Thursday, May 1, 2008

SL: Uses and benefits for the corporate world

Here is a list of potential business uses and benefits:

  • § Social networking
  • § Multilingual, multicultural, multinational communication
  • § Synchronous, interactive learning environment
  • § Streaming audio, video, multimedia presentations
  • § Whiteboard PowerPoint presentations
  • § VoIP and Babble language translator
  • § New employee orientation
  • § guided facility tour – scavenger hunt
  • § Demonstration of operational procedures
  • § Problem solving exercises
  • § Team building exercises
  • § Marketing research
  • § Virtual product demonstrations
  • § Event hosting
  • § Sales or customer service trainee practice - Interactive role playing
  • § Holodeck – simulated situational environments
  • § Classroom training spaces
  • § Collaboration
  • § Skill development
  • § Self-paced Tutorials
  • § Learning Kiosks - Ohio University Second Life Campus
  • § Displays and Exhibits -The International Spaceflight Museum
  • § Exhibit
  • § Immersive Exhibits - UC Davis' Virtual Hallucinations
  • § Training simulations

Training includes applications that take advantage of the

significant information retention associated with simulations

and the shared avatar experience fostering team based learning.

Studies on learning show that lecture based instruction (associated

with complex subjects) results in 5-10% retention, group discussion

based instructions results in 40-50% retention, while simulation

based instruction results in 70-90% retention.

http://energycommerce.house.gov/cmte_mtgs/110-ti-hrg.040108.Parris-testimony.pdf

For an extensive list, links, and brief description of many of these uses and benefits see:

http://sleducation.wikispaces.com/

Dr. Karl Kapp writes extensively about this topic on his blog at http://karlkapp.blogspot.com/

The following links are to articles that you might find interesting:

http://eightbar.co.uk/2006/10/11/complex-system-modelling-in-second-life/

http://www.tnl.net/blog/2006/08/05/characteristics-of-virtual-world-users/

http://www.tnl.net/blog/2006/08/18/top-10-opportunities-in-virtual-worlds/

http://eightbar.co.uk/2006/10/14/the-long-tail-and-second-life/

http://www.news.com/Dell-sets-up-Second-Life-shop%2C-offers-PCs-to-residents/2100-1041_3-6135497.html

http://www.news.com/IBM-to-give-birth-to-Second-Life-business-group/2100-1014_3-6143175.html

http://www.news.com/IBMs-virtual-pioneer/2008-1023_3-6144122.html

Avoiding the “darker side” conundrum of SL

As in the real world, you can only control what you own. However, your organization may consider providing an orientation session, or informational literature that explains how to avoid overtly offensive sites and includes a description of the “darker side” of SL. To mitigate potential liability, if that is a concern, have the students sign a disclaimer. For example the disclaimer could specify that, “during the learning program, [the participant] will teleport directly to, and will remain on the organization’s SL site.” Alternatively, perhaps a more sedate venue, such as Protosphere, may be more appropriate for your organization. http://www.protonmedia.com/