Comments on: Can Product Training be born again with Second Life (SL)?

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By: Jack Pierce

Jack Pierce — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:49:27 +0000

For our money, SL is a social environment that isn’t necessarily conducive to training. We use full body avatars with body language and lip sync (codebaby) in simulated environments that we create. The focus is on practicing skills, interacting with an avatar…sometimes it’s also on using avatars do model certain behaviors, and occasionally to coach or facilitate.

SL characters are real enough to do that for us, plus there is so much e-listening going on, and walking around…we just see it as a contrivance that doesn’t make the grade…not for what we do, anyway. And again, our focus is on learning-by-doing, in simulated environments. Can’t figure out why people get excited about SL, or try to force fit training into it.

By: DavidJoshua Artful

DavidJoshua Artful — Wed, 26 May 2010 00:31:42 +0000

I really enjoyed reading this article. I tend to agree with you that there is a steep learning curve, but after almost a year in SL, I feel confident enough to teach others who are just getting into it. I feel the same way about your hunch: that SL has great learning potential, and would like to add the entertainment and relaxation values of Virtual Tourism and Virtual Entertainment.

By: Jack Pierce

Jack Pierce — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Of all the words offered in response, above, the one that stays with me is “clunky.” When getting involved and finding your way around takes away from learning, for me, it’s an easy decision to walk away.

What we’re concerned about in our simulations and games is that the learner be able to practice making decisions, and failing, within a safe environment. We want them to explore and learn by doing. And when it comes to interacting in a 3D environment, we want avatars that show emotion through expressions, voice and body language.

You’re welcome to come explore our virtual world headquarters (and view other work examples) at: http://www.wslash.net/world/e-learningwork.html

I’d also invite you to more discussion on learning from within sims and games at one of my blog posts: http://bit.ly/3ilXXG

By: David Miller

David Miller — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:36:06 +0000

Well, virtual worlds can. The Second Life Enterprise solution is simply to costly to justify for many eLearning departments.

I create training as part of a nine person department that reaches over 70,000 annual users in 110 countries and the starting price tag of $55,000 per year is far outside our budget.

But . . . a wonderful alternative is http://reactiongrid.com and for $3,300 per year you can have a similar solution.

The nice thing about Reaction grid is that you get your own grid and server (they are an OpenSim hosting company). You have much more control over your virtual world. Microsoft recently left Second Life in favour of Reaction Grid. Another plus is that you can “hypergrid” to many other institutions running the open source OpenSim software (including IBM).

I speak from three years experience with Second Life where I own 12 sims and now also have four sims in Reaction Grid. I have also had eight speaking engagements in the last year and a half on eLearning with Second Life (eLearning Guild’s DevLearn for example).

You can see how I use Second Life for eLearning at http://subquark.com . I don’t use it to train people in-world, I use it as a very inexpensive and fast 3D filming studio for scenario-based training.

In January, I will have a “sandbox” on my new OpenSim grid’s that anyone can use for free. All of your Second Life skills are fully transferrable to OpenSim worlds.

By: T Orchard

T Orchard — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:19:15 +0000

Thanks for the topic, I had been thinking the same thing. About 2 years ago I started to look into 2nd life as an option for training (and counselling). I had seen several other universities begin to research 2nd life as an academic option and I was interested in it’s potential in the career realm. However, with the economic downturn 2nd life plans seemed to be put in a holding pattern.

I recently read an article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (US) http://chronicle.com/section/Home/5 – in the Wired Campus Section http://chronicle.com/blog/Wired-Campus/5/ that Pennsylvania State University(Penn State) was requiring’ their advisors to offer ‘hours’ on 2nd life http://chronicle.com/blogPost/Second-Life-Duty-Is-Now/8770 –
Here is the opening to that article
‘Plenty of colleges have a presence in Second Life. Pennsylvania State University is taking that a step further. Academic advisers at the university’s online campus are now required to be available for meetings with students in the virtual world. . . ‘

There is still much of a learning curve (and a paradigm shift) . . .but there is a conversation worth having

By: E. Summer

E. Summer — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:55:26 +0000

Second Life is NOT a “three-dimensional world.” It is a rendered CGI world. The term “3D” is the misapplied CGI term referring to this kind of “round” rendering ala “Toy Story.” Toy Story is, in fact, a good example. It is 3D CGI just re-released as S3D (Stereoscopic 3D).

Unless… someone has made an S3D version of Second Life that I’m unaware of.

By: mike smith

mike smith — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:08:06 +0000

Always good to see new thoughts on the delivery of training and development.
There is a tendancy for companies to cut back on ‘people development’ in the ‘tougher’ times,in my opinion that is the best time to invest in your people.
Companies who want to have sustainable results must start to adopt a simple Recruit, Retain and Develop policy.

By: Shoshana Kleiman

Shoshana Kleiman — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 06:47:02 +0000

I too looked into SL as a potential platform for training. Aside from the steep learning curve and all the other valid drawbacks, it does take a certain mindset to “game”. Only those willing to invest long term can be reached through SL. I encounter people on a daily basis who, at best, have a hate relationship with the computer and a fear of online activity.
Some people like game environments. Many do not. Until the culture makes a radical shift to the game framework SL is not the “general” forum for training.

By: RK Prasad

RK Prasad — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:06:14 +0000

Thanks a lot, folks for sharing.