Second Life: hype or hyperlearning?

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to place Second Life within a learning theory framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology of this article is to interpret and evaluate the characteristics of a virtual world for its learning potential.

Findings

This article finds that Second Life is not simply the latest online fad, but part of a continuum of instructional technology tools that corresponds to twentieth and twenty‐first century developments in educational theory.

Originality/value

Second Life has just started in the past year and a half to be used for educational activities, with just a handful of US higher education courses. Numerous issues are now being discussed in the media and education list‐serves about the value of Second Life as a learning tool.

Citation

Cheal, C. (2007), "Second Life: hype or hyperlearning?", On the Horizon, Vol. 15 No. 4, pp. 204-210. https://doi.org/10.1108/10748120710836228