Another Life in Second Life!!!!!!!!

A farmhouse in Austria

Visiting Second Life was very overwhelming at first, but after getting used to the software and linking with other avatars, I was able to visit many places some of which I have always longed to visit.

On the four ocassions that I visited Second Life I met a number of avatars and I was able to make some friends. The avatars I met represented people of different professions and were from different places in the world. I hoped to meet a celebrity but didn't.

It is easy to forget yourself once you get used to SL. However, I think that SL presents many opportunities for teaching and learning, but teachers must plan how to use the environment in a way that will be of educational benefit to students. Students can learn about other cultures, meet other people, take virtual tours to interesting places or other countries, listen to lectures, learn how to make things and collaborate.

The only setback to enjoying this virtual environment and doing things you would only dream of in real life is having access to it.

This a beautiful place to relax. Reminds me of two places I've known all my life.

How rude! Even if this is Lady Liberty - that's not the way! Anyway, she's excused - that's SL!

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Reflection - Group Discussion

The instruction was to join a group related to work or interest, but the discussions in the groups related to my work or interests were not interesting so I joined a group out of curiosity - "A Cup of Tea Solves Everything".

This group comprises of people from different parts of the world who love or drink tea for various reasons. Some of these include relaxation, health, warmth, calming of nerves, changing moods, socialization, snacking, quenching of one's thirst, use as a refreshing drink,uplifting one's spirit and thinking more clearly.

I was curious about the name of the group initially and thought it very strange. However, after reading a few posts I thought it kind of suited the group. People seemed to believe that after drinking a cup of tea they were able to deal with any problem or unbearable situation. I found the comments very entertaining and educational. Some of the educational information I already knew (from Home Economics) but some seemed strange so I checked some of them online. I found out that most of the reasons indicated for drinking tea are related to the medicinal value of tea.

One particular post was an invitation to tea that made me laugh at first. Thinking about it later made me realise that this was a useful way to help people who live alone, especially if they are unable to go out, socialize and meet other people. This looked so real - with time, place, food items, as well as the conversation which took place at the meeting. Although this group had nothing to do with topics discussed in class yet it made me think about how emerging technologies can be very useful to everyone. This activity can help to develop creative thinking skills in students as well as develop an interest in a variety of topics that can lead them to do research.

Introduction

Hello, I am Theodora from "Simply Beautiful - St. Lucia". I am a teacher and have been teaching for 27 years. I have taught students from Kindergarten to Grade 12, i.e. students from 5 to 17 years. Presently I teach Home Economics and Clothing & Textiles to students 11 to 17 years at a secondary school and have been doing so for 5 years. I enjoy teaching the older students but prefer teaching students from 5 to 10 years.

The thing I enjoy doing the most is designing, baking and decorating cakes for different occasions. I especially love doing birthday and wedding cakes. I will spend hours designing a cake from a person's likes or whatever they wish, then after baking it I take special care to decorate it so it matches the design. I feel good when someone is satisfied and happy about the final product.