Starting a journey in SL is not difficult. First, a person needs to download SL for free and create his or her avatar.

SL provides numerous options to create an avatar with different hair colors, clothing, body shapes and even non-human looking avatars.

After creating the avatar, a person can learn basic movements in the Orientation Island. New members can learn how to walk, fly, teleport from one island to another, and communicate using text or voice. Nevertheless, as a new member, exploring islands without guidance is not an easy task. One can easily get lost and frustrated, especially if there is a specific target in mind. Thus, it is suggested to travel with a guide for the first few times.

All basic functions are free in SL. However, educators need to pay for renting or owning their platforms to create their own learning environments. The payment varies from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the amount of land and the complexity of their objects (Baker, Wentz & Woods, 2009).

Basic Skills in Second Life