Second Life: the reflections of Maggie Kohime

1. Second Life: the reflections of Maggie Kohime Lyn Parker Quality & Development Team Coordinator Academic Services Group University of Sheffield Library Libraries@Cambridge

2. Outline • Basic introduction to Second Life • Library services in Second Life • SL at Sheffield – Library involvement • Infolit iSchool – CILASS project, supporting IBL • 1st year UG course in Information Studies • Centre for Information Literacy Research • Discussion Libraries@Cambridge

3. Libraries@Cambridge

4. Second Life • 3D online virtual world, also known as a MUVE (multi-uservirtual environments) • Most things created by SL residents: SL fashion designers, architects, bakers, animal makers …. • Avatars- 3D representation of yourself – free to signup and can live on freebies, but need Linden dollars if want to own land, buy clothes etc. • Communication is through Chat, Voice and/or Instant Messaging Libraries@Cambridge

5. Practical issues • Time – operates on SL time which is 8 hours behind UK time • Software revisions about every 6 weeks, can cause problems • Need broadband and good computer with right graphics card • No access via managed desktop currently • Learning curve in basics of movement, etiquette & communication inworld • Some people may have concerns about signing up for avatar or entering a dangerous space (but possibly more those not used to social software or gaming) • Max of about 40 avatars per region/island, and 45K on whole grid • Inclusion issues Libraries@Cambridge

6. Libraries@Cambridge

7. Eduserv Foundation Symposium, Virtual Worlds, Real Learning? May 2007 Sheila Webber applied for temporary office space on Eduserv Island to set up the Centre for Information Literacy Research, June 2007 Initial Involvement with DIS Libraries@Cambridge

8. Library Services in Second Life Libraries@Cambridge

9. IL Seminars in Second Life • Appearance within Second Life; is it important and how does it affect how you behave? How should librarians therefore be presenting themselves in Second Life? Do we need to label ourselves and how do we ensure privacy and confidentiality as we start to develop an academic virtual world? • What role should librarians be taking in Second Life? What library services do we need in the virtual world? Do we need to replicate the Real World or do things differently and if so, what and how? Libraries@Cambridge

10. Infolit iSchool • Successful bid to CILASS to fund island for a year • Island delivered early October; Sheila Webber has done all the development work, setting up the island and different areas for her students • Provided us with a library area but not yet developed services • Started teaching on 22 October • Working with Sheila and Vicky Cormie, librarian at St Andrews Libraries@Cambridge

11. Student context • Compulsory activity (feeding into assignment) for 1st year BSc Information Management students in (core) Information Literacy class (21 students) • No student had used virtual world before (nb SL main grid is 18+ only) • Has to be a pedagogical rationale for using SL, not automatically engaged, learning curve puts some off • Used to social networking; feels like a social area; behaviour may be more suitable to a social environment • Need activity rather than content; suitable for IBL Libraries@Cambridge

12. Resources Thanks to Sheila for permission to use some of her photos Adventures of Sheila Yoshikawa http://adventuresofyoshikawa.blogspot.com/ Facebook Groups – Second Life for Educators; UK Second Life Educators Kay, J and Fitzgerald, S. (2007) Second Life in Educationhttp://sleducation.wikispaces.com/ Kemp, J (Ed) (2007) Second Life Education Wiki: SimTeachhttp://www.simteach.com/wiki/index.php?title=Second_Life_Education_Wiki Second Life Educators List (SLED) https://lists.secondlife.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/educators Webber, Sheila (2007) Inquiring in Second Life. Presentation to CILASS IBL Café on 19th December 2007 http://www.slideshare.net/sheilawebber/inquiring-in-second-life Libraries@Cambridge