Abstract
In the author’s courses, students have been augmentationist, not immersionist, in their approaches to using technology. In a virtual world, however, they are born with new skins into strange settings, doing things that might be impossible in the world of matter. Their frequent discomfort at this rebirth corroborates findings in two studies (Mosier, 2009; Howe & Strauss, 2000) that American "Millennials" distrust activities that seem to have no direct bearing on their educational outcomes, established social circles, or professional desires. The chapter describes assignments for such students, in the context of Rouzie s (2005) "serio-ludic "pedagogy. Several touchstones for educators appear, such as four challenges educators face, advice for orienting students 'first hours in a virtual world, long-standing Second Life content of worth such as Virtual Harlem, and guidelines for creating such content oneself.
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Date
2010
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2010 IGI Global. This chapter first appeared in Teaching and Learning in 3D Immersive Worlds: Pedagogical Models and Constructivist Approaches.
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Recommended Citation
Essid, Joe. "Playing in a New Key, in a New World: Virtual Worlds, Millennial Writers, and 3D Composition." In Teaching and Learning in 3D Immersive Worlds: Pedagogical Models and Constructivist Approaches, edited by Amy Cheney, 169-84. Hershey, PA: IGI Global, 2010.