Second+Life



Tisha Duncan Second Life: [|www.secondlife.com]

Second Life is a 3D virtual world where millions of people from around the world come online to do just about anything from socializing at a coffee shop in Italy to attending a workshop. Users select a basic avatar or can have one custom-made to look like them. No real need for wheels when you can fly or teleport to any place that you would like to visit. Members can explore, learn and be creative. Members can send instant messages to each other and speak in real-time. It is amazing what you can do in this virtual world. There is also a version for teens called Teen Second Life.
 * About Second Life:**

Registration for a basic account is free. Just complete an online form, set up am account and select a name and avatar. The Second Life application is simple to download and is needed in order to view the world. There are some minimal system requirement that your computer should have in order to use Second Life and its features (i.e. graphics card, space, Internet access).


 * Help/Tutorials:**

Support - [] Quick Start Guide - [] Knowledge Base - [] Blogs - [] Tips & Tricks - []


 * Challenges:**

Second Life is extremely fun and easy to use. It does take some getting use to moving around and learning how to navigate to different places. Even though I can’t see any major problems learning how to use the tool, I could see having the following issues:

- Ability to download the software to the pc’s in the office. - The pc’s in the office having at least the minimum system requirements needed to successfully be able to use the tool and withstand a large number of people using the application at the same time. - Employees using the tool for business purposes and not pleasure. - No in-house technical support. - Convincing employees to spend the time to learn something new.


 * Weekly Activity/Learning:**

Second Life would be a great tool to use to teach our INS courses to our home and field offices. The teacher will rent a space in order to teach their INS course on a weekly basis. In order to do so, the goal of the instructor teaching the class would be to successfully set up an account, rent some space to teach the course and create a presentation that they successfully upload into Second Life. The employees will attend their weekly INS class in Second Life. In order to do so, each employee who is registered for the course will need to successfully set up an account, create their avatar, teleport to the course space and attend the course. Employees will be put into groups of four. These groups will meet in Second Life to go over the topics learned in class and to start preparing for the national exam which will be taken at the conclusion of the INS course.