This blog will share Web 2.0 tools. Plus, it documents my sabbatical activity investigating SL. Second Life® is a 3-D virtual world created by its Residents. Since opening to the public in 2003, it has grown explosively and today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe (www.secondlife.com).
I am looking forward to presenting Live in Second Life for the National Business Education Association's (NBEA) annual conference held in San Diego, March 31-April 3. You might think: "Wow, San Diego!" I will be presenting in Second Life from my campus office in Ohio while someone will facilitate the session in San Diego. I really don't like quick trips to the West Coast for conferences (believe it or not). I am looking for people who have experience using Second Life in the workplace to visit during my session time (which is 8:30 SL time).
This semester one student volunteered to present in SL. He did a great job using gestures, wore a business suit, and his template and colors were great selections for SL. He used voice chat during his presentation. Students in the class participated in SL as the audience and used text chat to ask him questions. We used one of the many presentation areas at the eOwens Island. Great job, Cory.
"I personally loved doing SL. I think that if I was given the opportunity I would choose it every time. " OAD270 Student. "I did like SL, and I feel that it is a good way to present to different people and around the world. " OAD Student.
"I loved the flying (once I got used to it), being able to make yourself look the way you want to, and being able to travel to different locations. This can open (and has) so many opportunities to engage yourself in a way that is rewarding for you and the listener." OAD270 Student.
These are quotes from students who delivered their team presentation in SL on May 5, 2009. The team consisted of three students, and they all looked professional, used gestures, responded to questions, and presented their material effectively. Additionally, their topic was conducive to Second Life because it was on virtual assistants. The team created a Notecard for the handout material and posted it on an Information Post at the presentation area on the eOwens Island. The team used voice chat, and the students in the audience used text chat to ask questions.
Keep in mind this was a face-to-face class so the other students logged into Second Life in the classroom while those presenting worked in my office--each on a computer. I recorded their SL presentation using Camtasia Studio and for the first time recording--it's not bad. There are some sound problems and external noises.
I hope to perfect this assignment and consider other ways to incorporate SL into my courses.
Challenges: technical issues with voice chat. Voice chat worked, but we found that if connecting to one of the College's wireless networks, voice chat was blocked. Therefore, we used a Verizon wireless network for one of the student's laptops. Then one student worked on my desktop computer and the other student used her own wireless connection.