Second Life and Virtual Worlds 21 Oct. 2009, Week 7 IS20090 (Web 2.0 and Social Media: An Introduction) Cathal McCauley University Librarian NUI Maynooth

What is Second Life? A 3-D virtual world established by Linden Labs in 2003. Currently c16.5+ million residents. Download the Second Life (SL) installer from: www.secondlife.com Key concepts: Avatars, Objects, Linden Dollars Communication by IM and Voice More than a game…

A 3-D virtual world established by Linden Labs in 2003. Currently c16.5+ million residents. Download the Second Life (SL) installer from: www.secondlife.com

Key concepts: Avatars, Objects, Linden Dollars

Communication by IM and Voice

More than a game…

Second Life and the early WWW Content similar: sex, rock-n-roll and free stuff very popular (gambling was) Issues similar: US-dominated, uncertainty, rapid change, moral issues, security issues etc. Some ‘new’ issues too: virtual world protest groups and riots – but how new? Key characteristic is the similarity

Content similar: sex, rock-n-roll and free stuff very popular (gambling was)

Issues similar: US-dominated, uncertainty, rapid change, moral issues, security issues etc.

Some ‘new’ issues too: virtual world protest groups and riots – but how new?

Key characteristic is the similarity

Second Life – True of False? Enter the Sistine Chapel and fly up to review the ceiling. Train how to give emergency first aid to an injured person outside a busy nightclub. Visit the Saltire centre. Be an ‘in world’ reporter for CNN. Go to the Blarney Stone pub in ‘Dublin’ in SL for pints and craic Fight zombies, take the form of an animal etc. etc. ALL TRUE!

Enter the Sistine Chapel and fly up to review the ceiling.

Train how to give emergency first aid to an injured person outside a busy nightclub.

Visit the Saltire centre.

Be an ‘in world’ reporter for CNN.

Go to the Blarney Stone pub in ‘Dublin’ in SL for pints and craic

Fight zombies, take the form of an animal etc. etc.

ALL TRUE!

Education in Second Life Many US universities (including Berkley, Harvard and Stanford) More than 70% of UK universities Universities from Australia and Japan ‘in world’ too Small, but growing Irish interest e.g. UCD, DIT, DHO and others Delivering classes, skills session, seminars and conferences Key drivers: distance learning, media, technology, design and… Libraries

Many US universities (including Berkley, Harvard and Stanford)

More than 70% of UK universities

Universities from Australia and Japan ‘in world’ too

Small, but growing Irish interest e.g. UCD, DIT, DHO and others

Delivering classes, skills session, seminars and conferences

Key drivers: distance learning, media, technology, design and… Libraries

UCD Library in Second Life Why? Many reasons including: Institutional & Library strategy, reader preferences, resources and PR. Entered SL on 7 th March ’07. Part of US-based ALS’s award winning cybrary city. Library-wide working group established in April ’07.

Why? Many reasons including: Institutional & Library strategy, reader preferences, resources and PR.

Entered SL on 7 th March ’07. Part of US-based ALS’s award winning cybrary city.

Library-wide working group established in April ’07.

UCD Library in Second Life – Key Achievements to date March ’07 First Irish academic library in SL Sept. – Nov. ’07 hosted area aimed at new and potential students (repeated Autumn ’08) ‘ 07/’08 hosted lectures, tutorials and contact time for Prof. Mary Burke (UCD SILS) Feb. ‘08 hosted talk by movie director Anne Seidl attended by 30+ avatars March ‘08 hosted virtual venues strand of Library Ireland Week – 3 successful events Oct. ’08 short listed for UCD Images of Research Competition 2009 revamped and made more suitable for other uses

March ’07 First Irish academic library in SL

Sept. – Nov. ’07 hosted area aimed at new and potential students (repeated Autumn ’08)

‘ 07/’08 hosted lectures, tutorials and contact time for Prof. Mary Burke (UCD SILS)

Feb. ‘08 hosted talk by movie director Anne Seidl attended by 30+ avatars

March ‘08 hosted virtual venues strand of Library Ireland Week – 3 successful events

Oct. ’08 short listed for UCD Images of Research Competition

2009 revamped and made more suitable for other uses

Second Life – The PR dividend

Second Life and the Hype Cycle 2003 Launch Summer 2006 Anshe Chung & Business Week Autumn 2008 Reuters withdraws from Second Life

Avatars happy to play but not to pay? Source: http://taterunino.net/

Will there be “A Second Wind for Second Life”? Second life facing many obstacles: Technology issues (access, ease of use, reliability, interoperability) Ownership concerns Figuring out what users want Business community uncommitted Ambiguous economic and membership metrics Digital nomads and growing competition

Second life facing many obstacles:

Technology issues (access, ease of use, reliability, interoperability)

Ownership concerns

Figuring out what users want

Business community uncommitted

Ambiguous economic and membership metrics

Digital nomads and growing competition

“ Our evidence so far suggests that virtual worlds have great potential…it is not clear that Second Life …is the optimal environment” Dr Peter Twining, Head of Dept of Education, Open University ( Source: A Spring 2008 “snaphot” of UK Higher and Further Education Developments in Second Life) Second Life is “not the only fruit”

Virtual Worlds: Fad or Future-proofing? Growing market Access to the ‘new’ economy Opportunity for international co-operation Another route to ‘hard to reach’ students Particularly suited to some disciplines Already estimated 100 million active users of virtual worlds.

Growing market

Access to the ‘new’ economy

Opportunity for international co-operation

Another route to ‘hard to reach’ students

Particularly suited to some disciplines

Already estimated 100 million active users of virtual worlds.

Worth the wait?

Things to remember! October 23 rd (this Friday)2009 essay due no later than 5pm SHARP! Next week (28 th Oct.) – online video – class back to D114 in Health Sciences Building Next blog assignment due end of week 10 (13 th Nov at 5pm). Check out delicious links for this week!

October 23 rd (this Friday)2009 essay due no later than 5pm SHARP!

Next week (28 th Oct.) – online video – class back to D114 in Health Sciences Building

Next blog assignment due end of week 10 (13 th Nov at 5pm).

Check out delicious links for this week!

Go raibh maith agaibh Cathal McCauley [email_address]