Teaching in Second Life: Getting Started at Duke

Introduction

Second Life is a server-based, user-built virtual world environment. Getting access to Second Life is free. Go to http://www.secondlife.com. You create an account, download a piece of client software, and log in. Once you are logged in you go through a "help" tutorial to learn how to dress yourself, navigate, etc. Some key camera elements that you might also need are linked from the SL help site.

In order to build stuff you need access to a piece of SL real estate. You don't need to own the land yourself as long as you have "build" permissions on someone'se turf. ISIS has a couple of Islands, as does Student Affairs, so you have a way to get started without making that commitment (more on that later). External organizations like the New Media Consortium also provide access to "sandbox" areas where you can play around.

Some departments or programs may also own land for special projects on the "Mainland." This is where most individual users get a little plot of land and start building. Or, if you want you can buy some land yourself and just start playing around.

In order to hold lots of money, and to own land yourself, you need a premium account (upgrade from the free account). These are currently $72/year (you can pay installments.) Once you own land, you also may have to pay monthly use fees. These tier up based on how much land you own. You don't have to start paying extra beyond your premium account till you go over 512 sq. meters. But bear in mind, 512 sq. meters isn't a lot of space.

Duke Real Estate in Second Life

The ISIS Program manages two islands: The Duke ISIS Oasis (requires membership in ISIS Courses group; contact Ouida Basevi in-world or Victoria Szabo via email) and the the Duke Metaverse. The DIO is meant to be closed environment for class-based projects--think of it as the virtual equivalent of your Blackboard space. You can't get in unless you are a member of an authorized Second Life-based "Group." The Duke Metaverse is a more open environment for projects where you expect outside visitors to wander in. (Duke Metaverse spaces can also be limited access, but the default is open.) You can get to most spaces there without belonging to a specific group, but you'll still need to be a group member to build anything.

Each island is subdivided into plots. Permissions to enter, build, run scripts, etc. can be adjusted plot by plot. One thing to know is that you can't have sub-groups, or multiple groups authorized for a single plot, so you'll need your visitors to join your special group in order to be able to do stuff. For this reason, much of the DIO is "owned" by a group called "ISIS Courses." Members of this group can pretty much build at will, but we ask that you stick to the area you have been assigned.

Since ISIS wants to encourage exploration of virtual world spaces,not only in our own classes, but also in other classes and co-curricular projects, we have been inviting people who are just getting started access to our sandbox areas. We have also set up some dedicated project areas for individual groups who are ready to go further.

Note that Student Affairs also has an Island in SL. Their main focus is extra-curricular and student organizational use of SL.

Next: Objects in Second Life