Second Life as a Communications tool? Masters of Digital Media & Second Life - IABC 2008

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Second Life: A Communications Tool?IABC – British Columbia, April 16th 2008

Joanna RobinsonResearch Associate & Instructor

Centre for Digital MediaGreat Northern Way Campus

http://mdm.gnwc.ca





Outline• What is Second Life?• What do business communicators need to know about Second

Life? • Intro to the MDM Program @ the Centre for Digital Media, GNWC• Our uses of Second Life: Events, Recruitment, and classes - a

virtual campus and more• What we learned - Some challenges and some strategies for

effective Second Life businesses• What's next?





















Two locations, one vision

Centre for Digital Media

Great Northern Way Campus, Vancouver, Canada

Wired, powered, modifiable spaces

Renovated tractor factory

Large 'hangar' space for student projects, green screen

Virtual Centre for Digital Media

'University Project' Region, Second Life

Fully modifiable, reconfigureable spaces

Virtual model of future first life building

Student sandboxes, green screen room

Grounds & skybox space for projects





Centre for Digital MediaCentre for Digital Media (Latitude: 49:16:0.383N, Longitude: (Latitude: 49:16:0.383N, Longitude:

123:5:26.329W)123:5:26.329W)









Virtual Centre for Digital Media

University Project (150, 84, 23)





Thank You!Thank You!























Events @ the Virtual Centre for Digital Media:

• Mixed reality Open House• Vancouver Police Department• William Gibson book launch• CITASA Conference 3.0 2007• Program launch with Premier Campbell• MDM Student Showcase – Mixed reality with

live DJ• Contemporary Art Gallery's 'RSVP' Picnic





Classes & other activities @ the Virtual Centre for Digital Media:

– ‘The Visual Story’– ‘Building Virtual Worlds’– 'Interdisciplinary Improvisation'– Student organized sandbox experimentation and

socializing

























































Building Virtual Worlds: Remote Class





What we learned was important• Customize your avatar• Research what others in your field are doing in SL• Join SL groups & start YouTubing SL Machinima• Remember when planning activities & spaces – 'reality'

need not apply• Plan creative, interactive spaces and if possible, SL

products or services• Consider events• Often the reaction to a SL event is more powerful and

reaches more people than the event itself





What's next?

• For virtual worlds?• The 3D web?• For the Centre for Digital Media & virtual

worlds – use in Building Virtual Worlds & other classes through machinima, virtual environment design, improv activities

• Remote Masters of Digital Media program in development for 2009





JoannaTrail Blazer

[email protected]://mdm.gnwc.ca/

Education

Second Life as a Communications tool? Masters of Digital Media & Second Life - IABC 2008