This activity is directed towards teachers who want to introduce their students to virtual worlds and get them to use avatars and avatar modification to describe people’s physical appearance. The chosen virtual world is Second Life® (SL) and the activity is a loose adaptation of Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum‘s activity 16: Avatars (2013: 136-141).
Before starting this activity, you may want to read the section on Gaming Literacy and the activity Who am I? Choosing and modifying your avatar.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this activity, the student will be:
- able to move, walk, run, fly in the virtual world
- able to communicate in the virtual world, in writing and using the voice option
- able to choose and modify an avatar in the Second Life® virtual world
- able to describe physical appearance and clothes in the target language
Technology requirements
This activity requires a room with computers with internet access and a graphic card that supports the Second Life® software. Each student should have access to one computer.
Procedure
Before the activity
Make sure that a Second Life® viewer has been downloaded on each computer, that it is working properly, and can be accessed in the students’ language of study. If there are difficulties with the SL® viewer, you can choose to download an alternative one. For a list of alternative viewers, read Alternative.net.
Introduce your students to the virtual world of Second Life®. You can have an in-class presentation, showing them videos from SL®, pictures, or tell them about your experiences in the virtual world. Make sure you explain to them the reason for choosing this virtual environment and why you find it useful and interesting for their language learning. You might also want to show them briefly what entering a virtual world entails, by showing them the first steps you take when creating a new avatar. This can be done by using a computer connected to a projector.
During the activity
- Ask each student to open the Second Life® viewer on their computer, choose an avatar’s name and password, and log into the virtual world.
- Give them time to familiarise themselves with the SL® newcomers’ space, where they will learn how to use the keyboard to move their avatar around, walk, run, jump, fly and observe the world around them.
- Ask them to follow the SL on-screen directions and to:
- Acquaint themselves with their avatar’s movements
- Learn how to use their mouse to look around and zoom in on objects and other people
- Learn how to communicate in writing and using the voice option
Make sure that you are available to help each student during their first steps in the virtual world.
- Once your students have familiarised themselves with the virtual world environment, ask them to find a quiet area in the virtual world, where they can work at modifying their avatar without any interruption. Virtual world spaces where avatars can work on their projects are called sandboxes. You can add each student as a friend to your avatar’s friend list and send them the landmark (address) of a good sandbox, where they can work.
- Once all students are in the sandbox, ask them to start changing their avatar’s image. You may want to have a list of instructions ready so that you can direct your students during this process. Useful instructions are:
- Right-click on your avatar, you will see a pie chart. Click on Appearance
- Click on Edit Shape. This will give you the chance to change every single part of your body. You can become fatter, taller, change your nose shape, and even change your gender.
- Play around with the Edit Shape. You can save a new version of your avatar if you like it better.
- You may want to take pictures of your avatar in its different stages and save them to your computer. Use the camera icon, which allows you to take in-world snapshots.
- Click on your Inventory tab (it is usually depicted as a suitcase, in most viewers) and look at its contents. You will see that you have a Gestures folder. Open it by double-clicking on it and try a few of the gestures.
- Ask students to walk to the centre of the sandbox and communicate with each other in-world. Direct the communication; depending on their language competence, you may want students to describe each other’s avatar, describe and give reasons for choosing a certain avatar and certain look. You may ask students to rate the different avatars and have an election of the most successful avatar (or funniest, scariest, etc…). You may also want to ask students to help each other to change their avatar’s appearance.
Read Notes for Teachers for extensions to this activity.
After the activity
Give students landmarks of different places where they can find free shapes, clothes, and body parts. Students can complete their avatar’s modification at home and present their new look in the next class.
Source/attribution: Digilanguages. Author: Susanna Nocchi
Additional Content
This activity is directed towards teachers who want to introduce their students to virtual worlds and get them to use avatars and avatar modification to describe people’s physical appearance. The chosen virtual world is Second Life® (SL) and the activity is a loose adaptation of <a href=”/bibliography/?lang=ga#/?_k=jwd05s” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/?lang=ga#/?_k=jwd05s”>Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum</a>’s activity 16: Avatars (2013: 136-141).Before starting this activity, you may want to read the section on <a href=”/gaming-literacy-what-is-it/#/roles?_k=ygi86j” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/gaming-literacy-what-is-it/#/roles?_k=ygi86j”>Gaming Literacy</a> and the activity <a href=”/who-am-i-choosing-and-modyfing-your-avatar/#/roles?_k=28vh54″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/who-am-i-choosing-and-modyfing-your-avatar/#/roles?_k=28vh54″>Who am I? Choosing and modifying your avatar</a>.Learning outcomesOn completion of this activity, the student will be:<li>able to move, walk, run, fly in the virtual world</li><li>able to communicate in the virtual world, in writing and using the voice option</li><li>able to choose and modify an avatar in the Second Life® virtual world</li><li>able to describe physical appearance and clothes in the target language</li>
Technology requirementsThis activity requires a room with computers with internet access and a graphic card that supports the Second Life® software. Each student should have access to one computer.Procedure<u>Before the activity</u>Make sure that a Second Life® viewer has been downloaded on each computer, that it is working properly and can be accessed in the students’ language of study. If there are difficulties with the SL® viewer, you can choose to download an alternative one. For a list of alternative viewers, read <a href=”http://alternativeto.net/software/second-life-viewer/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”http://alternativeto.net/software/second-life-viewer/”>Alternative.net</a>.Introduce your students to the virtual world of <a href=”http://secondlife.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”http://secondlife.com/”>Second Life®</a>. You can have an in-class presentation, showing them videos from SL®, pictures or tell them about your experiences in the virtual world. Make sure you explain to them the reason for choosing this virtual environment and why you find it useful and interesting for their language learning. You might also want to show them briefly what entering a virtual world entails, by showing them the first steps you take when creating a new avatar. This can be done by using a computer connected to a projector.<u>During the activity</u><li>Ask each student to open the Second Life® viewer on their computer, choose an avatar’s name and password and log into the virtual world.</li><li>Give them time to familiarise themselves with the SL® newcomers’ space, where they will learn how to use the keyboard to move their avatar around, walk, run, jump, fly and observe the world around them.</li><li>Ask them to follow the SL on-screen directions and to:</li>
<li>Acquaint themselves with their avatar’s movements</li><li>Learn how to use their mouse to look around and zoom in on objects and other people</li><li>Learn how to communicate in writing and using the voice option</li>
Make sure that you are available to help each student during their first steps in the virtual world.
<li>Once your students have familiarised themselves with the virtual world environment, ask them to find a quiet area in the virtual world, where they can work at modifying their avatar without any interruption. Virtual world spaces where avatars can work on their projects are called <strong>sandboxes</strong>. You can add each student as a friend to your avatar’s friend list and send them the landmark (address) of a good sandbox, where they can work.</li><li>Once all students are in the sandbox, ask them to start changing their avatar’s image. You may want to have a list of instructions ready so that you can direct your students during this process. Useful instructions are:</li>
<li>Right-click on your avatar, you will see a pie chart. Click on <u>Appearance</u></li><li>Click on <u>Edit Shape</u>. This will give you the chance to change every single part of your body. You can become fatter, taller, change your nose shape and even change your gender.</li><li>Play around with the <u>Edit Shape.</u> You can save a new version of your avatar if you like it better.</li><li>You may want to take pictures of your avatar in its different stages and save them to your computer. Use the camera icon, which allows you to take in-world snapshots.</li><li>Click on your Inventory tab (it is usually depicted as a suitcase, in most viewers) and look at its contents. You will see that you have a Gestures folder. Open it by double-clicking on it and try a few of the gestures.</li>
<li>Ask students to walk to the centre of the sandbox and communicate with each other in-world. Direct the communication; depending on their language competence, you may want students to describe each other’s avatar, describe and give reasons for choosing a certain avatar and certain look. You may ask students to rate the different avatars and have an election of the most successful avatar (or funniest, scariest etc…). You may also want to ask students to help each other to change their avatar’s appearance.</li>
Read Notes for Teachers for extensions to this activity.<u>After the activity</u>Give students landmarks of different places where they can find free shapes, clothes and body parts. Students can complete their avatar’s modification at home and present their new look in the next class.<span style=”font-weight: 400;” data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Source/attribution: </strong>Digilanguages. </span><span style=”font-weight: 400;” data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Author: </strong></span>Susanna Nocchi
This activity is directed towards teachers who want to introduce their students to virtual worlds and get them to use avatars and avatar modification to describe people’s physical appearance. The chosen virtual world is Second Life® (SL) and the activity is a loose adaptation of <a href=”/bibliography/?lang=ga#/?_k=jwd05s” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/?lang=ga#/?_k=jwd05s”>Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum</a>’s activity 16: Avatars (2013: 136-141).Before starting this activity, you may want to read the section on <a href=”/gaming-literacy-what-is-it/#/roles?_k=ygi86j” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/gaming-literacy-what-is-it/#/roles?_k=ygi86j”>Gaming Literacy</a> and the activity <a href=”/who-am-i-choosing-and-modyfing-your-avatar/#/roles?_k=28vh54″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/who-am-i-choosing-and-modyfing-your-avatar/#/roles?_k=28vh54″>Who am I? Choosing and modifying your avatar</a>.Learning outcomesOn completion of this activity, the student will be:<li>able to move, walk, run, fly in the virtual world</li><li>able to communicate in the virtual world, in writing and using the voice option</li><li>able to choose and modify an avatar in the Second Life® virtual world</li><li>able to describe physical appearance and clothes in the target language</li>
Technology requirementsThis activity requires a room with computers with internet access and a graphic card that supports the Second Life® software. Each student should have access to one computer.Procedure<u>Before the activity</u>Make sure that a Second Life® viewer has been downloaded on each computer, that it is working properly and can be accessed in the students’ language of study. If there are difficulties with the SL® viewer, you can choose to download an alternative one. For a list of alternative viewers, read <a href=”http://alternativeto.net/software/second-life-viewer/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”http://alternativeto.net/software/second-life-viewer/”>Alternative.net</a>.Introduce your students to the virtual world of <a href=”http://secondlife.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”http://secondlife.com/”>Second Life®</a>. You can have an in-class presentation, showing them videos from SL®, pictures or tell them about your experiences in the virtual world. Make sure you explain to them the reason for choosing this virtual environment and why you find it useful and interesting for their language learning. You might also want to show them briefly what entering a virtual world entails, by showing them the first steps you take when creating a new avatar. This can be done by using a computer connected to a projector.<u>During the activity</u><li>Ask each student to open the Second Life® viewer on their computer, choose an avatar’s name and password and log into the virtual world.</li><li>Give them time to familiarise themselves with the SL® newcomers’ space, where they will learn how to use the keyboard to move their avatar around, walk, run, jump, fly and observe the world around them.</li><li>Ask them to follow the SL on-screen directions and to:</li>
<li>Acquaint themselves with their avatar’s movements</li><li>Learn how to use their mouse to look around and zoom in on objects and other people</li><li>Learn how to communicate in writing and using the voice option</li>
Make sure that you are available to help each student during their first steps in the virtual world.
<li>Once your students have familiarised themselves with the virtual world environment, ask them to find a quiet area in the virtual world, where they can work at modifying their avatar without any interruption. Virtual world spaces where avatars can work on their projects are called <strong>sandboxes</strong>. You can add each student as a friend to your avatar’s friend list and send them the landmark (address) of a good sandbox, where they can work.</li><li>Once all students are in the sandbox, ask them to start changing their avatar’s image. You may want to have a list of instructions ready so that you can direct your students during this process. Useful instructions are:</li>
<li>Right-click on your avatar, you will see a pie chart. Click on <u>Appearance</u></li><li>Click on <u>Edit Shape</u>. This will give you the chance to change every single part of your body. You can become fatter, taller, change your nose shape and even change your gender.</li><li>Play around with the <u>Edit Shape.</u> You can save a new version of your avatar if you like it better.</li><li>You may want to take pictures of your avatar in its different stages and save them to your computer. Use the camera icon, which allows you to take in-world snapshots.</li><li>Click on your Inventory tab (it is usually depicted as a suitcase, in most viewers) and look at its contents. You will see that you have a Gestures folder. Open it by double-clicking on it and try a few of the gestures.</li>
<li>Ask students to walk to the centre of the sandbox and communicate with each other in-world. Direct the communication; depending on their language competence, you may want students to describe each other’s avatar, describe and give reasons for choosing a certain avatar and certain look. You may ask students to rate the different avatars and have an election of the most successful avatar (or funniest, scariest etc…). You may also want to ask students to help each other to change their avatar’s appearance.</li>
Read Notes for Teachers for extensions to this activity.<u>After the activity</u>Give students landmarks of different places where they can find free shapes, clothes and body parts. Students can complete their avatar’s modification at home and present their new look in the next class.<span style=”font-weight: 400;” data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Source/attribution: </strong>Digilanguages. </span><span style=”font-weight: 400;” data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Author: </strong></span>Susanna Nocchi
This activity is directed towards teachers who want to introduce their students to virtual worlds and get them to use avatars and avatar modification to describe people’s physical appearance. The chosen virtual world is Second Life® (SL) and the activity is a loose adaptation of <a href=”/bibliography/?lang=ga#/?_k=jwd05s” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/?lang=ga#/?_k=jwd05s”>Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum</a>’s activity 16: Avatars (2013: 136-141).Before starting this activity, you may want to read the section on <a href=”/gaming-literacy-what-is-it/#/roles?_k=ygi86j” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/gaming-literacy-what-is-it/#/roles?_k=ygi86j”>Gaming Literacy</a> and the activity <a href=”/who-am-i-choosing-and-modyfing-your-avatar/#/roles?_k=28vh54″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/who-am-i-choosing-and-modyfing-your-avatar/#/roles?_k=28vh54″>Who am I? Choosing and modifying your avatar</a>.Learning outcomesOn completion of this activity, the student will be:<li>able to move, walk, run, fly in the virtual world</li><li>able to communicate in the virtual world, in writing and using the voice option</li><li>able to choose and modify an avatar in the Second Life® virtual world</li><li>able to describe physical appearance and clothes in the target language</li>
Technology requirementsThis activity requires a room with computers with internet access and a graphic card that supports the Second Life® software. Each student should have access to one computer.Procedure<u>Before the activity</u>Make sure that a Second Life® viewer has been downloaded on each computer, that it is working properly and can be accessed in the students’ language of study. If there are difficulties with the SL® viewer, you can choose to download an alternative one. For a list of alternative viewers, read <a href=”http://alternativeto.net/software/second-life-viewer/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”http://alternativeto.net/software/second-life-viewer/”>Alternative.net</a>.Introduce your students to the virtual world of <a href=”http://secondlife.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”http://secondlife.com/”>Second Life®</a>. You can have an in-class presentation, showing them videos from SL®, pictures or tell them about your experiences in the virtual world. Make sure you explain to them the reason for choosing this virtual environment and why you find it useful and interesting for their language learning. You might also want to show them briefly what entering a virtual world entails, by showing them the first steps you take when creating a new avatar. This can be done by using a computer connected to a projector.<u>During the activity</u><li>Ask each student to open the Second Life® viewer on their computer, choose an avatar’s name and password and log into the virtual world.</li><li>Give them time to familiarise themselves with the SL® newcomers’ space, where they will learn how to use the keyboard to move their avatar around, walk, run, jump, fly and observe the world around them.</li><li>Ask them to follow the SL on-screen directions and to:</li>
<li>Acquaint themselves with their avatar’s movements</li><li>Learn how to use their mouse to look around and zoom in on objects and other people</li><li>Learn how to communicate in writing and using the voice option</li>
Make sure that you are available to help each student during their first steps in the virtual world.
<li>Once your students have familiarised themselves with the virtual world environment, ask them to find a quiet area in the virtual world, where they can work at modifying their avatar without any interruption. Virtual world spaces where avatars can work on their projects are called <strong>sandboxes</strong>. You can add each student as a friend to your avatar’s friend list and send them the landmark (address) of a good sandbox, where they can work.</li><li>Once all students are in the sandbox, ask them to start changing their avatar’s image. You may want to have a list of instructions ready so that you can direct your students during this process. Useful instructions are:</li>
<li>Right-click on your avatar, you will see a pie chart. Click on <u>Appearance</u></li><li>Click on <u>Edit Shape</u>. This will give you the chance to change every single part of your body. You can become fatter, taller, change your nose shape and even change your gender.</li><li>Play around with the <u>Edit Shape.</u> You can save a new version of your avatar if you like it better.</li><li>You may want to take pictures of your avatar in its different stages and save them to your computer. Use the camera icon, which allows you to take in-world snapshots.</li><li>Click on your Inventory tab (it is usually depicted as a suitcase, in most viewers) and look at its contents. You will see that you have a Gestures folder. Open it by double-clicking on it and try a few of the gestures.</li>
<li>Ask students to walk to the centre of the sandbox and communicate with each other in-world. Direct the communication; depending on their language competence, you may want students to describe each other’s avatar, describe and give reasons for choosing a certain avatar and certain look. You may ask students to rate the different avatars and have an election of the most successful avatar (or funniest, scariest etc…). You may also want to ask students to help each other to change their avatar’s appearance.</li>
Read Notes for Teachers for extensions to this activity.<u>After the activity</u>Give students landmarks of different places where they can find free shapes, clothes and body parts. Students can complete their avatar’s modification at home and present their new look in the next class.<span style=”font-weight: 400;” data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Source/attribution: </strong>Digilanguages. </span><span style=”font-weight: 400;” data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Author: </strong></span>Susanna Nocchi
This activity is directed towards teachers who want to introduce their students to virtual worlds and get them to use avatars and avatar modification to describe people’s physical appearance. The chosen virtual world is Second Life® (SL) and the activity is a loose adaptation of <a href=”/bibliography/?lang=ga#/?_k=jwd05s” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/?lang=ga#/?_k=jwd05s”>Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum</a>’s activity 16: Avatars (2013: 136-141).Before starting this activity, you may want to read the section on <a href=”/gaming-literacy-what-is-it/#/roles?_k=ygi86j” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/gaming-literacy-what-is-it/#/roles?_k=ygi86j”>Gaming Literacy</a> and the activity <a href=”/who-am-i-choosing-and-modyfing-your-avatar/#/roles?_k=28vh54″ target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/who-am-i-choosing-and-modyfing-your-avatar/#/roles?_k=28vh54″>Who am I? Choosing and modifying your avatar</a>.Learning outcomesOn completion of this activity, the student will be:<li>able to move, walk, run, fly in the virtual world</li><li>able to communicate in the virtual world, in writing and using the voice option</li><li>able to choose and modify an avatar in the Second Life® virtual world</li><li>able to describe physical appearance and clothes in the target language</li>
Technology requirementsThis activity requires a room with computers with internet access and a graphic card that supports the Second Life® software. Each student should have access to one computer.Procedure<u>Before the activity</u>Make sure that a Second Life® viewer has been downloaded on each computer, that it is working properly and can be accessed in the students’ language of study. If there are difficulties with the SL® viewer, you can choose to download an alternative one. For a list of alternative viewers, read <a href=”http://alternativeto.net/software/second-life-viewer/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”http://alternativeto.net/software/second-life-viewer/”>Alternative.net</a>.Introduce your students to the virtual world of <a href=”http://secondlife.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”http://secondlife.com/”>Second Life®</a>. You can have an in-class presentation, showing them videos from SL®, pictures or tell them about your experiences in the virtual world. Make sure you explain to them the reason for choosing this virtual environment and why you find it useful and interesting for their language learning. You might also want to show them briefly what entering a virtual world entails, by showing them the first steps you take when creating a new avatar. This can be done by using a computer connected to a projector.<u>During the activity</u><li>Ask each student to open the Second Life® viewer on their computer, choose an avatar’s name and password and log into the virtual world.</li><li>Give them time to familiarise themselves with the SL® newcomers’ space, where they will learn how to use the keyboard to move their avatar around, walk, run, jump, fly and observe the world around them.</li><li>Ask them to follow the SL on-screen directions and to:</li>
<li>Acquaint themselves with their avatar’s movements</li><li>Learn how to use their mouse to look around and zoom in on objects and other people</li><li>Learn how to communicate in writing and using the voice option</li>
Make sure that you are available to help each student during their first steps in the virtual world.
<li>Once your students have familiarised themselves with the virtual world environment, ask them to find a quiet area in the virtual world, where they can work at modifying their avatar without any interruption. Virtual world spaces where avatars can work on their projects are called <strong>sandboxes</strong>. You can add each student as a friend to your avatar’s friend list and send them the landmark (address) of a good sandbox, where they can work.</li><li>Once all students are in the sandbox, ask them to start changing their avatar’s image. You may want to have a list of instructions ready so that you can direct your students during this process. Useful instructions are:</li>
<li>Right-click on your avatar, you will see a pie chart. Click on <u>Appearance</u></li><li>Click on <u>Edit Shape</u>. This will give you the chance to change every single part of your body. You can become fatter, taller, change your nose shape and even change your gender.</li><li>Play around with the <u>Edit Shape.</u> You can save a new version of your avatar if you like it better.</li><li>You may want to take pictures of your avatar in its different stages and save them to your computer. Use the camera icon, which allows you to take in-world snapshots.</li><li>Click on your Inventory tab (it is usually depicted as a suitcase, in most viewers) and look at its contents. You will see that you have a Gestures folder. Open it by double-clicking on it and try a few of the gestures.</li>
<li>Ask students to walk to the centre of the sandbox and communicate with each other in-world. Direct the communication; depending on their language competence, you may want students to describe each other’s avatar, describe and give reasons for choosing a certain avatar and certain look. You may ask students to rate the different avatars and have an election of the most successful avatar (or funniest, scariest etc…). You may also want to ask students to help each other to change their avatar’s appearance.</li>
Read Notes for Teachers for extensions to this activity.<u>After the activity</u>Give students landmarks of different places where they can find free shapes, clothes and body parts. Students can complete their avatar’s modification at home and present their new look in the next class.<span style=”font-weight: 400;” data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Source/attribution: </strong>Digilanguages. </span><span style=”font-weight: 400;” data-mce-style=”font-weight: 400;”><strong>Author: </strong></span>Susanna Nocchi
