Training in Second Life

In an article published in the August issue of T + D magazine by the American Society of Training & Development (ASTD) and online at Learning Circuits, Anders Gronstedt discussed the use of Second Life (SL) in corporate training. After briefly covering what SL is and how to communicate there, Gronstedt explains how tools in SL "can be used by training professionals to illustrate technical concepts in powerful new ways."

He quotes Chuck Hamilton from IBM, who said: "One of the advantages of Second Life is that you can manipulate the sense of scale and perspective. . . . You can crawl around a big oil rig or fly around a network diagram."

Gronstedt also points out one of the problems with training in SL: "Second Life is creating more virtual classrooms. Unfortunately, most e-learning still looks like a classroom lecture. It takes time for a new medium to develop its own character and unique vernacular."

However, as he points out, there "are signs that some learning organizations are pushing the envelope. IBM has balloons flying in the air that you can enter to explore 360-degree images—a virtual reality within the virtual reality."

Some of the barriers to extensive use of SL in corporate training are

1. consumer focus
2. firewall and security issues
3. system requirements
4. people's time commitment

Gronstedt concludes, "Virtual worlds provide learning organizations with a powerful, unique ability to engage and empower employees in ways that accommodate their digital and mobile lifestyles, adapt to their individual learning needs, and encourage collaboration."

I agree.