The University of New Orleans will begin offering two classes this coming fall in the virtual world Second Life, reports Merrill L. Johnson, an associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts. One class will be in geography, and the other will be in management. In the spring of 2008, the university expects to hold classes in Second Life throughout the day on New Orleans Island, added Mr. Johnson.
The virtual campus was built mainly for distance education, research, and as a place for administrators to meet, he said. But the university realized it would be a good venue for classes should another devastating hurricane strike the Gulf Coast, said Mr. Johnson. After Hurricane Katrina, the university did not shut down like many other institutions in New Orleans, but because the campus suffered wind damage and electrical problems it held many classes online.
"We need to be prepared to do what other 21st-century universities are doing and have a flexible arrangement offering courses," he said. "Online is part of that flexibility." –Andrea L. Foster
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