LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

ANTHONY FONTANABONNIE MITCHELL

TEXT CHAT• too many avatars involved in one conversation often diverges into

different or multiple threads

• avatars arriving late and leaving early from the conversation (the conversation is interrupted with welcome and goodbye messages)

• socialization and other off-topic conversations intermingled with the main topic

• other groups’ conversations within 20 meters blend into the local chat window

• multitasking avatars jump back and forth in the conversation without reading previous text

• latency – typing takes time and by the time an avatar responds, the conversation has moved on to other topics

VOICE CHAT

• it is easier to multitask and follow a conversation while listening to someone talk

• the conversation is less threaded using voice chat

• oftentimes there are members of the group that have difficulty receiving and/or sending voice messages

• voice chat is still not reliable and is effected by slow bandwidth and other factors

• in the real world, verbal conversations are coupled with visual cues facilitating smooth transitions and an unspoken agreement on who speaks next (raising of the hand, eye contact, etc). In Second Life, no such visual cue exists therefore speakers interrupt each other and awkward moments of silence occur

RL/SL EVENTS - BLENDED REALITY• have at least one person available at all time to explain to the real

world audience what Second Life is

• signage and posted instructions may be useful

• try to select a location that is not noisy

• have a person in Second Life that can assist and inform residents

• plan the event well and provide for alternatives if something goes wrong

• test all technology before the event

• if on campus, discuss the event with the IT department to make sure they enable access to the maximum bandwidth available

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS• having real world-only discussions to discuss issues related Second Life

is very helpful

• simplify the technical overhead by planning exactly what you need

• heads-up displays (HUDs) can be very useful for navigation, etc.

• setting up groups enables the facilitator to teleport all members of a meeting to another location easily

• what works in the real world does not always work in Second Life, for instance in Second Life students don’t like sitting in chairs and would rather stand or interact during a lecture

• architecture that mimics the real world is difficult for avatars to navigate through

ANTHONY FONTANASL: AnthonyFontana ChevalierAnthonymfontana@gmail.com

BONNIE MITCHELLSL: BonnieMitchell MilesBonniem@bgsu.edu