Avatars...

Monica spent a year away from her husband, and was a fan of Star Wars Galaxies. Was able to have a virtual reality with each other while away at university. Had a "house" in the game.

Term avatar comes from Hindu mythology where it describes a god decending into a human being and taking it over.

Second life is one place in the "metaverse". Games such as World of Warcraft are part of the metaverse as well as social places like second life.

UPDATE 8:40 PM

Identity exploration is good for learning. When we're allowed to create our own identity, we are able to embody that identity. She says when we think about something it can be like actually doing it.

She's showing a video of roller coaster from a first person perspective. Says that if we watch it, we might have the experience of embodiment...like we were riding the roller coaster.

Research done with babies. Motor awareness of crawling vs walking and how babies learn. They had to experience falling before aware of an apparent gap (with plexiglass over it) before became wary of the gap. Had to relearn the awareness of the gap when began walking. Walking and crawling were two different embodiement experiences.

Watching a video about a science school in second life. Able to animate a cell or organ and can "travel" inside it.

UPDATE 8:47 PM

Oregon Community Colleges (17 cc) have an island in Second Life, funded in part by the state.
Says it takes a lot of coordination. "The Starfish and the Spider" is a book she recommends.

Says there is a big negative that the line between adult content is easily crossed, but you are able to filter out PG only content as well as education only content in SL.

I don't know if it's me or what, but this doesn't seem cohesive...

Says you can get an acct for free. Talking about economy in SL and buying a really nice house for cheap in SL. SL money (Linden) can be traded for US dollars.

There is a ning group RezEd for more info.

Q: Any one academic area that want to participate?
A: no, it's all over the board. many academic areas

Q: using as a community space or building models?
A: it's what they want to do/use.

Q: what's been the cost to use it?
A: to get an island and sustain it was about $7K and $3K to keep going. but also have to have personnel so asked for $50K from the state for her consulting services, etc. Cost to students is free.