Second Life is an internet virtual world developed by Linden Labs in 2003. It allows users to create their own avatars. socialize with others, create their own environments and travel to different worlds: http://secondlife.com/whatis/.
Second Life takes online gaming to a more innovative level and changes the current way we socialize in chat rooms and use video conferencing. It models social networks such as Facebook but allows users to replace their own identifies with personalized avatars: http://www.moove.com/. There are many other 3D virtual worlds such as Second Life that are built upon the same premise: http://www.virtualworldsreview.com/.
I consider Second Life to be a disruptive technology because it replaces a current, similar technology by offering a new innovative method of usage or delivery. In the education industry, Second Life takes distance learning to a new level:
“There are over one hundred regions used for educational purposes covering subjects such as chemistry and English. Instructors and researchers in Second Life favor it because it is more personal than traditional distance learning. Research has uncovered development, teaching and/or learning activities which use Second Life in over 80 percent of UK universities. At least 300 universities around the world teach courses or conduct research in SL. New educational institutions have also emerged that operate exclusively within Second Life, taking advantage of the platform to deliver content to a world wide audience at low cost.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Second_Life
I speculate that within the next 5-8 years that text messaging will become obsolete. This technology will be replaced with the the usage of on-screen 3D talking avatars to communicate messages. Dreams drive inventions!
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteWhat an informative post about Second Life! Your description of what distance learning is becoming and how you describe it will be in the next several years is exciting! If you think text messaging will become obsolete, do you think we will still need to teach keyboarding, if everything is communicated through voice? I love your quote "Dreams drive inventions!" Great post!
Sincerely,
LeAnn :-)
Hi Wendy,
ReplyDeleteYour prediction of texting becoming obsolete sounds like science fiction right now but could be a possibility. Just last month in Georgia, you will be fined $150 if caught texting while driving so I'm sure something will take its place. Voice avatars most certainly could be next.
Cassandra