3:32 p.m., Aug. 7, 2009----In the current economy, as travel budgets are slashed, the opportunity for academics to exchange knowledge, practices and insights at professional conferences has dwindled. Conference calls are useful, but can become exasperating as the number of participants grows and potentially turn a conversation among all into a presentation by few. But what if you could attend a rich conference-like experience without leaving your office?

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Members of the Learning Technology Consortium (LTC), a group of nine higher education institutions that meets twice a year to discuss current learning technology practices, recently did just that. The consortium decided earlier this year to add a special summer event: a virtual conference sponsored by UD on its Second Life islands.

Second Life is a 3-D virtual environment in which each participant creates a representation of him or herself called an avatar. Using their avatars, participants can join clubs, socialize, listen to seminars and attend meetings virtually. UD has created two islands in Second Life that represent the campus and are used for educational projects.

Because not all participants were familiar with Second Life, the day before the event, Debbie Jeffers, CITA I in IT-Client Support and Services, led a Second Life Boot Camp for beginners. Approximately 10 participants learned how to create their avatars and mastered basic techniques needed to move from one location to another, communicate and build objects.

On July 31, Mathieu Plourde, project leaders in IT-Client Support and Services, welcomed the 20 virtual participants to UD's islands after which Jeffers gave a tour of the islands.

Retaining the standard format of an LTC conference, each institution presented a 10-minute update on its current teaching with technology initiatives. Topics included learning management systems, distance education, mobile learning, course evaluation, learning space design, clickers, simulations, outsourcing services and disaster recovery.

The day ended with a tour of other interesting places in Second Life, including virtual Harlem, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) island and the University of Georgia's island that showcases the University's permanent art collection in a virtual museum.

The LTC has existed for more than a decade. The relationships that have grown through its traditional conferences add many levels of value to its participants - value that the group hoped not to lose through the virtual experience.

Based on survey comments, that hope seemed to be a reality. Mark McCallister, assistant director of the Office of Academic Technology, University of Florida, wrote, "That was the first time I have participated in an organized group activity in Second Life, other than a walk-around tour or two. I came away with a new sense of the possibilities of group interaction and instruction taking place within the Second Life environment."

In a message to the LTC mailing list, Nick Laudato, associate director for Instructional Technology, University of Pittsburgh, wrote, ''I feel like I've benefited from attending today's session."

To retain an archive of the event, the virtual conference was streamed live on Ustream.tv, a free Web service through which anyone can transmit video from a computer or other Web-enabled device.

Because Ustream is integrated with Facebook and Twitter, educational technologists from other parts of the world, including Greece and Oregon, joined the conference in world and on Ustream. This integration allowed individuals who are not part of the LTC to get a glimpse of LTC's activities and interact with its members - an opportunity that had never been made available before.

"Very well done overall, and I'd be willing to give it another try. Delaware did a wonderful job of hosting our group with its diverse Second Life skill levels," Anne Bishop, director of research and development, Information Systems, Wake Forest University, wrote.

UD faculty who are interested in exploring how Second Life can be used in their courses for instructional simulations and guest presentations should contact Jeffers at [jeffers@udel.edu].
For additional information, visit any of the following:
--The University of Delaware islands on Second Life
--Learning Technology Consortium
--Videos of this event on Ustream
--Pictures of this event on Flickr

Article by Suzanne Nanis