Educators Get a ‘Second Life’

For educators who think real life does not offer enough opportunities to practice their profession, there’s Second Life , an Internet-based virtual environment that counts thousands of educators among its enthusiasts.

Second Life bears a passing resemblance to an online game, with users represented by digitally drawn characters, called avatars, that can interact and engage in a vast array of activities. But a growing number of K-12 educators and groups have come to see the 3-D virtual environment as having educational potential that is very real.

“Think of Second Life as a world, an extension of the physical Earth, and a place where you will find a thriving educational community,” said Peggy Sheehy, a teacher in New York state who has become a Second Life evangelist...