Educational Second Life Games 2

This paper will focus on the development of educational games for 8th grade science students at Alexander Middle School using the virtual environment, Second Life. The work is conducted under a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant which aims to improve learning in Appalachian Ohio middle school science classes through computer games created by graduate students at Ohio University. The two games that will be discussed in this paper are The Sugar and Water Solubility Experiment and Rafting Adventures. The development of the games along with the advantages and disadvantages of using them in class will be presented in this paper. Educational Second Life Games 3 Using Second Life to Create Educational Games for Middle School Science Students Technology and education have been related to each other throughout history. With each new technological innovation, education has changed the way information was disseminated and distributed to those learning the material. Radio, television, and now computers are all elements that have been viewed as the next big change for education. While the first two have had marginal impact on education, computers have and will continue to impact education in powerfu