Feeling Like Tron

Feeling Like Tron...

In the classic 1982 film Tron, a computer hacker is abducted into a virtual world where he is forced to take part in video gladiator games to survive. As a teenager and avid gamer, I can remember my imagination being captured by this concept. At the time, video games were rather simple and featured a decidedly 2D, pixelated, simplistic design. Games like Moon Cresta, Pac Man, and Space Invaders were great fun but they were not what I might call "immersive."It was not until I discovered the initial first person shooters (FPS) like Wolfenstein 3D and Doom that I felt "immersed" in a game. In retrospect, those games were blocky and clumsy compared to today's FPS's, however, they were no less fun or immersive at the time. I think that this is a good analogy for Second Life (SL). Initially, I found myself thinking that the graphics are more than a little dated. I wondered why "something better" has not displaced SL. However, upon further exploration, I can understand why SL has survived and has such a cult following. The worlds are truly deep, immersive, and interactive. More important, they are entirely built by enthusiasts who have evolved an entire economy and community. It truly is a second life! Initially during the first class, I felt a little lost as Dr. Peter led us through the exploration of the COE Island. I found it easy to get distracted by the smallest things and had difficulty even moving around. For the first time in my LTEC program (Masters and PhD), I felt "behind the curve." I was having difficulty even following the simple instructions to change the name above my avatar. Then it struck me! How do we learn when we play video games? We simply relax, assess the environment, and let the learning "come to you" naturally. Most important, you need to have fun! This is the mindset that I will be adopting as we explore new technologies in this course. I am excited about all the possibilities!

I have never truly thought of using virtual worlds as a serious way to implement educational pedagogy and objectives but this has really opened my eyes. I cannot wait to explore Minecraft and some of the other technologies. Let the gladiator games begin!