The Role of Virtual Reality in Education and Promoting Real World Activities

Something new for today!  Everyone ought to know about the burgeoning role of virtual reality sites.  They are a free playground for some, but a growing new opportunity for many universities, and a new way for progressive businesses to carry out expositions, conferences, seminars and trade shows.

Gwyneth Cravens, well-known author of the popular nuclear power book, "Power to Save the World," has been urging me to tell my blog colleagues about this exciting new opportunity.  I didn't really need any urging.  I used the virtual world "Second Life" to promote my recent sci-fi book, "The Virtual Librarian."  I described that experience in a news release.  (I haven't figured out yet how to link to that text.  It's just a one-pager, so I'll just make a separate blog of it.)

I'll just pass Gwyneth's words to you directly:

 "As you may know, Second Life just keeps growing and so does academic and business interest in it.  It occurred to me that you might be moved to comment on this nuclear/Second Life angle on your blog.  Many businesses have created a presence in Second Life, roughly 20% of the
Fortune 1000s are working in Second Life Today: Second Life is not a game.
Large, multi-national organizations such as IBM, Manpower, Microsoft,
Amazon, and many others, are all working in Second Life right now—holding
meetings or events, conducting training, creating simulations and
prototypes, recruiting, marketing, and selling products or services.  And
numerous non-profits. There are hundreds of Colleges and Universities using
this virtual 3D platform.

"Connecticut-based Information and technology research and advisory firm Gartner predicted that "80% of active Internet users will be in non-gaming virtual worlds like Second Life by the end of 2011"  SciLands a virtual continent dedicated to Science, now consists of approximately 70 “islands” in Second Life, including NOAA, NASA, San Francisco Exploratorium, the Tech Museum,  several Universities, the National Physical Laboratory and Imperial College in the U.K., and so on. Many government agencies use SL for training.  The University of Texas system has purchased land in SL, betting the investment will improve teaching and research at all of its institutions.  They will be adjacent  to SciLands, with 50 islands planned.  90% of UK universities have a presence according to recent surveys funded by Eduserv. We have created a virtual Areva EPR Nuclear Power Plant, with some virtual radiation experiments. This site can demonstrate how a plant is laid out, and functions, and can be used for training and meetings. This can be an excellent supplement for educating the public on the proven benefits on nuclear energy.  This island is located in the center of SciLands. (Jeff Corbin co-founded SciLands).  Jeff's email:  jcorbin@du.edu

"Connecticut-based Information and technology research and advisory firm Gartner predicted that "80% of active Internet users will be in non-gaming virtual worlds like Second Life by the end of 2011"  SciLands a virtual continent dedicated to Science, now consists of approximately 70 “islands” in Second Life, including NOAA, NASA, San Francisco Exploratorium, the Tech Museum,  several Universities, the National Physical Laboratory and Imperial College in the U.K., and so on. Many government agencies use SL for training.  The University of Texas system has purchased land in SL, betting the investment will improve teaching and research at all of its institutions.  They will be adjacent  to SciLands, with 50 islands planned.  90% of UK universities have a presence according to recent surveys funded by Eduserv. We have created a virtual Areva EPR Nuclear Power Plant, with some virtual radiation experiments. This site can demonstrate how a plant is laid out, and functions, and can be used for training and meetings. This can be an excellent supplement for educating the public on the proven benefits on nuclear energy.  This island is located in the center of SciLands. (Jeff Corbin co-founded SciLands).  Jeff's email:  jcorbin@du.edu

[I've apparently upset some delicate ecological balance among type-fonts here.  I'll try to get that straightened out by my next blog.  Sorry!]

  I'll just add that my own university, Princeton, has some gorgeous sites in Second Life, including a wonderful replica of the Faculty Room in Nassau Hall, which for a while was the headquarters of the Continental Congress--effectively the Capital of the emerging United States.  I could sit in the chair formerly occupied by Thomas Jefferson, and deliver my pitch from there.  How can you beat such a venue?!

It's located at:  http://secondlife.com  Membership and use of the site is free.  Give it a try.

And do go and buy Gwyneth Cravens' wonderful book, "Power to Save the World."

Ted Rockwell

Comments

[Gwyneth Cravens]

Hi, Ted--
Glad you have alerted people to the virtual EPA reactor in Second Life. From "Many businesses" on, the information in your post actually all comes from Jeff Corbin, who built the reactor under the auspices of Prof. Robert Amme, of the Physics Dept. at Denver University, and with a grant from the NRC.

This is a great tool not only for training purposes but also for showing the general public what the innards of a reactor are actually like. In First Life,very few people ever get to see this, and the experience is remarkable. When I was speaking at Denver U, Jeff assisted me in acquiring an avatar and "flying" through the plant. It was amazing.

As an experienced voyager in Second Life and as author of "The Virtual Librarian" you know how effective Second Life is as communication medium.

The NRC grant is running out. It would be a shame to see the virtual EPR shut down just at a time when people have become more curious about nuclear power.

If anyone knows of ways to fund this useful and informative--and entertaining--project, I hope he or she will contact Jeff Corbin.

[beat drug test]

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