Cardenio - the SL teaching research project

Cardenio project


Aim: To explore aspects of culture and personal cultural identity through associations provided by other participants in the group.


Activities for the project:

A Treasure Hunt

Each participant should search Second Life (SL) places to locate an object that is representative of a) either their own culture or b) one with which they have strong ties or familiarity, i.e. a Second Culture. A description of the selected object will be posted to a community blog together with the SLurl, and other participants will be invited to visit that location; identify the object from its description and take a snapshot. Snapshots will be posted in the blog and discussion will centre around the responses. Access to the relevant SLearning tools (a blog; tools for posting and sharing etc) will be provided to participants to use during the activity.

Specific steps:

Part 1

1. To explore a selection of SL locations and identify an object that has some cultural significance for you (see example below)
2. To take the SLurl (SL link) of the place you wish to share
3. To post it together with a description of the particular object that you have selected to the blog without saying the name of the object.
4. To invite others to visit the SL places posted to the blog, and to locate the objects in situ.

Part 2

5. To visit a maximum of 5 locations listed by other participants in the blog, to explore them and take a snapshot of the objects that you think have been described.
6. To post your snapshots to the blog.
7. To post a message to the originator of the description speculating about why you think the object has cultural significance; commenting on the choice of object in relation to culture; commenting on your response to the choice of object selected by the participant and any shared associations; asking further questions to clarify significance.

B SL Quest

To visit and explore SL locations in order find the answers to a set of questions relating to locations with a specific cultural identity, and then take a short quiz.

Part 1

1. Receive a SL notecard containing a set of questions and some cultural locations. A SL Landmark (LM) will be included for the party location.
2. Visit the locations and seek answers to the questions.

C Party

3. The complete quiz will be included at a Party in SL in synchronous time and, each correct answers will receive prize money. (This is determined randomly and is in Linden dollars.)

Bring along poetry or arts, food from cultures you are interested in.
There may be Live Music by Richard Fitzgerald.