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Overview of several projects teaching online using Second Life and the preliminary results
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Are You Serious? How Can You Use A Virtual Environment To
Teach About The Legal Environment of Business?
Ida M. Jones, J.D.Professor of Business LawCalifornia State University,
Ida Recreant in SL
Virtual Reality is like mainlining television. William Gibson
US science fiction novelist in Canada (1948 - ) http://www.quotationspage.com/quote/33906.html
When simulations get completely realistic, we enter the realm of virtual reality.
Gates, The Road Ahead
http://perspectivesonideas-rays.blogspot.com/2007/11/quotes-simplicity-simulations-and.html
Introduction to Second Life
4 projects using Second Life• Fall 2007: Optional project for Graduate
Students--legal issues for businesses in SL • Fall 2007--Required group project to
exploring legal issues of marketing in SL• Spring 2008: Required project for
Graduate Students--Exploring legal issues in SL
• Spring 2008: Developing an online dispute resolution center at eFresnoState
Fall 2007: Optional project for Graduate Students--legal issues for businesses in SL
Critical Thinking and analysis
Fall 2007: Optional project for Graduate Students--legal issues for businesses in SL
Critical Thinking and analysis
Discussion of property law: used example of a virtual horse,
American Hero, who won a race and the owners deactivated him
because he was “too good” for the race.
Lead to
Critical thinking: examining the meaning of “property” under the law
Student group paper: Second Life: A Look at Intellectual Property and Virtual World
EnvironmentsWhat is virtual property?• “In one sense, none of the avatars or items in a virtual world
truly ‘exist.’ That is, if a participant obtains a gold coin in a virtual world, there is no corporeal object to which the player now has a claim. The question then arises, if none of these objects exists, does it even make sense to talk about whether a property interest in them could exist? This question can be answered on either logical or moral grounds. Logically, the existence of property is a social construct, so if people treat things or ideas as if certain parties have power over them, then they can be considered property regardless of whether they have a corporeal existence. Morally, it follows from the Lockean conception of the ability to enjoy the fruits of one's labor that participants deserve some enforceable interest in virtual items that they have spent considerable time and effort creating or obtaining.”
From: Sheldon, "Claiming Ownership, but Getting Owned: Contractual Limitations on Asserting Property Interests in Virtual Goods." The Regents of the University of California 54(2007) as quoted by students in MBA215 Fall 2007
Fall 2007--Required group project to exploring legal issues of marketing in SL
Critical Thinking and analysis
Fall 2007--Required group project to exploring legal issues of marketing in SL
Critical Thinking and analysis
Broadcast virtual games, create a clubhouse where
fans could purchase ownership in the teams and make
decisions (Group 3).
Build a team house and broadcast games (Group 1)
Play virtual soccer games (Group 2)
Legal Issues in Sports Marketing in a Virtual World
Sample Legal Issues
Determining when to hire employees and when to outsource
work
Determining legal rights to
lease an “island” on SL
Intellectual property rights: TV
broadcasting
Consider legal risk
management strategies
Accomplishments of this SL project
• Case analysis– Key: reading court
opinions where legal issues are identified
– Legal reasoning; determining how courts apply law
• Class project– Key: legal issues were
not clearly identified– Students entered SL;
read the textbook; read some instructor selected articles; noted legal issues through outlines and online discussions
Spring 2008-- Required project for Graduate Students--Exploring legal issues in SL
Critical Thinking and analysis
Spring 2008-- Required project for Graduate Students--Exploring legal issues in SL
Critical Thinking and analysis
Requirements
2 group meetings on
SL
Discuss legal issues in SL while in SL
Send references
Send individual IM from SL
Requirements-Debriefing
Online discussion questions:1. What are the issues raised in the [readings]?2. Is the legal environment in virtual worlds
different than the legal environment in real life? How does that have an impact on business conduct? Explain.
3. Should businesses consider virtual worlds for collaboration? Are there other issues that should be considered before moving into virtual environments? What steps and/or management strategies could businesses involved in virtual environments take to minimize their legal risks?
Student demographicsMBA215 Spring 2008
Demographics: Hours per week; past MMORPG users
30, 66%
14, 30%
2, 4%
0
1--4
5-10
Demographics: Current MMORPG Players
18, 79%
4, 17%
1, 4%
0
1--4
5-10
How many hours per week do you currently play video games (other than MMORPG massively multi-player role playing games)?
12, 53%10, 43%
1, 4%
0
1--4
5-10
Learning Basic Skills in SL
Question0-1 hrs
1-3 hrs
4-5 hrs
Grand Total
Approximately how long did it take for you to learn basic skills (e.g. to walk, run, fly, learn to chat)? 10 11 1 22Grand Total 10 11 1 22
Question 6 No YesGrand Total
Was meeting with your classmates and collaborating easier on Second Life than in real life? 13 9 22
Grand Total 13 9 22
Using SL-Easier to meet?
Returned to SL since assignment completed
16, 73%
6, 27%
No
Yes
Assessment• In depth discussions of difference between
virtual and real world• In depth discussion of whether there should
be a legal system to deal with issues in SL/virtual worlds– Suggestions include a separate system;
allowing individuals to choose the applicable legal system and basing it on the country of citizenship of the person on SL
• Discussion of legal issues for businesses that meet or collaborate in SL
eFresno State
IS187 Student Group
• IS students-final/capstone project• None had been involved in SL• Volunteered to form group• Building, webpage for online dispute
resolution center• Tour on SL
Dispute Resolution Center
Learning
benefits
Accessibility
Computer requiremen
ts
Learning
curveIssu
es u
sing
SL
