SECOND LIFE USERS’ PROFILES AND VIEWS ABOUT EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL OF SECOND LIFE: A CASE OF TURKEY

ABSTRACT

This study aims to reveal Second Life (SL) residents’ profiles, first hand experiences, opinions about SL and its potential as an educational environment. The members of 14 Turkish Island in SL answered a questionnaire including Likert-type, open ended and multiple-choice items and participated in interview sessions. Researchers collected 118 questionnaires and interviewed with 10 users.  The results showed a general picture about the Turkish SL user profile. They agree on SL potential about providing better communication with people. Also, they keep their SL character in line with the one they have in real life, while changing their physical appearances. Many active SL users in this study do not have an apparent thought about the applicability of SL in education and most of them are not willing to participate in its educational applications in SL. This study concludes by offering suggestions to practitioners about how to use SL in e-learning.