What is the future of Second Life? It’s a question that many technologists are asking themselves as the virtual world gains popularity and new online 3D environments enter the marketplace.
The New Media Consortium, a higher-education technology group, posed the question to educators in Second Life for a survey it conducted in May. And the responses, from about 200 people, reveal that educators are equally divided about whether the pixilated world is here to stay. About 41 percent of respondents said Second Life had great potential or was the future of the Web. Another 40 percent said it would die out or fail to go mainstream. The survey results and an appendix can be viewed online using Adobe Acrobat Reader, available free. —Andrea L. Foster
Developing online and blended learning programs requires research and collaboration. Learn how top technology companies are partnering with campuses across the country to advance online learning as it becomes an increasingly important aspect of higher education.