Travels with Tom:
Workplace-related
Places in
Second Life ®
26 September 2008
Tom Werner
www.brandon-hall.com/tomwerner

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Objectives
 Provide a look at Second Life for
workplace learning
 Overview – snapshots
 Advantages and disadvantages
 Live tour of some public places

Summary
Second Life is worth exploring as
 A low-cost way to have immersive,
3D experiences today
 An accessible way to see the potential
of virtual worlds for the future

Your experience with Second
Life?
 Brand-new to it?
 Tried it?
 Experienced with it?
 Using it for training?

‘High-end’ immersive
simulations

BreakAway

Forterra

Second Life is similar:
immersive and 3D
International Spaceflight Museum

Second Life is similar:
immersive and 3D
Sistine Chapel

Second Life is similar:
immersive and 3D
Better World Island

Second Life is similar:
immersive and 3D
ANWR oil rig

Second Life is similar:
3D and immersive

Second Life is similar:
3D and immersive

Second Life is free to join
and open to the public

Second Life is low-cost to
have an island

Hype cycle
April 20, 2006

Hype cycle
July 14, 2007

Hype cycle
Tim Hortons

Odd stuff…
Ben and Jerry’s Island

Odd stuff…

Odd stuff…

Easy to take on different
forms…

Easy to take on different
forms…

Easy to take on different
forms…

Easy to take on different
forms…

But maybe this could be
useful for learning…

But maybe this could be
useful for learning…

But maybe this could be
useful for learning…

Easy to change clothes…

Easy to change clothes…

Easy to change clothes…

Some use Second Life just
for fun
MoanaKane Sports

Higher education very active
in Second Life

Higher education very active
in Second Life
San Diego State University

Higher education very active
in Second Life
EdTech Island

Higher education very active
in Second Life
Vassar Island

But Second Life is also being
used for workplace learning
GE Contractual Services
& Sify Technologies

But Second Life is also being
used for workplace learning
GE Contractual Services
& Sify Technologies

4 Advantages
of Second Life
for workplace
learning

1 Movement
in
3D space

1 Movement in 3D space
MSIT Island

1 Movement in 3D space
NESIM on Cousins Pau

1 Movement in 3D space
Play2Train

1 Movement in 3D space
Play2Train

1 Movement in 3D space
Play2Train

1 Movement in 3D space
Play2Train

1 Movement in 3D space
Play2Train

1 Movement in 3D space
Play2Train

1 Movement in 3D space
Play2Train

2 3D
demonstration
and
representation

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Crompco at Peregrine Salon

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Crompco at Peregrine Salon

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Crompco at Peregrine Salon

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Public Works Island

3D demonstration and
2 representation
IBM Green Data Center

3D demonstration and
2 representation
IBM Green Data Center

3D demonstration and
2 representation
IBM Green Data Center

3D demonstration and
2 representation
IBM Green Data Center

3D demonstration and
2 representation
PalomarWest Hospital

3D demonstration and
2 representation
PalomarWest Hospital

3D demonstration and
2 representation
PalomarWest Hospital

3D demonstration and
2 representation
PalomarWest Hospital

3D demonstration and
2 representation
NASA CoLab

3D demonstration and
2 representation
NASA CoLab

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Rixos Villas

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Rixos Villas

3D demonstration and
2 representation
SS Galaxy

3D demonstration and
2 representation
SS Galaxy

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Genome Island

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Genome Island

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Biome Island

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Genome Island

3D demonstration and
2 representation
Genome Island

3D demonstration and
2 representation
SciLands

3D demonstration and
2 representation
OSU Medicine

3D demonstration and
2 representation
OSU Medicine

3 Engendering
empathy

3 Engendering empathy

3 Engendering empathy

3 Engendering empathy

3 Engendering empathy
UC Davis Virtual Hallucinations

4 Role playing

4 Role playing
Freudbot at Athabasca University

4 Role playing
Education Island

4 Role playing
Imperial College London

4 Role playing
Imperial College London

4 Role playing
Imperial College London

4 Role playing
Loyalist College

4 Role playing
Loyalist College

4 Role playing
Loyalist College

4 Role playing
Loyalist College

4 Role playing
Loyalist College

4 Role playing
Loyalist College

4 Role playing
2007 average interview 2008 average interview
grade, without using grade, after using
Second Life: Second Life:
58% 86%

4 Disadvantages
of Second Life
for workplace
learning

Definite learning curve for
1 basic navigation
International Spaceflight Museum

Technical limitations based
2 on current design, strategy

Content development is an
3 effort
EdTech Island

As an online communication
4 tool, interesting but not easy
ASTD Island

As an online communication
4 tool, interesting but not easy
Science Friday

As an online communication
4 tool, interesting but not easy

As an online communication
4 tool, interesting but not easy
University of Cincinnati at Eduisland

As an online communication
4 tool, interesting but not easy

As an online communication
4 tool, interesting but not easy

As an online communication
4 tool, interesting but not easy
Terra Incognita

4 Advantages
Movement in 3D space
3D demonstration, representation
Engendering empathy
Role playing

4 Disadvantages
Learning curve for navigation
Technical limitations
Content development an effort
As a communication tool, not easy

Second Life – and all virtual
worlds – are evolving quickly

Interoperability: move from
world to world

Open source

Use applications inside
virtual worlds

Create content with 3D tools
and import

Avatars becoming more
life-like…

Avatars becoming more
life-like…

Avatars becoming more
life-like…

Avatars becoming more
life-like…

Avatars becoming more
life-like…

Avatars becoming more
life-like…

Avatars becoming more
life-like…

Avatars becoming more
life-like…

Summary
Second Life is worth exploring
 A low-cost way to have immersive,
3D experiences today
 An accessible way to see the potential
of virtual worlds for the future

Others at this conference to
contact
GE Contractual Services Chuck Hamilton
Sify Technologies IBM
Anders Gronstedt Alex Heiphetz
Gronstedt Group AHG, Inc.

www.brandon-hall.com/tomwerner

Slurls and map locations
 MSIT Island
http://slurl.com/secondlife/MSIT%20Island/206/84/37
MSIT Island 206, 84, 37
 Public Works Island
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Public%20Works/124/177/34
Public Works 124, 177, 34
 Crompco
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Olive/209/235/608
Olive 209, 235, 608
 Imperial College London
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Imperial%20College%20London/150/86/27
Imperial College London 150, 86, 27
 PalomarWest Hospital
http://slurl.com/secondlife/PalomarWest%20Hospital/38/125/34
PalomarWest Hospital 38, 125, 34

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Conference
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