Other than playing video games with my son, Second Life is my first foray into a virtual world. I’m not sure whether I’ll ever get back in but it was interesting. The learning curve is a little more difficult than I expected. There definitely is some appeal in being able to create a whole new you. New name, new identity, new body and clothes…and the ability to reinvent yourself over and over, all in a few minutes is very intriguing.
I wonder what kind of effects virtual worlds like these will have on the human race. There is the benefit of social networking and communities based on similar jobs or interests. But does the benefit out weigh the possible negatives? Will people use their free time to live in these worlds because they are unhappy with the lives they have? Will this type of social and business interaction become the norm?
My experience in Second Life was less than stellar. When I first got in and tried to change my avatars look there was a naked woman behind me. She was just standing there not doing anything. There was also a guy dressed like a Transformer who kept pointing a gun at my head…not a good advertisement for the place. On the positive side I enjoyed creating a new me, though I would have liked to have added wings. I did not spend enough time playing around before our class session. I should have as I had a terrible time moving around. Also something was wrong with my connection and I had to get back in twice. Orrtcloud had to keep teleporting me because my computer was working so slow that I even had trouble typing in words. Second life would only recognize some of the letters and people thought I was ignoring them. Maybe the next I get in I’ll have a better connection.
I am having a problem understanding the educational value of Second Life. I’m not sure about the age groups that I teach or the teachers that would use it as well. I don’t know what kind of security SL has but it can’t be secure enough for my students. I also don’t think the parents would be thrilled to see their children on SL for homework. I’m just not convinced that this form of virtual reality would be a valuable tool for my tech lab. I’m willing to get back in and try to understand it better and give it a chance…but my next experience better be an immediate improvement over the last one.
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Interesting comments. I liked them!! I agree with everything you said. My first experience was a bit different than yours; I was told to get lost. Nice, eh?
ReplyDeleteKathryn
The orientation island, where you had a gun pointed at your head, is a very problematic part of the SL experience. It's why I didn't urge people to play on their own before our class session, but said that you might see anything if you did.
ReplyDeleteSL as it is is more of a tool for networking for ADULTS than for kids. There is a teen grid, which you can find out more about by reading the article I sent you.
SL does require a speedy internet connection and good graphics on your ccmputer. I believe this is kind of a prototype of the kind of interaction that will become routine in the future. Can you imagine the whole web being navigated using the type of interface SL uses? I think once you were able to get past the initial confusion you'd find it really pretty intuitive. I hope you go back some time!!!
After reading your blog/comments, I'd agree with Craig that the web being navigated using the type of interface SL uses would make it...and here's where I differ perhaps, interesting. I believe it would alienate those who are not as tech savvy (young web users, "older" users who basically only know current search features and/or email, and select others). Though as he says, "once you were able to get past the initial confusion..." I think the web is at a point now where it is basically, user friendly. Though times are changing in terms of accessibility, there are still millions of barely users fo the web, and non users who may not have even a concept of it, that assuming they are part of this increased accessibility, to ease the transition, a SL platform is not my personal recommendation. If you read my last blog/rant, there are still so many current students that still are "unhooked up." I would really like to see more/better? accessibility for more people before we change the already overwhelming? web. thanks, todd
ReplyDeleteAnne, I'm not sure if Second LIfe was meant to be used by students, but I can see an application for educators and other professionals as a networking tool. With as many people as there were in our class, with as little experience as we had, it was difficult for us all to be on the same page the whole time. I think that if we were to experience Second Life on our own at first to become acquainted with it, and if the group that met was smaller, I think that the experience might have been more beneficial.
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