Difficult Conversations
This past weekend, when I was out to dinner, the conversation turned to virtual realities and Second Life. As it happened, I was with a rather large group, and while one person besides myself had had virtual reality experience, the majority of the folks in our group knew very little about the topic.
So, as is often the case with these conversations, the one man with Second Life experience and myself had the task of enlightening the others. We talked about just what virtual realities are and related our experiences to the group.
It's a bit surprising to me how much I enjoy conversations on virtual realities, and as time goes on how much more I have to contribute to them.
When I started my study of virtual worlds almost a year ago, I was a skeptic. Strange as it sometimes feels, I'm evolving into a believer. I've come to believe that virtual realities are poised to become mainstream. It's only a matter of time. Like most things new and different, it takes time to warm up to them.
Still, there is no denying that when you discuss the concept of virtual realities with the uninitiated, people look at you as if you have lost your mind. Even in here in Silicon Valley. It's at that point that you bring to your defense the rather mainstream happenings in Second Life. Citing references in publications such as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Mentioning the virtual world presence of companies such as Sun Microsystems, Dell, IBM, and Toyota. Talking of educational destinations such as Stanford's Green Library and Vassar College's re-creation of the Sistene Chapel. The educational value of virtual realities has a special meaning to me. It reinforces my longstanding belief that excellent educators need to employ multiple teaching strategies to reach the maximum number of students. I always try to talk about it.
Things are changing all the time. There are constant developments in virtual worlds. That's one reason why I am so grateful for readers of my blog. They often send me pointers to articles on Second Life and virtual realities that not only keep me up-to-date, but also enrich my own understanding of the subject matter as well as the content of this blog.
Last week, the Second Life Bar Association, and that has nothing to do with alcohol, but all to do with a legal professional organization based in Second Life, announced that it will be offering CLE (Continuing Legal Education) credit for legal seminars held in Second Life. This marks the first time that CLE credit has been offered for an exclusively in-world event. For my non-legal professional readers, CLE credit is important to attorneys, because all lawyers have to take a certain number of CLE credits each year to maintain their state bar membership. CLE credits in Second Life. That's pretty amazing. You can bet that this fact will be a new and impressive nugget in my next conversation with novices regarding virtual worlds.
I wonder. Maybe I have become some sort of an real world/virtual world ambassador? Who'd have thought it? Certainly, not me.
I'm not ready to bail on real life and doubt that I ever will be. But having an open mind and a willingness to learn has given me a window into a whole new second life, one that happens to be based in virtual worlds.
How weird is that? Just wait. Given time, maybe it won't be weird at all.
