WEEK 11 Second life… as if our first one didn’t take up enough of our time.

August 16, 2008 at 11:06 pm | In Uncategorized |

I had a look at Land of Lincoln–Teen Grid

The Eye4You Alliance sim is sponsored by the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County.

You have to fill out an adult application to be able to visit the island and participation is mandatory, so I didn’t bother, but I have noticed that the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County has appeared a few times in my research along the way in this course.

I looked at The University of Ohio’s Second Life Campus… ho-hum.

OMG! There is product placement in second life. Adidas sells trendy footwear for your avatar. Aagh!!!!!!!!!!!! It’s called a “virtual marketing strategy”.

Short explanation of second life available on You Tube…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b72CvvMuD6Q&feature=related

I found a really great explanation of Second Life, who started it, how it works, how it raises revenue and which large companies are the “creeping commercialism” that is starting to pervade it. It is by Laura Petrecca, USA TODAY.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/2006-12-06-marketers-second-life_x.htm

Australians spent 571,042 hours in Second Life in April 2008, making up 1.97% of the overall hours spent.

I’m not sure about this one - seems like a time zapper if not used constructively. I think students could be dragged “off course” by the increasing consumerism and the 3D game-like appeal, the enormity and newness.

I read the following article on the Eurogates - Netherlands Education Partal site