Day 3. This is the second posting since Nikko LeFavre started his trek into Second Life to find answers to our mission: how 3D virtual worlds like Second Life might benefit real estate professionals and learners in the real world.
Day 3 impressions: There's a steep learning curve. One that I think few mainstream consumers will have the patience for. It's not surprising that despite SL's 20% month-over-month growth rate in new "Residents," only about 10% come back at least weekly at the three-month point following initial registration. Yet, I'm not saying it won't have benefit for learning or real estate businesses in the real world.
It's just that I think the jury's still out about the magnitude of those benefits -- at least for real estate professionals trying to grow a business in the "first life." (Although, I have to say I was pretty impressed with Re/Max's presence. There's a sprawling complex, for example, in Re/Max's Parklife village (in Second Life) sporting condos with large windows and ocean views. Each condo can be purchased by Second Life residents.
But, not immediately clear to me is if the online presence carries tangible benefits to the agent's business in the real world.
Learning benefits, on the other hand, I'm more optimistic about. Yeah, there's still that steep learning curve to hurdle for students who are in SL for the first time, but you can get around that a little easier in a teacher/student environment by designing the learning module to include SL orientations. Subsequent learning modules can then be designed to build upon those earlier orientations and modules as a pre-requisite.
In any case, steep learning curve or not, there's a growing consumer demographic here that I think is worth keeping an eye on. As Gartner Inc.'s analysis summarized it, "...By the end of 2011, 80 percent of active Internet users (including
Fortune 500 companies) will have a 'second life'..."
On the elearning side of the house, I was pleased to find groups for ASTD (American Society for Training and Development), as well as the eLearning Guild. (Professional organizations I'm affiliated with in First Life.) There's also Second Life content I found for Education & Non-profit Organizations that's looking to benefit distance learning, computer supported cooperative work, simulation, new media studies, and corporate training.
More to discover. Till the next chronicle...
