets us education folk onto her island.

It is very stylish and cool and today I went on a trip in the new hot air balloons. It was truly fabulous – Sheila whispered to me as my guide while I sailed safely round.  It helps having this kind of gadget I find; especially as I have been known to get stuck on the bottom of the sea unable to get out however hard I jump or try to fly!!  This afternoon I discovered how to get to The University of Idaho which was fun. I met a student of marketing and technology there. It was all very quiet everywhere today though and I can totally identify with the new Getting started Guide (from JISC) which hilariously notes that

get a sense that there are some really interesting locations in Second Life but that you just can’t find them. Most of them seem to be either deserted or a disco

I mainly roam around on my own not talking to anyone. It is quite lonely but then again I dread meeting someone as I constantly walk into walls, bump my head on stuff and generally behave like a buffoon.

It maybe gives an insight into what it may be like to be disabled when you go to a meeting and cannot (for example) get your sound working. Everyone else is talking and you have to type as your microphone won’t function. You are disadvantaged and slow at communicating and everyone has to wait for you to type.  Or they skillfully move about the place whilst you turn in circles, walk in the wrong direction, and certainly cannot behave as smooth and slick as anyone else.

I need to keep practicing though as I do want to use this in my teaching  – we have a unit in the Online MA in New Literacies where we explore new digital literacy practices in Virtual Worlds.  Jackie Marsh leads that section but I want to join in this year as well!