Second Life: The Future of Communications?

Second Life: The Future of Communications?

Nicola Martinez

Sloan-C International Symposium Emerging Technology Applications for Online Learning

Monday, June 2, 2008

Nicola Martinez

June 2, 2008

The virtual and immersive world Second Life provides its "residents" with a visually rich, interactive, social networking environment, and the spaces and tools to explore the possibilities for communications, collaboration, learning and global interaction.

This presentation will introduce the audience to Second Life communities and educational sites, while providing strategies for building successful virtual communities and meeting the challenges of multilingual, synchronous communications in immersive environments.

I will focus on a case study on the Isle of Wyrms, a Second Life immersive world with an international, multilingual virtual citizenry.

The Future of Communication

• By the end of 2011, 80 percent of active Internet users (and Fortune 500 enterprises) will have a “second life”, but not necessarily in Second Life, according to Gartner, Inc. http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=503861

• 13,867,326 registered users as of this morning (6-2-08)

• Gartner: Second Law: Behind every avatar is a real person. Gartner said people can’t be fooled by the fantasy elements in the virtual world.  There are unwritten rules and expectations for behavior and culture are developing.

• Gartner: Today’s multiplicity of virtual environments has developed through the convergence of social networking, simulation and online gaming.

• There are over 300 + educational institutions represented in Second Life

Profile Communicates Avatar Details

Follow the Green Dots

Each green dot = one avatar. Follow the dots to find the people.

Reuters Island

Reuters Island

Reuters Hud

Reuters News HUDSL News, Real Life FeedsLinden Exchange Rate

IBM Recruitment Center

IBM Recruitment Center

Research ParkTrauma Center

NMC Orientation

NMC Orientation

Isle of Wyrms

Isle of Wyrms - International Citizenry

• English (US, Canada, UK, Australia, NZ)

• Dutch• French (France, Belgium, Switzerland,

French Canada)

• German• Italian• Japanese• Polish• Portuguese (Brazil and Portugal)

• Spanish (Spain and Latin America)

The IOW Leadership makes a concerted effort to recruit guides From among the native speakers of represented language groups

Citizen Group Roles

• Guest – trial citizenship

• Citizen- full citizenship

• Volunteer- citizen helper, non staff

• Guide- citizen helper, first level staff

• Mentor- citizen leader, chosen from guide pool

• Advocate – bridge between citizens and high council members

• Mayor – elected by citizens from among the citizens

• Ambassador - not a citizen group role…High Council, citizen representative at large

• Guardian-Peacekeeper, Leader

PG SIMNo nudityNo obscenityNo violenceNo weaponsNo harassmentNo beggingCitizens Only Build

Rules Posted

In World Group Communication Channels

• Isle of Wyrms Help Forum – Provides 24 hour live assistance drawing from international citizenry.

• Isle of Wyrms Citizen’s Group- Invitation Only

• Council of Hatchlings, Council of Wyrmlings, Council of Wyrms- Invitation Only, after authentication and by registration. For admin notices.

• Isle of Wyrms Conference Hall- Staff Communications Channel. Gives staff immediate access to each other and to IOW highest levels of leadership.

• Dragon Friends – Non-draconian, interested in the dragons and the isles

• misc. related groups

Virtual CommunitiesLive Music Concert

In-World Communications

• Live one-to-one assistance: in-world staffing of the Cathedral and the Sandbox, the two places new visitors are most likely to visit.

• 24 h Live Help Forum

• Multilingual Notecards

• In-World Posters that give out notecard information

• The Herald, a monthly newspaper

• Interactive Scripted Objects Creating the Immersive Experience

Virtuality and ImmersionCathedral:

The Immersive ExperienceCommunity in Action

Dragons assisting Dragons

Ongoing Events

• Drum Dance Circle– every other week

• Wyrm Wyrds storytelling– alternating with Drum Dance

• Dragon Hatching Releases– Most Anticipated Event on the Isles.– Dragons are released in limited

numbers– Four times yearly and when a new

species is created

• Summer and Winter Festivals

• Holiday Events

• Hatchie “Raids”

• Otherworld Visits

• Organized Games, etc.

Charity Auction

Fundraising for Real Life Charities – Converting Lindens to Real Money

Conclusion

• Avatars are real people engaging in social, business and educational transactions in a virtual world.

• I have met residents from all over the world in Second Life, including avatars from Croatia and Sichuan, China with limited English language skills. This takes globalization to the next level.

• Isle of Wyrms residents include a number of people over forty, with several closer to 60 than 40. This is not a Grand Theft Auto gaming audience, though they may have dabbled in World of Warcraft.

• Communications in Second Life are complex.

• Mastery of the communication technology, culture and capabilities are key to success in virtual worlds.

References - Online

• Second Life Education Wiki

http://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life_Education_Wiki

• Educational Uses of Second Lifehttp://sleducation.wikispaces.com/educationaluses#interactive

• New Media Consortium Second Life Wikihttp://sl.nmc.org/wiki/Main_Page

• Isle of Wyrms Wikihttp://www.daryth.com/draconica/index.php/Main_Page

• Basic Communication in Second Lifehttp://slisweb.sjsu.edu/sl/index.php/Basic_Communication_in_Second_Life

• Official SL Video Tutorialshttp://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Video_Tutorials

References - Books

• Boellstorff, T. (2008). Coming Of Age In Second Life : An Anthropologist Explores The Virtually Human. Princeton, Princeton University Press.

• Guest, T. (2007). Second Lives : A Journey Through Virtual Worlds. New York, Random House.

• Meadows, M. S. (2007). I, Avatar : The Culture And Consequences Of Having A Second Life. Indianapolis, Ind.; London, New Riders ; Pearson Education.

• Robbins, S. and M. R. Bell (2008). Second Life For Dummies. Hoboken, NJ, Wiley Pub.

• Rymaszewski, M. (2007). Second Life : The Official Guide. San Francisco, Calif.; Chichester; Hoboken, N.J., Sybex] ; John Wiley .

• Weber, A., K. Rufer-Bach, et al. (2008). Creating Your World : The Official Guide To Advanced Content Creation For Second Life. Indianapolis, IN, Wiley Pub.

Contact Information

Nicola MartinezDirector of Curriculum and Instructional Design

SUNY Empire State CollegeCenter for Distance Learning111 West Avenue, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866518-587-2100, ext. 2276

Nicola.Martinez@esc.edu

Ragitake Takakura in Second Life

Ragitake@gmail.com