Implications of Online Virtual Reality Applications in Higher Education

Abbie Brown, Ph.D.
Veronica Pantelidis, Ph.D.
East Carolina University

The commercial program, Second Life is currently receiving a great deal of attention from the education community. There seems to be potential for online virtual reality applications like Second Life to positively affect instructional practice, particularly with regard to distance education. However, it is not uncommon for the imaginative projections of enthusiastic supporters to overshadow the realities of a new technology. This presentation explains what Second Life is, describes reports of its use in higher education, and reports the efforts made at East Carolina University to establish and make use of a virtual campus within Second Life.