sign in sign up
<<
Home , Active Worlds, Linden Lab, Second Life

Nov 2007 [email protected] www.eduserv.org.uk/foundation Andy Powell, Eduserv Foundation Andy Powell, A snapshot of … in A snapshot of … 2.0 Web in up Caught – UKSG Meeting Second what? www.secondlife.com

• 3-D • MUVE • run by • ‘proprietary’, but public commitment to open standards and OSS • populated by avatars, aka residents

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 So it’s just a game right? • looks and feels like image by J0@nn@ @ flickr.com a gaming environment • but no purpose as such – use it to buy / sell, • can use SL to entertain, learn, collaborate, … build games – including shoot ‘em ups • but such • do not approach it activities simply as a game – frowned on in public spaces you’llUKSG Web 2.0 be event disappointed! Nov 2007 Joining SL

• two steps – register – install client software • note technical requirements

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 What does it cost?

• basic accounts are free • need to pay monthly subscription ($10) to own land • land can be quite expensive • ‘land use fees’ for owning more than smallest plot

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Naming / identity

• every has a name • chosen at registration • can’t be changed • though can have ‘Alt’s • mine is Art Fossett - not an anagram!

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Identity / appearance

• on the no one knows you’re a dog • in SL no one knows you’re a bloke • appearance can be changed instantly • wings and tails (‘furries’) seem oddly popular!

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Communication

• chat • IM • group IM • IM <-> email • voice – however support for voice fairly recent and not clear what impact it is having

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Building and selling stuff

• anyone can build • objects made out of basic building blocks – prims (cubes, spheres, …) • objects can be textured for realism – but uploading costs L$10 • objects can be scripted • in-world currency enables buying and selling of goods

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 SL and Web 2.0?

• prosumer • remote apps • social • API

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 SL APIs

• scripting language can issue HTTP GET and POST requests • can integrate with Web 2.0 services • but significant limitations currently • no built-in HTML, XML or JSON parsers so need to parse externally • SLURLs can be bookmarked in del.icio.us • some good examples – Second Talk, SLoodle, SLtwitter, BlogHUD, RSS readers, Facebook

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Hype

• SL very over-hyped • significant complaints that stats are misleading • i.e. worse than Web stats • LL have improved the way they report usage but… • SL also (inappropriately) touted as Web 3.0

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Usage statistics

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Uptake in UK

• July 2007 snapshot of use of SL in UK HE and FE • undertaken by John Kirriemuir • funded by Eduserv • fragmented and somewhat cloudy picture • activity happening at multiple levels – sometime within same institution – not always visible, even within the institution • series of snapshots planned over next 12 months http://www.eduserv.org.uk/foundation/sl

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Major findings

• some SL activity at 43 institutions • 15 of those building an institutional presence • what are they doing? – small-scale activities… – hosting exhibitions of students’ work – researching possibilities – building tools

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 SL and learning • widespread interest in use of SL in education • explicitly encouraged by Linden Lab • not clear that people really know how to use SL yet • but some interesting examples of use • arts, social sciences, law, psychology, archaeology, languages, …

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 SL and research

• even less clear what is possible here • but note that Nature Publishing have an 2 islands (‘Second Nature’)

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 SL and libraries

• strong library community in SL • centred around Info Island • reference desk • information literacy • book-related activities

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 SL in context

• SL is one of many virtual worlds • .com, World of Warcraft, , , Croquet, , … • not clear that SL is the answer • SL client now released as open source • clear demand for server to made OSS also • some commitment to this by LL (partly because people are reverse-engineering the server anyway)

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Finding out more

• SLED list – run by Linden Lab, US-centric but is the main forum for learning-related SL issues • [email protected] (UK) • [email protected] (libraries) • in-world UK Educators group (open and free to join) • lots of Second Life Facebook groups • pointers to other resources on the Linden Lab education page http://secondlifegrid.net/programs/education

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Conclusions…

8• too much hype 8• no clear best-practice (or even much practice) around e-learning 8• high technical requirements ?• impact of voice not clear 9• but… useful experimental environment • building and scripting environment very 9 powerful • seems likely that 3-D virtual worlds of 9 some kind will be part of the future

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 Conclusions…

• sustainability, ownership and privacy 8 issues around use of and reliance on US- based commercial-run, externally hosted service • unclear what student perceptions and ? attitudes are • but generally accepted that SL is a ? minority sport at the moment and is likely to remain so • SL appears to be most suitable for active, ? constructive learning styles

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007 questions…

UKSG Web 2.0 event Nov 2007