VLCI project impact
Undergraduate Brian Li demonstrates UT System island teleporting billboards
We are now almost seven months in to the UT System Transforming Undergraduate Education VLCI grant project in Second Life. Working on the TUE grant and in Second Life has shown me the commitment of UT System to technological leadership. Despite the devastating loss of our passionate leader, Dr. Leslie Jarmon, the Campus Leads are devoting great time and effort to working together on this project to create exciting initiatives and learning opportunities.
Second Life has the potential to be an experience-based learning environment that can transcend geographic, spatial, and resource constraints. So it is thrilling that with institutional support and funding, we can now teach and credential virtual world activity.
Our greatest challenge is to inspire students to see the potential of learning in-world. Based on my research in lifestreaming and online reputation, I believe we could raise student interest by allowing use of their real names in connection with their avatars. This could increase personal accountability and emphasize that virtual environments are an extension of real life, and not just a fantasy video game.
What do you think about avatar naming conventions, in Second Life or elsewhere? Does the benefit of anonymity outweigh real-world connection?
by Jessica Mullen, VLCI Graduate Research Assistant.